The Jazz Scene: City Council lends a hand to local musicians

Philadelphia City Council member David Oh, a longtime supporter of the arts, along with Councilmembers Curtis Jones and Cindy Bass, is sponsoring two new bills that, if passed, will benefit those who play live music, jazz and otherwise, in the city. The first addresses that pesky problem of loading equipment in from the car or van to the venue. The bill proposes a free half hour of parking in spaces specifically designated for the purpose of loading. The fine print says that this will apply to “bona fide, live performing arts venues.” It will be interesting to see who makes the decision on what is “bona fide” and what those bona fide venues will be.

The second bill is long overdue. It would require that city-sponsored or city-supported events have at least 10 percent of their budgets go toward the hiring of area musicians and artists, unless, the bill says, it’s “not practical or possible.” While it’s unlikely we’ll be seeing regional jazz artists in an event like “Wawa Welcome America,” this is at least a good start. If anyone remembers the American Federation of Musicians union, including our own Local #77, the union had mandatory hiring of local players on national events, as this bill suggests. But many of the locals, including our own, stopped protecting their jazz and pop playing members years ago, which is why almost everyone dropped out. Both bills will be voted upon in City Council’s spring session.

Jazz on TV

Bob Miles’s cable television show, Miles of Music, has been airing locally and throughout the country since 1997, reaching over four million viewers. One of the most interesting and recent of Miles’s programs is a four-part series on the late and legendary jazz guru/educator Dennis Sandole, who mentored everyone from John Coltrane and Pat Martino to Michael Brecker and Charlie Ventura. This is essential viewing. For info on this and other programs, visit milesofmusic.tv.

Philadelphia Jazz Project has been doing wonderful things in the area since its inception two years ago, notably September’s “OutBeat Jazz Festival,” the first festival ever to focus solely on artists from the LGBT community. PJP’s newest project is the production of a series of live performances for television. These will air through January 25 on Sundays at 7pm, televised via PhillyCAM (Comcast 66/966 or Verizon 29/30*) or online at phillycam.org. Artists include vocalists Rhenda Fearrington, Ella Ghant, Barbara Montgomery, and Dena Underwood; pianist Luke Carlos O’Reilly; reedman Elliott Levin; and bassists Francois Zayas and Mike Boone.

New releases

Mike Boone has been one of the most in-demand bassists here — or anywhere — since anyone can remember. Boone has just released a new album of original music, Heart and Soul, recorded live at Chris’ Jazz Café, and it’s everything jazz should be: swinging, touching, uplifting, inventive, and challenging. Supporting Boone are pianist Tim Brey, John Swana on trombone and EVI Valve, drummer Anwar Marshall, and guest vocalist Rhenda Fearrington, who also contributed a fine set of liner notes.

Long before Suzanne Cloud cofounded the nonprofit Jazz Bridge, she was known as one of the finest jazz singers around. Full disclosure: I handle some of Jazz Bridge’s press, but I was well aware of Cloud’s singular talents long before Jazz Bridge was even a dream. Thankfully, for all of us, she’s singing again, and has just rereleased a marvelous project originally issued in 1995 — With a Little Help from My Friends — with some extras added on for 2014. I’ve always thought Cloud is what jazz singing is about, with a unique, affecting style that is totally her own. The album features an all-star cast of players, including saxophonist Larry McKenna, pianist Jim Ridl, drummer Jim Miller, and the ubiquitous Mike Boone on bass. All proceeds from the album go to Jazz Bridge.