Quirky NY Chick: Concert Review: The Majesty of the Jazz Trumpet, Jon Faddis At Zankel Hall

Monday, May 3, 2010

Concert Review: The Majesty of the Jazz Trumpet, Jon Faddis At Zankel Hall

12:25 PM | Posted by Quirky NY Chick

Jon Faddis: April 27 @ Zankel Hall, New York, NY

Trumpet virtuoso Jon Faddis took to the Zankel Hall stage last week and d

azzled all in attendance. Faddis led his quartet through The Majesty of the Jazz Trumpet, a performance that paid homage to the musical styles of trumpeters. The program was the third and final performance of Carnegie Hall’s 2009–2010 Just Jazz: The Joyce Wein Series, a three-part series presented by Carnegie Hall in partnership with legendary jazz impresario George Wein in memory of his late wife, Joyce Wein.

I however, didn't get to witness the show personally. But, fear not my fellow music loving friends. Becca Pulliam, producer of the WBGO program JazzSet, was not only there but, she has kindly shared her thoughts on the show with us!

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Jon Faddis led the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band in the magnificent concert hall for 10 seasons. On April 27, Jon was back at Carnegie and underground in Zankel Hall with the Jon Faddis Quartet. With hardly any amplification, the sound in Zankel is so natural, you hear every sweet detail from David Hazeltine on piano, Todd Coolman on bass and Dion Parson on drums. They play with perfect control of dynamics.

The night was a tribute to Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. Jon leads the Chicago Jazz Ensemble now, and Louis Armstrong recorded some of his greatest work in Chicago. He met his wife Lil Hardin there. For awhile she ran the band and called him "The Greatest Trumpet Player in the World." That's the style -- big and breathtaking.

Jon's mentor was Dizzy Gillespie. When Jon plays like Dizzy, it is so conversational, it's as though he is talking to you in a mesmerizing, funny language. My favorite was "The Blues from the Gillespieana Suite."

And by the end of this concert, that felt both formal and casual, the trumpeter to celebrate was ... Jon Faddis!

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Thanks to Ms. Pulliam for sharing her thoughts!

jazzset.npr.org
www.wbgo.org/blog
terangajazz.com