Event/ Jazz Masters Listening Session

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR 

The Jazz Masters Listening Sessions

Presented by: Sunil Sampat

Genre: Jazz

Details; Little Theatre, NCPA, August 14

Over the past few years, jazz aficionado and Rolling Stone India columnist Sunil Sampat has been conducting The Jazz Masters Listening Sessions at the Little Theatre, NCPA. The objective is two-fold - to acquaint newer listeners about the intricacies of jazz and the contribution of various artistes, and to play some rarer music for those fond of the genre.

In the latest session on August 14, Sampat shifted from his regular pattern of focusing on a particular instrument or style of jazz. His playlist comprised a varied selection of tracks, both old and new, thus providing a good mix. What was specially interesting was that he told stories about his interactions with some of the musicians, culled from six decades of attending jazz concerts.

For instance, he played this French gypsy guitarist Stephane Wrembel, who followed the style of the legendary Django Reinhardt and had visited Mumbai after he had worked on the 2011 Woody Allen film Midnight In Paris. The track was 'Bistro Fada', a beautiful and subtle piece of gguitarwork. They had an impromptu show in Mumbai but there was barely any attendance.

He also talked of meeting trumpet and flugelhorn player Chuck Mangione in the US some time in the early 1960s. Chuck, who passed away last month, was surprised that an Indian listened to jazz. Interestingly, his band's saxophonist was called Chris Vadala - spawning a joke on whether he belonged to an area in Mumbai.

While a lot of great music was played over two hours, one wished more jazz followers were present in the auditorium. These events happen once in two or three months, and one gets to hear some rare gems. 

One heard great tenor saxophonist John Coltrane's rendition of 'Alabama', based on a Martin Luther King speech of 1963. The piece showed his spiritual side, and was stirring There were other tenor saxophonists in the playlist - Ben Webster's 'C Jam Blues' and Coleman Hawkins' version of 'Smoke Gets In Your Eyes'. 

Alto saxophonist and bebop pioneer Charlie Parker was heard in an interesting collaboration with a string orchestra on 'Just Friends'. Other legends played were trumpeter Miles Davis's 'Basin Street Blues' and pianist Oscar Peterson's 'Benny's Bugle'.

Naturally, there was a fair representation of vocal jazz. 'The First Lady Of Song', Ella Fitzgerald, was heard on 'Mack The Knife', which the jazz fans were familiar with. Rarer gems came Kevin Mahogany ('My Foolish Heart', featuring the great Ray Brown on upright bass), Randy Crawford ('Everybody's Talking', with keyboardist Joe Sample) and Rachelle Ferrell.('You Send Me'). Not many had heard these singers before, though each of them had such phenomenal voices. 

But therein lies the charm of such sessions. One always leaves the place with the desire to listen to certain artistes more closely, or re-explore tunes one hasn't heard in years.