Terry Gibbs Reviewed in July issue of the Los Angeles Jazz Scene

Terry Gibbs Reviewed in July issue of the Los Angeles Jazz Scene

Jul 7, 2023

 

Terry Gibbs, who turns 99 next October 13, has had quite a remarkable career. One of the greatest vibraphonists of all time, Gibbs was a professional by the age of 12 (back in 1936). He became famous as a member of Woody Herman’s Second Herd, worked with Buddy Rich, Chubby Jackson and the Benny Goodman Sextet, mastered bebop, and was a bandleader throughout much of his career. Gibbs led his orchestra, The Dream Band, during the late 1950s and early ‘60s, headed the regular group on the Steve Allen Show in the 1960s, and had a quintet with clarinetist Buddy DeFranco. His memoirs, Good Vibes, is both quite informative and often hilarious. Gibbs was active into his early nineties before deciding to retire.

The Terry Gibbs Songbook is a special final musical project in Gibbs’ career. There is one major error in the liner notes that needs to be corrected. It is stated that because Gibbs helps out with the singing and plays some two-handed piano on the humorous and nostalgic “Now’s The Time To Groove,” he is the first musician to record in eight decades. Actually Benny Carter recorded in nine; however Terry Gibbs still has the record. In addition to recording commercially in nine decades (starting in 1946), if one counts a radio show on which Gibbs in the 1930s played some classical music (tapes still exist and briefly appeared on You Tube), he is the only musician ever to have recorded in ten decades!

While Gibbs occasionally wrote songs that he recorded as instrumentals through the years, this project is a bit different. 15 of the great vibraphonist’s compositions have been given lyrics and are sung by Danny Bacher, a fine jazz vocalist who could have fit in well with jazz groups in the 1950s. Eight of the numbers have words by Michael Dees while the other collaborators were lyricists Arthur Hamilton, Bobby Troup, Steve Allen, and Jerry Gladstone with two of the songs having lyrics by Gibbs himself.

Terry Gibbs’ music has always swung and this set is certainly no exception. He gathered together pianist Tom Ranier (also heard a bit on tenor), bassist Mike Gurrola, and his son drummer Gerry Gibbs, and was able to easily talk the two great swing tenors Scott Hamilton and Harry Allen into joining the group. While each song has a Bacher vocal, there is a lot of solo space for the tenors and Ranier. The tunes range from love songs (including the touching “I Was Loved”) and wistful memories of his life to plenty of joyful swing. Such titles as “I Can Hardly Wait For Saturday Night,” “Play And Sing,” “And That’s Why They Call It The Blues,” “Stay With Me Tonight” (which during its closing part includes some Terry Gibbs vibes from decades ago), and the jazz waltz “Say Goodbye” are among the many rewarding songs on this set that could become standards in the future if heard by enough singers and instrumentalists.

Terry Gibbs has said on numerous occasions that this is his last recording. Hopefully when he turns 100, he will change his mind and do this again! In the meantime, be sure to pick up a copy of The Terry Gibbs Songbook which is available from www.whalingcitysound.com and www.amazon.com.

                                          Scott Yanow

Click here to purchase “The Terry Gibbs Songbook”

Click here for more information

Monika Herzig/WCS

Monika Herzig/WCS

Apr 7, 2016

 

 

Distribution: NAXOS of America 

Buy:

 

Mixed Media Client since: 2015

back to clients

Giancarlo Mei is with Monika Herzig and 10 others.

2018’s Wild Bunch: Music Of The Year

Physical CDs are still published, although nowadays methods of fruition of music tend to vanish the idea of a closed project to contain art and creativity. Just like romantic warriors, collectors of vinyls and compact discs continue to believe in an ancient way of producing and transmitting musical projects. And so do I. That’s why every year I put out a list of the most interesting Cds among quality productions in territories like adult contemporary, jazz, fusion and brazilian music.
A wide choice for 2018, fifteen cds, as usual each one included here with audioclip for a pre-listen. Music that really be worth a listen.
My “2018’s Wild Bunch” is all about women and I’d like it could be intended as a signal, a way to propose “women” as a symbol of intelligence and sensitivity, opposed to narrow lines of thinking traced by reactionary and religious governments throughout Islam, USA, Brazil, Italy, etc., etc.
“Music is culture” (música é cultura) was the slogan on the back cover of every published Lp in Brazil, during the horrible period of dictatorship between Sixties to Eighties. This time we could say even better “music is culture and woman is culture”. Listening to the right things could be like a first step of a good revolution. So, up against it!

