Each year, as the night shows of the Tucson Jazz Festival (TJF) close, has everyone professing that this was the best jazz festival yet. The festival has introduced attendees to new up and coming talent as well as the legends of music. This is what we experienced during the second half of Tucson’s Jazz Festival that took place on January 17-19, 2020 in southern Arizona.
Mavis Staples
Jazz, over time, has come to encompass a wide range of musical influences from ragtime to rock fusion. It originated through a blend of Negro and European music. Improvisation plays a major role as well as vitality and spontaneity. Jazz has been attributed to the advent of breaking the boundaries of racism in America with the collaboration between white and black musicians. Mavis Staples has been in the forefront in breaking those boundaries.
Her career started in a world of extreme racism in 1950 as the youngest member of The Staple Singers led by her father, Roebuck “Pops” Staples, and included all of her siblings. The family had their first hit record in 1956 with “Uncloudy Day.” When Mavis Staples graduated from high school in 1957, she started touring throughout this country including the deep South.
Staples has a lot of stories to tell about traveling in the unfriendly states of America as an African American without clean hotel accommodations and limited eating establishments. The family had a message to deliver and there were many people who needed the inspiration to make better times for themselves and their children. “Pops” wrote the songs and played guitar. The family delivered the message of their music. By the sixties, “Pops” had developed a relationship with Martin Luther King, Jr.
During the last 70 years, Mavis Staples has not skipped a beat. She stated her mission for the night early in her set. “We’ve come this evening to bring you some joy, some happiness, inspiration, and positive vibrations. You will leave her feeling like a 16-year old.” It was a night that truly demonstrated Staples’ absolute power to move and motivate the people.
Staples was supported by Rick Holmstrom on guitar and vocals, Stephen Hodges on drums, Donny Gerrard on vocals, and C.c. White on vocals. Singer/songwriter, Suzanne Santo, opened for Staples. Santo is also a member of the band, HoneyHoney. Santo gave an impassioned 40-minute set of songs from her solo album, Ruby Red. She was invited to join Staples later in the show to add background vocals.
Christian McBride and Inside Straight
McBride is one of modern jazz’s most innovative musicians to grace the stage of the Fox Theatre. McBride utilizes bop, fusion, electronic, hip-hop and World Music to express his creative force. His band, Inside Straight, proved that they are just as creative as McBride.
Inside Straight is Warren Wolf, vibraphonist, saxophonist Steve Wilson, keyboardist Peter Martin and drummer Carl Allen. They gave a thrilling set while showing a mutual respect for each other’s performance. Each soloist drew on an enormous inventory of musical choices and each rocked the house.
The set started with “Listen to the Heroes Cry” from their People Music album. They followed with “Starbeam” and Duke Ellington’s “Sophisticated Lady.” The Tucson Jazz Institute’s Duke Ellington Band opened the show and the national award-winning band gave a sterling set with what may have been the highlight of the night when McBride joined the band. He shared his standup bass with two of the high school bassists. Each took over the bass mid-song without missing a beat. McBride acknowledged that his New Jersey youth orchestra were defeated by Tucson’s band for three years.
Afro-Cuban All-Stars
America is credited as the birthplace of jazz music, but the roots of jazz emanated from Africa, Europe, and Cuba. It’s only natural that TJF would have representation from the Afro-Cuban All-Stars. The band is led by Juan de Marcos Gonzalez formerly tres player for Sierra Maestra and the Buena Vista Social Club.
The result of their infusion of bolero, salsa, chachacha, timba, danzon, son montuno, rumba, and abakua music is a blast of energy and sensuality. Their music transported the sold-out crowd to dancing queens and kings for the night. This is a large orchestra of hot brass, tireless percussionists paying tribute to Cuban songwriters.
At one point in the show Gonzalez abandoned the stage to join the crowd and dance. It was a full-blown party at the Rialto Theatre that won’t be soon forgotten. Every member of the band played and sang to perfection.
Average White Band (AWB)
The funk and R&B vibe of the festival was carried on by the Scottish AWB. They date back to 1974. Alan Gorrie and “Onnie” McIntyre have been playing in the band for 48 years and counting.
The band is fueled by their ‘hot‘ horn players. The musicians are intoxicating to watch. It’s impossible not to dance to their funky beats. Their biggest hits “Cut the Cake” and “Pick Up the Pieces” were given the royal treatment. They also played new tunes from their latest album, Inside Out. Lead singer Brent Carter kept the crowd mesmerized as he belted out the hits.
Allison Miller and Boom Tick Boom
Jazz-drummer, Allison Miller, has made quite a splash in jazz as a composer and performer. Her band is called the Boom Tick Boom and features Myra Melford on piano, Jenny Scheinman on violin,
Todd Sickafoose on bass, Kirk Knuffke on coronet, and Ben Goldberg on clarinet. Each performer proved that they are consummate musicians. The 90-minute set at the Fox Theatre included the selections “Fuster,” “Slow Jam,” “The Ride,” and “Melaga.”
It has been a very diverse Jazz festival. There was something to please everyone. It started with a salute to Ray Charles. Charles was recognized as a powerful force in jazz early in his career. Mavis Staples was scheduled on the eve of Martin Luther King Day. It was smart planning. She was a witness to the civil rights era and lived it all throughout the years. Staples made it very clear during her show that her job is not done. We still have social challenges to overcome.
This was by far the strongest Tucson Jazz Festival to date. It will be interesting to see how the producers will top this year’s jazz festival.
