E. Doctor Smith's Blog

To say that Yusef Lateef has had a remarkable career would be a major understatement. Lateef, who celebrates his 90th birthday this year, was recently honored as a 2010 NEA Jazz Master. On the tenor, flute and oboe he has an inimitable voice, and along with Miles Davis and John Coltrane, he was a trailblazer of modal jazz. Although he had stints with Dizzy Gillespie, Cannonball Adderley and Charles Mingus, Lateef has primarily been a leader throughout his career with over 70 innovative albums to his credit. He was one of the first to emerge from mainstream jazz and explore “world” music, on his landmark 1961 Prestige record Eastern Sounds. And he had a great run of classic releases on the Impulse! label from 1964-66. Rather than use the word “jazz,” Lateef prefers to call his music “autophysiopsychic,” meaning, “that which comes from one’s spiritual, physical and emotional self.” And what better place than Grace Cathedral to continue this journey? Providing subtle support...

Over the course of a remarkable, still-unfolding career, Gary Husband has defined himself as the ultimate musician’s musician: a fiery, perceptive presence who elevates every scenario – from the tightly arranged to pure, open-ended improvisation. Whether focusing on his intricate, propulsive drumming or unleashing his nimble, harmonically astute keyboard abilities, Husband never fails to make his presence felt, while always remaining sympathetic to his fellow musicians and to the composition at hand. His vast range of experience allows him to balance the technical and the intuitive with rare grace, earning him the opportunity to perform and record alongside such maverick, inventive talents as John McLaughlin, Jeff Beck, Allan Holdsworth, Jack Bruce, Mike Stern, Robin Trower, Billy Cobham, Gary Moore, Level 42, Andy Summers, and many, many more. In addition to his prolific career as a sideman, the British-born Husband has recorded seven of his own albums, featuring his mul...

It's no secret that saxophonist and longtime friend Wilbur Rehmann is one of my favorite musicians. No small wonder, as Rehmann draws much of his inspiration from none other than the great Sonny Rollins. I've had the privilege of performing with Rehmann during his annual sojourns to San Francisco, most recently at the Fillmore Jazz Heritage Center last August. Now, after a 10 year recording hiatus, ("Back Home Jazz" in 1996, and Mann Gulch Suite in 1999), Rehmann returns with what must be considered his best effort to date with " Old Friends and New ". Rejoining Rehmann are two of his longtime collaborators, the incredible father and son duo of Blackie and Ken Nelson, as well as the rhythm section of bassist Rennan Rieke and drummer Jeremy Slead. This is the Wilbur Rehmann Quintet at its finest, and well worth the wait. I consider Rehmann and the elder Nelson, two of the "Deans of Montana Jazz", so it seemed fitting to quote someone wh...

In the past few years, Wilson’s original work has premiered internationally and nationally at highly acclaimed venues such as the Willisau Jazz Festival, Switzerland, NYC Central Park's Summerstage, the deYoung Museum in SF, the Healdsburg Jazz Festival and the Festival of New Trumpet Music in NYC. Wilson’s new record label, Brass Tonic Records celebrates the release of her 2010 CD, Trapeze Project with Wilson (trumpet/vocals), Myra Melford (piano), Ben Goldberg (clarinet), Jerome Harris (bass) and Scott Amendola (drums). Fresh from over a decade-long stint in NYC as an active fixture in the downtown jazz world, Wilson exploded back on her native SF Bay Area music scene winning critical acclaim for her 2006 CD, Music for an Imaginary Play. The CD garnered a Best in 2006 Bay Area Jazz CDs highlight from the music critic Andrew Gilbert. Her music has also received esteemed national accolades from the New York Times, Time Out New York, San Francisco Chronicle and Cadence...