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Dr. Billy Taylor

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He was probably the first person I?Td ever heard talk intelligently about jazz. On his New York radio show on WLIB in the late fifties, Billy Taylor spoke with eloquent simplicity about the music he loved. And then hê?Td play one of his own records and I remember thinking, this is how piano playing should sound ­expansive, inclusive, full of endless possibilities.
I finally got my father, who was not all that enthused about my interest in jazz at the time, to take me to hear Billy Taylor in person. Taylor and his trio were playing at an upper East Side club whose address was prestigious enough to reassure my father that we weren?Tt going to some downtown den of inequity full of drug addicts and ladies of the evening. I?Td also played a couple of Billy Taylor?Ts records for him. Because my dad was an aspiring, self-taught pianist himself who only played on the black notes, Taylor?Ts virtuosity and dazzling technique definitely got his attention.
The club was dimly lit and sedate and only about half full. The grand piano, and the drum set, and the reclining bass occupied the bandstand silently, like race horses waiting for their jockeys. I don?Tt think the club owners really knew the kind of serious artist they had booked. They probably thought of Taylor as a "****tail pianist." There was no MC and no introduction. At 9pm sharp, Billy Taylor, dressed in a classic single-breasted blue blazer, gray slacks and conservative tie stepped up to the stand accompanied by his rhythm section. I don?Tt recall the bass player?Ts name (hey, this was 40 years ago), but the drummer was Ed Thigpen. Already I could see that my father was impressed. He was a doctor and these guys dressed more conservatively than he did.
Less than 6 bars into the first tune, the dim little ****tail lounge was suddenly a live jazz venue and the energy that the trio was putting out filled the room. Taylor played a lot of old standards?"show tunes, Gershwin, Porter, and a very understated blues. The interplay among the three men in the trio was subtle and loaded with nuances. Thigpen?Ts fours were precious little jewels just perfect for this intimate setting.
Then the bassist and drummer left the stand. Taylor paused for moment to let the change set in, and began to play "Summertime" using only his left hand. His right hand remained quietly at his size, gently gripping the piano bench. Listening to it on a record, you could never have guessed the pianist was only using one hand. Each chord was struck in time precisely, and the runs and filigrees that Taylor hung from them as the song progressed were as complex and interesting as any two-handed solo you might choose to compare it to.
By the time he began the fourth chorus, he was still producing more and more complex and interesting variations, and it was clear that this was not some kind of parlor trick. It as a musical journey that showed how restricting onê?Ts pallet could actually enhance creativity. I have heard this song played countless times since, and it?Ts always very pleasing and seductive. It is certainly one of the loveliest songs ever written. But to this day I?Tve never heard a more definitive rendering of the mood and the essence of Gershwin?Ts "Summertime."
I sometimes feel that because Billy Taylor has for so many years been such a busy ambassador, teacher and promoter of jazz as an art form, people forget how wonderful it is just to sit back and listen to him play. Luckily he has a formidable body of work on record and what?Ts so impressive about it is the consistent level of excellence.
Any day now, I expect to hear that Billy Taylor has released his first recording of solos for left hand only. He is what it means to be a virtuoso.
By Rob Mariani

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Bundle these three brothers' experiences and associations through their individual and collective careers, and anyone with even the slightest notion of jazz appreciation will indubitably realize the significance of the Heath triumvirate - bassist Percy, saxophonist Jimmy, and drummer Albert "Tootie".

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What an in-depth jazz history textbook could be created, based solely upon the Heaths' history in jazz. From bebop pioneers Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Thelonious Monk, to John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Anthony Braxton, and Roscoe Mitchell, as well as vocalists Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Nancy Wilson, and Nina Simone - the three have covered a lot of ground in their well-documented careers. So much so that elder Heath brother Percy flat-out said during a recent interview at his house in Montauk, Long Island with AAJ-NY and his fellow Heath brothers, "We played with a lot of people, so if you want a chronology of who we played with - forget it - you don't have enough tape!" Truer words have never been spoken.
