Art Blakey built more than a band in 1955. He built an institution that became Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers and thrived for 35 years. The first iteration, co-led by Blakey and pianist Horace Silver, included trumpeter Kenny Dorham, bassist Doug Watkins and tenor saxophonist, Hank Mobley. While its members varied with the passage of time, they included at one time or another, Wayne Shorter, Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Cedar Walton, Freddie Hubbard, Valery Ponomarev, Reggie Workman and others. Their ranks always included the best of the “young lions,” too. Wynton Marsalis, Benny Green, Terence Blanchard and others were teenagers when they came on-board. Bassist Reggie Workman said of Blakey, “He kept that institution together and created a structure that enabled many of the young players to find themselves in the music business.”
Our Art Blakey Tribute is directed by trumpeter Valery Ponomarev who appeared on many Messenger albums in the late ‘70s and leads a big band homage he calls Our Father Who Art Blakey. For Litchfield, he will return to the smaller unit Blakey used.
THE BAND
Russian-born trumpeter VALERY PONOMAREV interest in jazz was spurred by Voice of America broadcasts from which he transcribed, studied and memorized the solos of legendary jazz trumpeters. He fled the Soviet Union for the US where he became a resident in 1973 and joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messangers. Today, Ponomarev tours with his tribute big band, teaches privately, and for Wells Fargo Jazz for Teens in Newark, New Jersey.
DON BRADEN – SAXOPHONE is an internationally recognized saxophonist, composer and educator. He has toured with Wynton Marsalis, Freddie Hubbard, Bette Carter, and Roy Haynes. He currently Directs the Harvard University Jazz Combo Initiative and has served as Music Director of Litchfield Jazz Camp since 1997.
CARL ALLEN – DRUMS Carl’s career as a professional jazz drummer began in earnest when he marched up to Freddie Hubbard at a New York Club clutching a copy of Downbeat magazine. It quoted Hubbard proclaiming he was “looking for a young drummer with heart.” Allen announced on the spot he was that man! When “the call” finally came it was the beginning of a gig that lasted for more than 10 years. Meanwhile, Art Blakey, an Allen mentor, hooked up a record contract for him that led to critically acclaimed releases followed by his working with icons like Jackie McLean, George, Coleman, and Benny Golson and the young lions Benny Green and Christian McBride. Donald Harrison welcomed Allen into his influential quartet and credits him with creating the funk inspiration for the nouveau swing jazz phenomenon. Allen took a small step back to work in earnest with the talented students of Juilliard’s new jazz program. When the baton was passed to a successor after 12 years, Carl landed a recording contract with Mack Avenue Records and co-led a string of releases with Rodney Whitaker. Christian McBride noted Carl’s playing was again “on fire”, just as it was in his Freddie Hubbard heyday and still is.
ROBIN EUBANKS – TROMBONE began studying music when he was eight years old. He has been involved with many collaborations with artists such as Art Blakey, The Rolling Stones, Barbara Streisand, and others. Robin taught for 20 years at the Oberlin College Conservatory and has also taught at Berklee College of Music. He has received multiple Grammys for performances with Michael Brecker and Dave Holland.
LONNIE PLAXICO – BASS like Valery, is another direct link with the great Art Blakey. A Chicago native, he taught himself to play bass by age 12 and turned professional at 14. In 1980, he moved to New York and soon began to appear with such artists as Chet Baker, Dexter Gordon and Wynton Marsalis. Between1983 and 1986, he performed on twelve of Blakey’s albums, including the Grammy Award-winning, New York Scene. In 1986, he joined Jack DeJohnette’s Special Edition, continuing with that group until 1993. Lonnie has been musical director and featured bassist for Cassandra Wilson for the past 15 years.
ZACCAI CURTIS – PIANO is a Connecticut native who appeared for the first time in Litchfield Jazz sphere when he was just 13. He and his brother bassist Luques were both awarded scholarships to Litchfield Jazz Camp. That was 1998 and they are still here, as Camp faculty, Festival performers and friends. Zaccai, who earned a Master’s Degree from New England Conservatory, has played with Cindy Blackman-Santana, Brian Lynch, Ralph Peterson, Ray Vega, Wallace Roney, Jerry Gonzalez, Papo Vasquez, Donald Harrison and others. He is currently on the faculty of the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at Hartt School of Music
