#gary smulyan

[jazzplusplus]

Red Door | Harry Allen's All Star New York Saxophone Band (August 1, 2023 - Otesaga Resort Hotel Ballroom - Cooperstown Summer Music Festival)

Red Door by Gerry Mulligan and Zoot Sims : Grant Stewart (ts), Ken Peplowski (ts), Harry Allen (ts), Gary Smulyan (bs), James Chirillo (g), Mike Karn (b), Aaron Kimmel (dr)

[jazzdailyblog]

Tom Harrell's "Labyrinth": Navigating the Soundscape of Jazz Ingenuity

Introduction: In the realm of jazz, the name Tom Harrell stands as a beacon of artistic innovation and technical prowess. His album, “Labyrinth,” released to critical acclaim, serves as a testament to his creative genius. In this blog post, we embark on a journey through the labyrinthine soundscape that Harrell and his ensemble craft in this remarkable musical endeavor. Harrell’s Sonic…

[bobrosenbaum]

Gary's Back in Town, Tel Aviv, Israel, December 2024.

The brilliant (and wonderful) baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan is back for a round of appearances here, including one with the Strings of the excellent Israel Camarata Jerusalem. In other appearances he is joined by the outstanding trumpeter Joe Magnarelli, another intrepid traveler.

[gordsellar]

The great baritone sax player Gary Smulyan playing Thad Jones' "A Child is Born" gorgeously with: Ian Macdonald - piano Jason Emmond - bass Joe Barna - drums & cymbals

The band also has a trumpet/flugelhorn player, Joe Magnarelli, but he sits out this number.

[rich4a1]

VANGUARD JAZZ ORCHESTRA “LIVE” AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD

VANGUARD JAZZ ORCHESTRA “LIVE” AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD – CENTENIAL: THE MUSIC OF THAD JONES BCM+D Records RHYTHM: Adam Birnbaum, piano; David Wong, bass; John Riley, drums; SAXOPHONES: Dick Oatts & Billy Drewes, altos; Rich Perry & Ralph Lalama, tenors; Gary Smulyan, baritone; TROMBONES: Dion Tucker, Jason Jackson, Robert Edwards, & Douglas Purviance; TRUMPETS: John Chudoba, Brian Pareschi,…

[pastdaily]

Baritone Madness - Brignola, Cuber And Smulyan - Live In Rome - 1996 - Past Daily Downbeat

https://pastdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/BARITONE-Madness-1996.mp3 Over to Rome this week for a 1996 concert from the Roma Villa Cellimontana Festival in August featuring three Baritone sax players: Nick Brignola, Ronnie Cuber and Gary Smulyan. Supported by Riccardo Fassi on piano, Massimo Moriconi on bass and Giampaolo Ascolese on drum and preserved for posterity by RAI Radio (and chatty…

[xerks44]

Ron Carter - In Concert with Diana Ross - Stolen Moments - #roncarterbas...

LIVE: THE LADY SINGS – 1992 DIANA ROSS

A FULL PROGRAM OF BILLIE HOLIDAY-ASSOCIATED SONGS

In 1972, Diana Ross portrayed Billie Holiday in the movie Lady Sings The Blues.

20 years later she was featured at a special concert at New York’s Ritz Theater, singing jazz with an all-star band.

After a five-minute introduction in which Diana Ross talks about her love for the music, she performs a set of jazz standards, many of which were associated with Billie Holiday.

She puts a lot of feeling and swing into her versions of “Fine And Mellow,” “ Them There Eyes,” “Don’t Explain,” “What A Little Moonlight Can Do,” “Mean To Me,” “Lover Man,” “Gimme A Pigfoot and a Bottle Of Beer,” “Little Girl Blue,” “There’s A Small Hotel,” “I Cried For You,” “The Man I Love,” “God Bless The Child,” “Our Love Is Here To Stay,” “You’ve Changed,” “Let’s Fall In Love,” “It’s Alright With Me,” “Strange Fruit,” “All Of Me,” “Good Morning Heartache,” “T’Ain’t Nobody’s Bizness If I Do,” “My Man,” “What A Wonderful World,” and a reprise of “Fine And Mellow.”