Both older Heath brothers were longtime associates of Dizzy Gillespie, whose big band in the '40s served as a nurturing ground for its rhythm section, which would break off and become what would be known as the Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ). Said Percy of the MJQ's origin, "I asked Birks [Gillespie's middle name and nickname], 'You know I got a kid now man, and I need a little more money. And he said, 'You ain't worth what you're getting'. That's when I left, and we formed the MJQ. That's the biggest favor he ever did for me!" The MJQ, co-led by pianist John Lewis and vibist Milt "Bags" Jackson, also included drum regular Connie Kay and bassist Percy (who briefly took lessons from Charles Mingus, gaining some significant and needed pointers from the fellow bassist, before the MJQ group became incorporated). The foursome lasted 43 years, an unheard-of total in any genre of music, let alone jazz, with the same line-up since its beginning years. It is widely acknowledged that the MJQ helped to give jazz its just respect by bringing the music and tra***ion into concert halls throughout the U.S. and around the world, hence contributing to jazz' status as "America's classical music".
Jimmy, the "writer, arranger, philosopher, and professor" (as "Tootie" appropriately labels one of his two older brothers), has been associated with Gillespie basically since his jazz career started out as a mid-teenager. He even still performs in the various Dizzy alum tribute bands that visit the Blue Note on a regular basis. Gillespie, however, was but one of countless trumpeters the saxophonist performed with throughout his illustrious career. Now at the age of 76, and as musically prolific as he was back in the '40s with nearly two dozen sessions under his belt as a leader, Jimmy is grateful for his many trumpeter affiliations, from Miles Davis, Clifford Brown, Lee Morgan, Kenny Dorham, Art Farmer, Blue Mitchell, and cornetist Nat Adderley, to the still quite active Freddie Hubbard and Clark Terry. As he continued to list them off, Jimmy half-jokingly boasted, "I played with damn near all of the trumpet playersõ?ƯThey're the ones who hired me!"
Without hesitation, Jimmy revealed, "[My] favorite person in the music is Dizzy. I learned a lot from him. He was just constantly teaching all the time. There wasn't anybody else that I could have been around as long as [with] Dizzyõ?ƯMy relationship with him went from being in his band in '49, until he passed away [which was 1993]." In that band of Dizzy's were a õ?owho's whoõ? of jazz, including a fellow alto saxophonist at the time by the name of John Coltrane, also a contemporary of Jimmy's, whose birthday is but a month earlier. It was actually a decade after this experience when Jimmy briefly served as his old friend's replacement in the legendary quintet of Miles Davis. Coltrane was but one of jazz' greats whom all three Heaths, at one point or another, got a chance to play with. His first date as sole leader (Coltrane, 1957) featured "Tootie", the youngest of the Heaths. Then a few years later, Trane's The Avant-Garde (Atlantic, 1960) session with Don Cherry, would feature Percy alternating with Charlie Haden on bass, and another Ornette Coleman alum, drummer Ed Blackwell. "Ornette was my favorite of 'that' music", is how "Tootie" put it.
Percy was actually responsible for Ornette's debut follow-up recording as a leader of that seminal group (Tomorrow is the Question, 1959). "I'm the one that they came (to) and got to make that record. Ornette said, 'I want you to make a record'õ?ƯI introduced John Lewis to Ornette - I tried to get him to listen to Ornette for a long timeõ?ƯI identified with Ornette's music because it seemed radical at the time, but Ornette Coleman had absorbed Charlie Parker up the wazoo and everything else that was going on before him, and he was able to extract a style or concept from all that music.
Rhythmically, don't mess with him. Harmonically, it was strangeõ?ƯI [am] the only living or otherwise bass player that played and recorded with Charlie Parker AND Ornette Coleman. That's pretty wild!" And referring to one of his most memorable associations and experiences, which was with Bird, Percy in all seriousness related that, "It (was) some of the most remarkable spiritual feeling that I ever had musically...The feeling Charlie Parker gave to the rhythm section was like he just lifts the bandstand, it just takes over...sometimes on the bandstand [as] the band locks in that groove, it's more spiritual communication than physical - an upper revelationõ?ƯThat's the reward of being a jazz musician, because every now and then, it locks in and you say 'Heaven'!"
