Up for Jazz Grammys

McCoy Tyner photo by John Abbott (left) and Joe Lovano photo by Jimmy Katz (right)

Many past – and a couple future – Center favorites are nominees 

by Cristofer Gross 

Nominations for the Grammy® Awards were announced on December 6, and among the nominees in Jazz categories are Segerstrom Jazz Series favorites, including two with upcoming shows. 

Fred Hersch photo by David Bartolomi

Saxophonist Joe Lovano, nominated in the Large Jazz Ensemble category for his guest work on the Brussels Jazz Orchestra's "Wild Beauty" CD, is here this weekend as a special guest with the McCoy Tyner Trio. (Don't miss it: tickets here.)

Fred Hersch, nominated in the Soloist Category for "Free Flying," will make his Center debut May 2. His CD is a duo with Julian Lage, who was here in February 2008 with pianist Taylor Eigsti. 

Hersch is competing against four-time Center visitor Terence Blanchard, whose last visit, in April 2011, was a memorable double bill with Branford Marsalis' quartet. 

For Best Jazz Vocal Album, two-timer Tierney Sutton (2004, 2007) is our favorite for "After Blue," a Joni Mitchell collection. In 2007, when asked about singer-songwriters in general and Mitchell in particular, Tierney told me, "Joni is a genius. I love her. There may come a time when I can figure out something honorable to do with something of hers." 

The nomination makes "After Blue" officially "honorable!" 

Instrumental Competition

Terri Lyne Carrington photo by Tracy Love

In the Best Jazz Instrumental Album category, vibraphonist Gary Burton, who joined Chick Corea for a dazzling duo here in March 2011, is nominated for "Guided Tour," competing with drummer Terri Lynn Carrington, who was just here in ACS with pianist Geri Allen and bassist Esperanza Spalding. She is nominated for a reworking of Duke Ellington's "Money Jungle," called "Provocative In Blue." 

Bassist Christian McBride's trio is also up for "Out Here." Christian is another three-time Center visitor, most recently with Blanchard as part of the Ivan Lins tribute in 2007. 

Best wishes to all Jazz nominees (full list). The awards will be announced in a live CBS broadcast on January 26. 

Cristofer Gross writes jazz features for Center publications. His interview with Joe Lovano is here.

An Acronym by Any Other Name

A trio of contemporary jazz greats choose to abbreviate. 

By Cristofer Gross

Forty years ago the most successful progressive rock group went by its initials: ELP. Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, veterans of other famous bands, formed a "supergroup." With much less fanfare but more raw firepower, a new super trio has emerged in contemporary jazz. 

Unlike the men of old, ACS has no recordings. That's because pianist Geri Allen, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, and bassist Esperanza Spalding are so busy with individual Grammy-worthy projects they could only squeeze in a short tour. Fortunately, it includes shows in the Samueli on October 25 and 26. 

Although it will be Allen's first visit, Spalding had an unforgettable debut here in 2009, before she became the first jazz artist to earn Best New Artist in Grammy history. Since then she released two more acclaimed CDs and has been in constant demand in the studios and on festival stages. 

In May, Carrington, who was here eight years ago, spoke about ACS for a story in Revue. 

"Our very first gig in New York was at the Vanguard and we recorded a couple of those nights," she said. "It sounds good, but we don't have any plans to release it or go into the studio. But anything can happen." 

Saxophonist Joe Lovano, who will be at the Center with the McCoy Tyner Trio in December, has appeared alongside ACS this summer in concerts marking Wayne Shorter's 80th birthday. In a separate interview, he praised the trio. 

"Geri's amazing," he said. "She's fabulous and knows so much music. Terri also, the way she reorganizes and restructures things within the music is just beautiful." 

Don't miss ACS. This is one acronym-supergroup whose touring days may be as abbreviated as its name. 
_________________________________ 

Read Cris’ full story in the Center’s online Revue magazine here. To read Mr. Gross's interview with Carrington, please visit his website, Theater Times.