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New NEA Jazz Master Jamey Aebersold ismuch more than a voice on his play-alongCDsBY WAYNE LOCKWOOD / SHOW AND TELL / Published: Thursday, January 16, 2014, 2:58 PM
/ Updated: Thursday, January 16, 2014, 6:49 PM
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Out of the new class of NEA Jazz Masters minted this week at Jazz at Lincoln Center – including theavant-garde Anthony Braxton, multigenre bass luminary Richard Davis (think Eric Dolphy AND“Astral Weeks”) and cranky-but-brilliant pianist Keith Jarrett, the least-known master could be the onewho has molded the most musical lives.
Jamey Aebersold’s name is on 133 books that you once could stroll into Colony Records onBroadway in the theater district and see every single one lined up in marching order -- before Colonyclosed down in 2012. “People used to come from out of the country, places like Korea, just to buythose books at the Colony,” Aebersold said.
Aebersold put his first book together in 1967 with a simple idea that has become his trademark:
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The Daily News team of arts andentertainment critics bring you reviews,breaking news and insider dish on theater,music, television and film in New York Cityand beyond.By JOE DZIEMIANOWICZ , JIM FARBER , DAVIDHINCKLEY , WAYNE LOCKWOOD , JOE NEUMAIER
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“Anyone can improvise.”
He makes a point of demonstrating how true that is at every one of his clinics, which for years sweptacross the country and the world in a jazz caravan.
“Whenever I give a clinic and there’s a piano in the room, I always bring someone up and say, ‘Here,just scat sing along. I’m gonna play a bossa nova, sing whatever comes to your mind.’ Without adoubt, every time someone sings, it’s just perfect. And I’m moving around in different keys, too. I telleveryone that everyone has it in them. It’s just not coming out on their instrument because theyhaven’t practiced enough to be able to follow their mind spontaneously.”
At Monday’s ceremony, Aebersold shared that he had been a piano player when he was in highschool, but his teacher refused to teach him improvisation techniques. That (and Charlie Parker) senthim looking for an alto saxophone. He impeccably led a budding group of players through Bird’sclassic “Orinthology” on the Allen Room stand, but still wants to improve, at the age of 74.
“After every book,” Aebersold said, “I thought it was the end of it and I’d finally have time to practice.”
Many of those books come along with play-along CDs (once play-along vinyl) that feature real jazzgreats in their own rights. On that first record, “All Bird,” Aebersold got to lead a combo of pianistKenny Barron, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Ben Riley in a performance that, unfortunately, noone gets to hear – because it’s a play-along – except for his world-famous Kentucky-drawl count-offs.
“I remember that session well,” Aebersold said. “I was in a little room by myself playing the melody sothat Ron and Kenny and Ben would have someone to accompany. I’d play the head. Sometimes I’deven just scat sing so they’d have someone to play with.”
That love for Charlie Parker blossomed into a love of teaching. After the ceremony, a young boy fromAustralia approached Aebersold to thank him for his books. “Maybe if you keep practicing,” Aebersoldtold him, “you’ll be up here one day, too.”
He really means that for everyone.
“There are still too many people who think they either have it or they don’t, and that keeps them fromtrying,” Aebersold said. “I think a lot of us are trying to do the same thing. We’re trying to keep jazzalive and show them that they can do it. Music is so important in people’s lives.”
TAGS: Anthony Braxton , Jamey Aebersold , Jazz at Lincoln Center , Keith Jarrett , Kenny Barron ,
NEA Jazz Masters , Richard Davis , Ron Carter
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