In ad***ion to the many many fellow jazz musicians the three played with were John Lewis and Milt Jackson. "Tootie" actually became Connie Kay's drumming replacement (alternating with Mickey Roker) in the MJQ after the great drummer passed away in '94, though õ?oTootieõ? regrettably did not get the opportunity to record as a member of the MJQ. They unreservedly admit that there were inevitably many masters and legends of the music who at least one of the three did not get the opportunity to play or record with, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington among them. However, each is eternally grateful for the careers they've had and still have. "There's a lot of people we haven't played with," says Percy, "but we played with a lot of good people, a lot of good jazz." When all three Heaths get together (musically or in a non-stop laugh-fest when their instruments aren't within arms-reach), it is always reason for celebration given the two younger Heaths' still very active music itineraries throughout the year, not to mention Percy's fishing addiction (when asked what music he thinks about when fishing, he sharply replied, õ?oI'm thinking about fishing!õ?). Now that the elder Heath is 79 years young (turning 80 next April!), Percy's exclusive music activities are solely with his brothers on select dates at clubs and on cruise ships. Otherwise you can be guaranteed that he is fishing out on his boat (appropriately named "The Fiddler") in the waters right off the shores of Montauk. He will also achieve one of the very few milestones missing in his career -the first session ever under his very own name, A Love Song (Daddy Jazz), is expected to be available and sold, hot-off-the-presses, at the Heath Brothers' week-long engagement at the Iridium jazz club this month. Not only will you catch quite a bit of jazz history by taking a trip to the Iridium between the 19th and 24th, but you will also be treated to some of jazz' current vitality. The Heaths hope to go back into the studio for what would be their tenth recording as the Heath Brothers (the two most recent being on Concord Records), and though Jimmy was not as enthusiastic as "Tootie" and myself, the concept of just an all-Heath trio session is sure an enticing one. Whatever the case may be, the Heath Brothers' continuous creativity and obvious link to the great tra***ion we all hold dear to our hearts and ears is heaven-sent.
As our conversation wound down towards lunchtime, Jimmy exclaimed, "This family, we've survived. And in terms of everybody that's in the world, we've all been around the greatest musicians that ever played this music - America's music." And though it's not all about nostalgia with the Heaths, who are by no stretch of the imagination a relic threesome, some final words were offered by Percy amidst the shopping lists of countless musician friends they all have encountered over these many decades, "Memory lane, is that where we're going? Well, that's what we got a lot of, and lucky to have it!" And aren't we lucky to have them - true jazz royalty.

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Completing the Current Circuit with the Fuze- David "Fuze" Fiuczynski

Guitarist David ?oFuzê? Fiuczynski has remained somewhat of an incongruously well-kept secret despite his staggeringly complete resume, forward-thinking conceptual approach, and absolutely spine-chilling command of guitar technique. Hê?Ts also been ahead of the curve on a few things; for one, the funk-metal crossover stylings that have dominated the popular music airwaves for quite some time now. His Screaming Headless Torsos were pumping fresh air into this genre back in 1995 with a major label studio release, and the previously import-only SHT Live!?, which has been re-released on his independent label, Fuzelicious Morsels. Who knows how many of the current crop of young bands tacitly took of Torso tactics? Unfettered by classification, Fuze was also a Jazz-Punk crossover progenitor long before releasing his indie-label-debut cd by the same name. Beyond proving he was a jazzer with a punk heart, JazzPunk also showed that Fiuczynski was out in front of the jazz/jungle/drum?Tn?Tbass/etcetronica crossover, as well - a hybrid that swirled, in great part, out of small New York clubs in which co-conspirator and, if anything, more criminally unheralded Torso, and still future-drummer, Jojo Mayer, plied his trade, holding court over his now legendary ?oNervê? nights.