Giancarlo

Giancarlo Mei is an independent journalist and writer, host of radio and author for television. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed books “Canto Latino. Origine, evoluzione e protagonisti della Musica Popolare del Brasile” (Nuovi Equilibri, 2004) and “Spiriti Liberi – L’avventura brasiliana di Flora Purim & Airto Moreira (Arcana Jazz, 2017)

– 2018’s Wild bunch –Monika Herzig – “Sheroes” (Whaling City Sound, WCS106)
A good pianist with an all-female jazz band, eight originals and two covers: a fantastic album. German composer and arranger Monika Herzig create this ensemble to pay tribute to jazz women. An effort turned into a perfect goal putting together talents from all over the world: trombonist Reut Regen from Israel, canadian trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, deutch guitarist Leni Stern, cuban percussionist Mayra Casales and mexican drummer Rosa Avila, bassist Jennifer Vincent and flautist Jamie Baum from the U.S. A such powerful band offers to Herzig’s compositions dense quality and great energy. The language is complex but really exciting; a coral work with musicians always ready to start great solos and sheet music that covers the whole scale of jazz colors and moods. Herzig is a remarkable composer and pages like the “Nancy Wilson Portrait”, and “Time Again, D.B.” are very impressive. Other members contribute with quality creations too, just like it happens with Vincent’s “Song For C.C.” and Baum’s and “Wayning”. A jazzy “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and a soulful cover of The House of The Rising sun, complete this vary and inspiring work. Rich.
*”Time Again, D.B.”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A60oYFf4NE
*”Nancy Wilson Portrait”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsYFvJL4MfU

 

CD Release Events

New York, NY •  Wed Apr 4 The New School in the Jazz Performance Space, Arnhold Hall, 55 West 13th Street, 5th Floor. Panel discussion with SHEROES from 4:30 – 5:30. Concert 6:00 – 7:00. Free event but seating is limited, first come first served.

Newark, NJ  •  Thu Apr 5 Roundtable Presentation on Experiencing Chick Corea: A Listener’s Companion Rutgers University 7-9pm

Baltimore, MD  •  Fri Apr 6 SHEROES CD release An Die Musik live 409 North Charles Street Second Floor 6pm

Cleveland, OH  •  Sun Apr 8 SHEROES CD release Nighttown 7pm

BOOKING INFORMATION 
Please contact:

Management
suzi@suzireynolds.com 
or
 
mherzig@indiana.edu 
to schedule clinics/ concerts

Endorsements: Casio Keyboards

###

###
###
###
###

WCS 079

June 10 2016

Jazz

“The Whole World in Her Hands” 


Photos:#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7

Press Release

EPK

Bio

Liner Notes

Publicity: Jazz Kitchen, Jazz History Online, The Oberlin Review, Indiana Daily Student, JAZZIZ Magazine, The Daily Progress,Melodiva CD News

Radio Promotion:New World ‘N Jazz, Peaked at #20, on chart for 16 weeksscreen-shot-2016-11-01-at-1-25-33-pmscreen-shot-2016-11-01-at-1-32-26-pm

 

CD Review
By
_______________________
Monika Herzig:
Sheroes
Whaling City Sound
Release Date: March 23, 2018

The new album of pianist and composer Monika Herzig for the Whaling City Sound label is a logical continuation of not only her previous work The Whole World in Her Hands (2016), but also the whole creation of this German-born Germany. Monica is making great efforts to expand the presence of women in instrumental jazz, which in this case is emphasized even by the name of the album for which she invented the punky neologism of Sheroes – a combination of the concepts she (she) and heroes (heroes). Thus, the title of the project can be read as “Heroines”.

Who are they, these heroines? As part of the ensemble of Monica, with whom she tours, with which she recorded Sheroes, you can see many participants and the aforementioned previous project. This is the guitarist Leni Stern, the German, like Herzig, and the American Jennifer Vincent, who has postponed the cello and acts only as a bass player, and the Israeli trombone player Reut Regev, and the famous American flutist Jamie Baum, and the percussionist with the Cuban roots of Myra Casales. There are also impressive new faces: a very creative performer on the pipe Ingrid Jensen from Canada, Mexican drummer Rosa Avila, Italian tenor saxophonist Ada Rovatti. All of them are purely geographically united by the presence on the jazz scene of the world capital of this music – New York. And the principle of composing an album, which included plays not only of Herzig herself, but her colleagues,

Herzig herself is represented here by four compositions and two arrangements, including the well-known theme House of the Rising Sun. The most interesting of them seemed to me the starting Time Again, DB, dedicated to the late teacher Monica David Baker, and filled with Caribbean intonations Cantos, writing which Herzig thought of the melodism peculiar to such an outstanding jazz pianist as Chick Corea. Jamie Baum dedicated her composition to another giant of modern jazz – Wayne Shorter, she is called: Waining. Leni Stern once had occasion to encounter African music, where the appropriate intonations in her play Bubbles came from. The drama of the plot of the song Vincent Song For CC is broadcasted by the music of this play.