For this unique concert, which was probably never repeated, Diana Ross is joined by trumpeters Stanton Davis, Jon Faddis, Roy Hargrove and John Longo, trombonists Garnett Brown, Urbie Green and Slide Hampton, Justin Robinson and Frank Wess on altos, Ralph Moore and Jerome Richardson on tenors, baritonist Gary Smulyan, Barry Harris Bobby Tucker and Paul Odeh alternating on piano, guitarist Ted Dunbar, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Grady Tate; arrangements were contributed by Gil Askey who shares the conducting duties with Jon Faddis.

Thanks are due to Ron Carter who generously made this unique film available to Jazz On The Tube.

-Scott Yanow

[dustedmagazine]

Ronnie Cuber & Gary Smulyan – Tough Baritones (Steeplechase)

Tenor tandems have a vaunted and venerated stature in jazz lore. An annotated list of notable encounters could swiftly fill the word count of this review without even really scratching the surface. Baritone tandems are rarified by comparison and commonly include a third horn in the equation. John Coltrane’s Dakar is a classic example and the fact that it was originally a session co-led by baritonists Pepper Adams and Cecil Payne, repackaged to capitalize on the tenorist’s ascendant cachet, helpfully proves the point. Tough Baritones does its modest part to remedy and rectify this historical tendency by placing emphasis justly on two of the most talented purveyors of the burly horn currently in action. Ronnie Cuber has the superior years and experience, but Gary Smulyan is every bit his equal when it comes to bringing out the best in the instrument.

Title and principals inherently make any rhythm section something of an afterthought, but its testament to the co-leader’s confidence and prowess that they opt for one of such excellence. Gary Versace and bassist Jay Anderson are Steeplechase regulars, the former balancing both leader and sideman sessions while the latter is arguably the house bassist for the imprint. Versace plays piano in this context but is also a formidable organist. Jason Tiemann’s fewer credits belie the credible versatility he brings to the cans. Cuber and Smulyan lean into the blowing session amiability of the date with a program dialed into hardbop precedent. “Blowing the Blues Away” is the first of four Horace Silver covers with both baritones belting out of the gate before Cuber bustles to the front for first solo honors.

Red Prysock’s “That’s a Groovy Thing” continues the cerulean sentiments with Cuber again firing off the first salvo after a swinging call and response opening section. Smulyan answers with a throaty rebuttal and both players wear the influence of the aforementioned Adams proudly and prominently. Versace is third in line as soloist but keeps his improvisations within the climates dictated by the horns. Anderson and Tiemann occupy the ensemble passages with equal parts poise and passion. What they forgo in the way of regular individual statements is compensated for by conscientious attention to the greater good. That diligence to utility frees up the co-leaders to concentrate on spirited conversations, as with the angular explosions that surround a rendering of Monk’s “Well You Needn’t.” Freddie Hubbard’s “Little Sunflower” demonstrates the duo’s dexterity with a ballad line, while Cuber’s closing “Intervals” test the team’s mettle on a devious original. Safe to say that the baritone tandem lineage has a new benchmark.

Derek Taylor

[didanawisgi]

Sunny

[mosaicrecords]

Phil Woods & Jimmy Heath: in Conversation with Gary Smulyan

Baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan interviewed Jimmy Heath and Phil Woods on memories of 52nd Street and the early days of bebop. This twelve minutes goes by way to fast. This is the real deal.

-Michael Cuscuna

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[jazzplusplus]

Four Others: Harry Allen, Eric Alexander, Grant Stewart (ts), Gary Smulyan (bs), Rossano Sportiello (p), Joel Forbes (b), Chuck Riggs (dr)

[projazznet]

Gary Smulyan – Our Contrafacts

“Fantastic work from Gary Smulyan – a baritone saxophonist who may well be one of the few really standout players on his instrument these days – working in a legacy that puts his mighty talents right up there with Pepper Adams, Serge Chaloff, and a rare few others who could really make the baritone swing!” (Dusty Groove).

[diyeipetea]

JazzX5#033. Bill O'Connell and the Afro Caribbean Ensemble: Wind Off the Hudson [Minipodcast]

JazzX5#033. Bill O’Connell and the Afro Caribbean Ensemble: Wind Off the Hudson [Minipodcast]

Por Pachi Tapiz.