Arguably, Dave was even out in front of the jamband/jazz phenomena with 1994?Ts Lunar Crush, a collaboration with Jon Medeski that barely preceded the breakthrough success of MMW?Ts Shackman and received off-the-charts critical acclaim, similar to much of what Dave has received. Our favorite? Jazz Times, who said, ?oFuze sends the bulk of today?Ts jazz fusion scurrying into the shameful holes from whence it came.?
Not so finally, let?Ts at least give the Fuze his partial due and pronounce him the world?Ts premier fretless guitarist, shall we? C?Tmon now, nobody else is doing it and if they even come close to approximating this sound, it?Ts with a slide (like David Tronzo and Derek Trucks)- not anything like Fuzê?Ts trademark fretless/fretted purple passion double neck. In great part, his dedicated undertaking of the intricacies of the fretless axe came in response to his ardor for ?oworld sounds?, yet another currently hip categorizing buzzphrase that Fuze had a way-early and genuine (not bandwagon-driven) interest in prior to its ascension to a label for bins of cds. Among other things, this facet of his musical persona manifests itself during ventures into some extremely interesting musical territory with exotic scales and their application. I offer the following vignette *****pport that statement. I attended a clinic/concert conducted by Fuze for Berkleê?Ts summer guitar week, during which Dave demonstrated two scales in succession, one containing conventionally flatted second, fifth and seventh degrees followed by another (the ?onamê? escapes me) containing both a quarter-flat second and a quarter- sharp fifth tones. While Dave would explain that this is merely the tip of the iceberg with exotic scales, and that in no way should he be considered an expert on their application, especially compared to his Mideastern and other ethnic musical brethren, it still made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. After an instant of thinking I was alone in my admiration of his knowledge and skills, a response that could only happen at Berklee ensued-first a smattering of applause that expanded into hoops and hollers and, finally, one student?Ts out ­loud - exclamation-point of, ?oThat f%$king rocked, dude!?
Dave recently assumed a position at Berklee, which has precipitated a few very major changes. Dave and wife Lian had recently moved from Brooklyn to Woodstock area, but are now moving again. As Dave explains, ?oI am moving to western Mass. because I?Tm starting this job in Boston, so I?Tll be near Boston, and also on the way to New York.? What about all his other projects? ?oSHT are still working on a new record. It?Ts going slow though. I have a number of things that are coming out now. Black Cherry Acid Lab just came out. It?Ts a foray into punk funk and rap. Part of what inspired Black Cherry...I wasn?Tt really interested in doing it by I did?was this gig in Paris with the trombone player, Craig Harris. He did these really short vignettes with these rappers and I really dug it. I was inspired by him and also by George Russell?Ts electronic sonata- his piece called ?~song 1A?T. I did a version of it on ?~Black Cherry?T , which, by the way, is an EP. So it?Ts quite a crossbreed of references. Punk, funk and rap with George Russell! It?Ts a really underground feel - pieced together and pretty lo-fi.?
