hkja

Hong Kong Jazz Association (HKJA) has taken a short break after holding the HK International Jazz Festival in Oct 2010. Towards the end of 2010, we wish you all “Happy X’mas (War is Over) and Happy New Year”in sending the December issue of HKJA’s Newsletter. Enjoy reading

John Pizzarelli’s "Let's Share Christmas" (1996) is a perfect choice for a joyous Christmas with swinging ranging from a small combo (formed with his brother bassist Martin Pizzarelli) in "Let's Share Christmas" to big band (like Michel Legrand Orchestra and Vanguard Jazz Orchestra) in "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" and "Christmas Time is Here".

He is Harry Connick in guitar (less polished indeed), as exemplified by his jazz guitar playing in “Sleigh Ride”. Jazz can be so diverse – Ella Fitzgerald’s “Sleigh Ride” in “Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas” is completely different.

John Pizzarelli has been greatly influenced by Nat King Cole and his drumless trio (on which he modelled in forming his first drumless trio in 1990) and he sings one of Nat King Cole’s most remembered song “The Christmas Song”.

He still cannot surpass him, especially, when snapshots of WONG Kar-wai’s “2046” pop out in Nat King Cole’s singing.

(a) A Jazz Piano Christmas – This year, NPR radio Renee Rosnes, Kenny Barron, Helio Alves and Freddy Cole to playing their unique renditions of holiday classics for live audiences at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

http://www.npr.org/2010/12/16/132054036/a-jazz-piano-christmas-2010

(b) Wynton Marsalis offers free download of “O Christmas Tree” from his CD “Christmas Jazz Jam”

http://www.wyntonmarsalis.org/2010/12/08/wynton-offers-free-mp3download-from-his-album-christmas-jazz-jam/

Nominations for the Grammy Awards were earlier announced. The Grammy Awards show will take place 13.2.2011 (USA). Here are some jazz related nominations –

• Esperanza Spalding - the “Best New Artist”;
• The Stanley Clarke Band, Joey DeFrancesco, John McLaughlin, etc - Best Contemporary Jazz Album;
• Dee Dee Bridgewater, Freddy Cole, etc - Best Jazz Vocal Album;
• Alan Broadbent, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, Hank Jones, Wynton Marsalis - Best Improvised Jazz Solo;
• Billy Childs Ensemble Featuring The Ying String Quartet, Dave Holland Octet, Metropole Orkest, John Scofield & Vince Mendoza, Mingus Big Band - Best Large Jazz Ensemble….

(the full list of nominations are at http://www.grammy.com/nominees)

Downbeat – Pat Metheny – Orchestrion 

JazzTimes – Jason Moran – Ten 

Jazzwise – Phronesis – Alive(described by Jon Newey (editor of Jazzwise Magazine - the UK's leading Jazz Magazine) as "the most exciting and imaginative piano trio since EST")

JAMES Moody, the jazz saxophonist who was one of the last surviving great figures of the bebop period, closely linked with Dizzy Gillespie as well as the bands of Quincy Jones and Lionel Hampton, has died in San Diego, California, aged 85.
Obituary - http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=71999

Here are the different versions of his “Moody’s Mood for Love”

James Moody

George Benson