“Wind Off the Hudson” Bill O’Connell and the Afro Caribbean Ensemble: Wind Off The Hudson (Savant Records) Bill O’Connell, Andrea Brachfeld, Craig Handy, Ralph Bowen, Gary Smulyan, Alex Sipiagin, Conrad Herwig, Lincoln Goines, Robby Ameen

© Pachi Tapiz, 2019

JazzX5 es un minipodcast de HDO de la Factoría Tomajazz presentado, editado y producido por Pachi Tapiz. JazzX5comenzó su…

[larryland]

A Tribute Saxophone Legend Nick Brignola at Music Haven

A Tribute Saxophone Legend Nick Brignola at Music Haven

SCHENECTADY, N.Y.—JULY 12, 2019—On a June Sunday in 1990, baritone saxophone legend Nick Brignola put his lips to the reed and kicked off the second date of the inaugural Music Haven Concert Series.

Now, 30 years later, the Troy-bred jazz great will be feted by former bandmates and acolytes with A Tribute to Nick Brignola.

Brignola was a legend in the jazz world. He played the big horn like no…

[riffsstrides]

Vanguard Jazz Orchestra

Overtime: Music of Bob Brookmeyer

Planet Arts, 2014

Nick Marchione: trumpet, flugelhorn; Tanya Darby: trumpet, flugelhorn; Terell Stafford: trumpet, flugelhorn; Scott Wendholt: trumpet, flugelhorn; Dick Oatts: alto, soprano sax, flute; Billy Drewes: alto, soprano sax, flute; Rich Perry: tenor sax, flute; Ralph Lalama: tenor sax, flute, clarinet; Gary Smulyan: baritone sax; Frank Basile: bass clarinet (3, 5, 8); David Peel: French horn (1, 5, 6, 8); John Mosca: trombone; Luis Bonilla: trombone; Jason Jackson: trombone, bass trombone; Douglas Purviance: bass trombone; Jim McNeely: piano; David Wong: bass; John Riley: drums; Mike Truesdell: percussion (1, 5, 8).

While it may be hard to believe, the reality is that the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra is nearing the end of its first half-century together. Formed in 1966 as the Thad Jones -Mel Lewis Orchestra, it continued on after Jones' departure as the Mel Lewis Orchestra, then as the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra after Lewis' death in February 1990. During many of those years, the ensemble was enriched by the compositions and arrangements of the renowned Bob Brookmeyer (1929-2011), a master craftsman who always marched to his own drummer and let his unerring instincts guide his heart and his hand. OverTime, which honors not only Brookmeyer's considerable talents but those of the orchestra as well, was years in the making and almost ready for the green light while Brookmeyer was still alive. Three years later, having added some finishing touches (including the buoyant opener, "The Big Time"), the VJO has designed a heartwarming celebration that would surely have pleased even such a diehard perfectionist as their late taskmaster. Half of the eight selections were written in the early '80s when Brookmeyer, the orchestra's original lead trombonist, returned after a ten-year absence to become its music director. As it turns out, the first chart he submitted upon his return was the soulful "Skylark," a showpiece for alto saxophonist Dick Oatts that is generally considered to be one of the more exemplary arrangements for a large ensemble in the annals of jazz. "Skylark" is reproduced here, and once again Oatts is the perceptive soloist. Also written in the early '80s but never before recorded by the VJO are "XYZ," a skittering sequel to Brookmeyer's classic "ABC Blues," and "Sad Song," another vehicle for Oatts (on flute) that closes the album. "Suite for Three," a galvanic pastiche that features, in turn, Oatts, trumpeter Scott Wendholt and tenor Rich Perry, was composed later, while "At the Corner of Ralph and Gary," a happy-go-lucky swinger that hearkens back to his early years in Kansas City, was the last manuscript completed by Brookmeyer. The breezy solos on "Ralph and Gary" are by tenor Ralph Lalama and baritone Gary Smulyan, on "XYZ" by tenor Perry, drummer John Riley, bassist David Wong, pianist Jim McNeely, soprano Billy Drewes, trumpeter Terell Stafford and trombonist John Mosca. "Sad Song" is precisely that, a snail-like dirge underscored by Oatts' gossamer flute, McNeely's evocative piano and a wordless chorus. From start to finish, OverTime presents the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra at its best, playing with passion and panache to honor its fallen leader. And even though he's gone, Brookmeyer's impact is pervasive, as he gives the orchestra meaty songs and charts to digest. A shame he couldn't be here to appreciate the finished product, but even without him the VJO moves ever onward and upward. Brookmeyer wouldn't have had it any other way.

Jack Bowers in All About Jazz