Dave did part of Acid Lab at his home studio, clarifying, ?oIt was mostly done in other places, but, I have another project, called ?~Kif?T, which was all done at home. Kif is Rufus Capadoccia on cello, with Gene Lake and Tobias Ralph on drums, and myself. It was recorded in Brooklyn at our place, with the help of Per Wikstrom. Hê?Ts been a friend for a long time and he works a lot with Meshuggah. Hê?Ts also done a lot of studio work with Mats and Morgan. So he was like, ?~I am just putting my studio together. I just bought all these mic preamps and these mics and I?Tll be in the states..why don?Tt we do something??T So, we did all the basics almost two years ago and then finally, I laid down all my parts and finished of the other musicians?T parts and it?Ts ready to be mixed. At times Kif is augmented by Lian Amber on vocals , Danny Sadownick on percussion and Matt Darriau, as well. I arranged one of his tunes and invited him to play it, one that I don?Tt think hê?Ts recorded, called ?~Gaidâ?T. Hê?Ts playing caval, which is the eastern European version of the nay which is an end-blown flute. Hê?Ts also playing clarinet and gaida (same as the tunê?Ts title), which is, in fact, the body of a goat, which is used as the bellows on eastern European bagpipe. I was always checking out world music, and going back to 1992, I was invited to play with western musician at the World?Ts Fair in Seville with the Moroccan contingent. The Moroccans got Richard Horowitz, who plays nay and keyboards, to acquire western musicians to back up all these folkloric groups. They had Jon Hassell, Jamie Haddad and people like that. All the Moroccans were like, ?~Did you know Jimi Hendrix was here?Jimi Hendrix!?T That put a bug in my ear. Since then I always wanted to mix these sounds with western grooves. Now, ten years later here it is.? What?Ts the derivation of the name? ?oKif is something you smoke and enjoy. If you don?Tt know what it is you don?Tt need to know any more. Kif will hit early next year. As far as the new Screaming Headless Torsos, that?Ts ?~Screaming?T so it?Ts with vocals, there is new music and it?Ts done, but we need to record it. I wanted to do half with Freedom Bremner (who was recently featured on Moby?Ts 18) and half with Dean Bowman (who can be recently found on the road with Charlie Hunter), but there have been some delays. So it won?Tt likely hit until next summer. This is in the recording pipeline with Kif as opposed to Acid Lab, which has been effectively finished for years.?

As usual, Fuze has a new project too-one which has grown organically out of gigging practicalities and his new ties to Berklee. ?oOf late, I have been going on the road, with Tao, and that?Ts looking back and looking forward. I?Tm kind of ripping tunes from my earlier projects like Lunar Crush , Headless Torsos, Kif, and JazzPunk and combining them with some new tunes. I?Td eventually like to record the new tunes that wê?Tre playing with more cats on them, like a Chinese lute, called the pipa, or the erhu,the one string bowed instrument from China ..I also want to learn how to play shamisen. I am going to play fretless guitar, guitar and have bass and drums, but augment it with keys, winds, strings, middle-eastern Indian, and east Asian sounds. The recording should have that stuff on it. But in terms of gigging it, I?Tm gigging that stuff already, but as a trio, because that?Ts as small as I can go in terms of the economic reality, in a nutshell. Tony Grey is my bass player and a great find in Boston, and Dave DiCenso, who also teaches at Berklee has been playing drums. When Dave has a conflict, Akira Nakamura has been more than ably subbing on drums. I am currently looking for a weekly gig in Boston-I?Td love to just go nuts with that. We even have a west coast mini-tour coming up. For that I?Tve put together a West Coast section with Adrian Harpham on drums, who also plays a couple of the Acid Lab cuts, and a bassist that Adrian hooked me up with named Kaveh Rastegar, who plays bass with Action Figure Party (note : as did longtime Torsos bassist Fima Ephron).
The direction I?Tm heading in is basically eastern sounds over western grooves, or Eastern-exotica- groove-jams!. And I do want to take it to the people. In ad***ion, we really need to get Lian?Ts music out there as well. We have a tour booked in February in Europe. It will be Kif backing her up and a set of Kif music as well - a configuration that wê?Tve gigged before. Lian has a bunch of demos ready to go, but in our opinion, they need to sound even better. You have to get good players, get them rehearsed, get ?~em into a good studio with a good engineer and have money to promote and go on tour. Our home rig is good for overdubs and we can?Tt mix. That?Ts one thing we have to leave that to the professionals.?
Besides selling more records and upping attendance at shows, what other challenges lay before the principals of Fuzelicious Morsels? ?oTherê?Ts plenty in the works. And therê?Ts plenty of my stuff already out there (Note: check out a surprisingly deep discography here), but wê?Tll see. We have to get through this move first. On a personal front, wê?Tre planning slowly but surely for the next generation - planning but not into production! Other than that, keep an eye on torsos.com for what?Ts next!?

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