DownBeat December 2011 [antikvár]

First Take I bybobbyreeo Promlett Jack DeJohnette. Dave Holland and Miles Davis IEW SCHOOL Cele^ating25 Year^ I THE NEW SCHOOL" FOR JAZZ AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC Study, jam, and gig with legends of New York City's jazz and contemporary music scene. Earn lyour BFA or a combined BA/BFA. ^REYO^E^CHO^ www.newschooLedu/jazzS An Afflmiative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution, PtuMos: Matthew Sussman, •mm': . ÜV Listening to the Best f I Ihe best. That's what people want to hear. Life is short and pre-I cious, so why waste time listening to subpar music? Assembling 1 the December issue of DownBeat is ahvays a thrilling and informative process because it gives us a clear picture of what our readers love, and what music they think is the very best. The 76th Annual DownBeat Readers Poll includes such legendary names as Gary Burton, B.B. King, Pat Metheny. Wayne Shorter and Phil Woods, as well as younger artists who are performing at the highest level, such as Regina Carter, Anat Cohen. Christian McBride. Joshua Redman and Maria Schneider. The Readers Poll contest for Hi.storical Album of the Year wasn't even close. The landslide victor was Miles Davis* Bitches Brew: 40th Anniversary Collector's Edition. For listeners around the globe, Davis has provided the gateway to the world of jazz. The first time you hear Kind Of Blue or Bitches Brew, you immediately want to know the names of the musicians with whom Davis collaborated. So you read the liner notes. You memorize their names. Then you start exploring the music of tho.se collaborators. And that leads you to other musicians with whom tliese players have recorded and loured. The process goes on and on. and along the way, your jazz library gels bigger and bigger. But it all started with Miles, the man at the top of the mountain. [n his superb essay on Bitches Brew (page 48), writer John Ephland caught up with musicians who played with Davis, such as Harvey Brooks. Chick Corea, Jack DeJohnette, Bcnnie Maupin, John McLauahlin and Lenny White. Ehpland also quotes Dave Holland. It boggles my mind to ponder all the music I've discovered simply by seeking out the works of Davis collaborators Corea, DeJohnette, McLaughlin and Holland. Elsewhere in this issue, we've got features on DownBeat Hall of Fame inductee Ahmad Jamal and Jazz Artist of ihe Year Esporanza S]xilding, as well as poll winners Brad Mehldau and Jeff Beck. Our cover subject. Trombone Shorty, mixes genres in a way that appeals to open-minded listeners who enjoy 'Jazz, Blues & Beyond." This is a young man (only 25) who tours the globe, records original music, energizes festival stages and brings new listeners to jazz and improvised music. Keep your eye on him. Wc won't be surprised if his name turns up aiop DownBeat polls in ihe near futujv. The fact that lYoy "Trombone Shorty" Andivws uses his resoinves to donate musical instruments to sc1uh>1s makes us applaud him with even moiv vigor. Tluinks again for vming in (he poll, and please keep on ivadinc,' » 6 DOWNDEAT DECEMBER 2011