Even on this short list, you can judge the musical diversity of the album. Add to this the high performance class, lots of bright solos and duets, the general spirit of creativity that reigns in the album – and you will understand that this work is worth listening to. Of course, the final statement of I Am A Superstar is somewhat ironic. But the fact that all the participants of the project headed by Monika Herzig are genuine Sheroes of modern jazz, I do not personally change myself!

–End–
Library Bookwatch: June 2016
Jazz artist, pianist, composer, and educator Monika Herzig presents The Whole World in Her Hands, a jazz album enriched with the performances of expert musicians from around the globe – guitarist Leni Stern (Germany/NYC), percussionist Mayra Casales (Cuba),trombonist Reut Regev (Israel), flutist/saxophonist Jane Bunnett (Canada), drummer Arianna Fanning (Indian-American), and more. Both original compositions and expressive rearrangements of classic hits are present in this extraordinary album, enhanced with bonus video content. The tracks are “Plenty of Nothing” (5:06), “Mosquitoes” (4:14), “The Cat That Stole The Moon” (3:04), “In a Nutshell” (5:26), “Song for Argentina” (5:49), “istop” (5:30), “Royals” (5:22), “Oh Muddy Waters” (4:59), “2-Way Mirror” (4:32), “A Total Non-Impossibility” (5:40), “Peaceful Piece” (3:48), and “The Whole World In Her Hands” (5:09).
Also highly recommended for jazz connoisseurs is the album “Swing That Music!” ($14.99, in which vocalist/soprano sax player Danny Bacher and associates pay tribute to the legendary jazz greats Louis Armstrong, Louis Prima, and Louis Jordan, with vibrant performances of some of their most widely beloved songs.
CD Review
By
Norman Vickers
_______________________
Monika Herzig:
The Whole World In Her Hands
Whaling City Sound
Release Date: June 10, 2016
Monika Herzig is a performing pianist, educator and author.  She has assembled a group of talented women musicians to perform on this recording.  She brings guitarist Leni Stern (Germany/NYC), percussionist Mayra Casales (Cuba), Flutist/saxophonist Jane Bunnett (Canada), saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin( USA/NYC) and bassists Linda Oh (Malaysia/Australia) Anna Butterss(Australia) and  cellist Jennifer Vincent(USA) and uses them in varying combinations.  Ms. Herzig plays piano on all twelve tracks.
There ís plenty of excellent piano on this recording but it ís the ensemble which is featured.
One possible drawback for the average listener is that all twelve pieces are new except for a reworking of “The Whole World in Her Hands” (Get it?)  It ís challenging to the average jazz listener to listen to new compositions. Ms. Herzig plays on all numbers but she assembles groups in varying combinations.  One of my favorite cuts is “Peaceful Piece” featuring piano, bass, flute, alto sax and trombone. There ís much here to appreciate as Ms. Herzig has put the ensembles together with thoughtfulness.  So, give this one a listen and stretch your “ears.”
This was recorded at New York’s Avatar Studio May and August 2014 and produced by Suzi Reynolds.  Ms. Reynolds spent a few years in Pensacola before launching her successful career as producer in New York.  I’m pleased to see and hear this latest triumph from a longtime friend.
–End–
Monika Herzig is a fearless and complete jazz artist touring internationally as a pianist, bandleader,award winning author, and advocate for jazz music, its genres and its players. It’s not surprising that great talent is at the center of her work. In this stunning and contemporary project, Monika showcases her artistry and those of top women band-leaders and composers working in jazz today. Her intelligence and depth are audible in these songs, from unexpected and exciting originals, to re-arrangements ofthe traditional (“The Whole World In His Hands”) to current hit (“Royals”). Bringing together an All Star international band including the likes of guitarist Leni Stern (Germany/NYC), percussionist Mayra Casales (Cuba), flutist/saxophonist Jane Bunnett (Canada), drummer Arianna Fanning (Indian-American), bassist Jennifer Vincent (USA), trombonist Reut Regev (Israel), flutist Jamie Baum (USA/NYC), alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin (USA/NYC) and bassist Linda Oh (Malaysia/Australia) to play this panoply of music has created a whole that is truly greater than the sum of its impressive parts.

Pin It on Pinterest