COMING TO THE DIRTY DOG
10/26-11/09
THE SEAN DOBBINS ORGAN QUARTET
11/02-11/05
THE DETROIT JAZZ FESTIVAL ALL STARS
MAKING THE ALL STAR TEAM
I have never been on an all star team. When I was growing up we didn’t even have sports teams. We chose up. We had different team mates every day and had to adapt and get along with everyone. Everyone made the team and everyone got a chance to play. Getting a chance to play means that you get a chance to imagine your self an all-star. I was always certain I was making the same moves that my heroes made. With only radio to go by this was easy to imagine. With TV we could see that my heroes were much bigger, much faster and more skilled. My happiest days in sports were before we got a TV.
In music class I was told not to make a sound. I was allowed to listen, and I have learned to be a pretty good listener. I know an all-star when I hear one. Most musicians know an all-star when they hear them and certainly when they play with one. There are people who are really good at putting together all-star groups. Generally they select artists that they would like a chance to play with. All bands need a headliner, someone who has built a name for themselves and can draw a crowd. All star groups have a band full of headliners.
ONE GUY WHO KNEW AN ALL-STAR WHEN HE HEARD ONE WAS NORMAN GRANZ.
ELLA FITZGERALD AND NORMAN GRANZ
JAZZ AT THE PHILHARMONIC
One of my first chances to see live jazz played was when I ventured down to the Greystone Ballroom in downtown Detroit on Woodward Avenue. Looking back at that evening, it may have set me up as a sucker for jazz music for the rest of my life. The ball room was packed with bodies that swayed to music that was really loud and different. I, by chance, had happened on one of jazz’z greatest events: Norman Granz’s Jazz At the Philharmonic. Norman Granz was not a musician, but through his determination to make jazz visible to everyone he changed jazz and America’s music. He was to become one of the most important producers we have ever had in jazz.
In 1944, he put together the ultimate jazz all-star band, Norman Granz’s Jazz at the Philharmonic.that toured the country . In the 1950s Jazz was king and Norman Granz helped crown many of the young princes and princesses of jazz.
Over the years, Norman Granz featured many of the era’s preeminent musicians at his concerts including Ray Brown, Benny Carter, Nat “King” Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Roy Eldridge, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Bill Harris, Coleman Hawkins, Billie Holiday, J J Johnson, Hank Jones. Jo Jones, Gene Krupa, Charlie Parker, Oscar Peterson, Flip Phillips, Ben Webster, Lester Young and many many more.
I left the Greystone Ballroom with the image of Illinois Jacquet soaring over every other artist. I had never seen energy like that before.
Many of the names that made history in jazz signed with one of Norman Granz’s labels, including Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie,
Norman Granz cared about and admired all the jazz artists and saw to it that his musicians were well paid. In the segregated society of the 1940s. He insisted on equal pay and accommodation for white and black musicians. He refused to take his hugely popular concerts to places which were segregated, even if he had to cancel concerts.
He was beloved by musicians around the world. Granz has had few equals in the history of popular music.
CHRIS COLLINS PRESIDENT DETROIT JAZZ FESTIVAL
CHRIS COLLINS KNOWS HOW TO PUT TOGETHER AN ALL STAR JAZZ BAND
It is a pretty easy job to assemble an all star band in Detroit. Most of the artists on any Detroit jazz list are deserving and usually answer their phones. Chris’s primary job is to bring together talented individuals who will best create the style of music that he envisions. Next week he will bring his vision to celebrate the influence of Latin American artistry and rhythms on jazz to the Dirty Dog. The all stars will bring a form of jazz that has been part of the music from its very earliest beginnings in New Orleans. Early on musicians from Havana and New Orleans would take the twice-daily ferry between both cities to perform, and the habanera rhythms quickly took root in the birthplace of jazz. At the Dirty Dog we will have two of jazz’s all stars on percussion along with Papo Vasquez on trombone joining some local all-stars.
Norman Granz would be pleased.
John Osler
OCTOBER 26-29
COMING THIS WEEK TO THE DIRTY DOG
EVERYONE’S ALL-STAR SEAN DOBBIN
Sean Dobbins is one of Detroit’s authentic all-stars as a band leader, educator and one of our most sought after drummers. Sean will be heading up the SEAN DOBBINS ORGAN QUARTET this week. Joining Sean on the bandstand will be Cory Allen on guitar, Jim Alfredson on Hammond B3 organ and special guest De’Sean Jones on tenor and soprano saxophone. The Dog welcomes all who may need their spirit lifted, something that you can only get from a jazz organ.
NOVEMBER 2 -5
DETROIT JAZZ FESTIVAL ALL STARS
Celebrate the Powerful Influence of Latin American Artistry and Rhythms.
Featuring: Pepe Espinosa – Percussion
Miguel Gutierrez – Percussion
Papo Vasguez – Puerto Rican/New York
Composer/Trombonist, (Fri/Sat only)
Cliff Monear – Piano
Jeff Pedraz – Bass Sean Dobbins – Drums (Thurs-Fri only) David Taylor – Drums (Fri-Sat only) Chris Collins – Woodwind
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