DownBeat January 2010 [antikvár]

New York is JAZZ THE NEW SCHOOL . is New York GET A BFA IN THE JAZZ CAPITAL OF THE WORLD Learn jazz by living it in the heart of Greenwich Village—the center of New York's rich jazz history. At The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, your mentors are legendary artists from New York City's renowned jazz community and your classmates are talented musicians from around the globe. • Gig in world-famous venues throughout New York City • Train with outstanding artist-faculty and your choice of more than 100 affiliated musicians—check them out at www.newschool.edu/jazzinstructors • Intern and develop direct contacts in the music industry • Pursue a BFA or combined BA/BFA For application and audition information, call 212.229.5896 x4589 or visit us online. www.newschool.edu/jazz30 THE NEW SCHOOL FOR JAZZ _ AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC ^ The N«» School is a leading unwr^ m Nm lorh Cny oll«nng son» ol Ihe nsiion's mog disonguishd) de|tee. cmifrcaie, and cDniiRuing education prosrants in m and design, hberal sns, manatemeni and policy, and ine pedorminfi arts. An AfAiiTiAtiiailcIlQii/tNiial ni>[Kjiiutiil| rntiliuiiun by Frank Alkyer The Beauty of a Rambling Boy Charlie Haden and the Rambling Boy DVO (inset I ' 1. i-' sU ¦.ii Charlie Haden didn't need a movie to validate his career. Bul I'm very glad he got one. Raiiihling Hoy is a terrific new documentary by director Reto Caduff that lells the improbable story about how liule Charlie Haden went froin being a child playing bluegrass on his parents' country radio show lo becoming one ot" the greatest jazz bassists— and artists—to ever grace the planet. The movie opens with Haden in ihe recording studio, working with an all-star cast of fainily and friends to create Rambling Boy, a country album that came out in 2008. Fittingly, the album received a 5-siar review in DownBeat (December 2008) and is featured on the cover of this issue, which highlights the very best CDs of the 2000s. The opening scenes show Haden working on the record with the likes of mandolin virtuoso Sam Bush, Bruce Homsby, Ricky Skaggs. Béla Fleck, Pat Metheny, and Charlie's son Josh and triplet daughters Tanya, Rachel and Petra, These scenes paint a picture of a career that's come full circle for the the 72-year-old Haden and serve as a jumping-off point for discussing his far-reaching, genre-bending career. "I've been a jazz musician for the last 40,45, 50 years," Haden tells the camera and then chuckles. "And 1 hadn't done country music since I was 15." In between. Haden became one of the great jazz chameleons of his generation. He tells of playing his older brother's jazz records as a child and becoming obsessed by the harmonies. He details heading to Los Angeles to study music and find the pianist Hampton Hawes, which he did while sitting in with Art Pepper at Digger's Club in the 1950s. And he recounts meeting Ornette Coleman. "This musician came up to the bandstand and asked if he could sit in. So he got onstage and opened up the alto saxophone case and took out a plastic horn. I'd never seen anything like that before. And he started to play a solo and I had never heard anything like that before in my life, and the whole room lit up." One of the musicians asked Omette to slop playing, but Haden was in tune with Coleman's new sound. They formed a relationship that helped launch the free-jazz revolution and Haden's career. The .story is told in great detail by Haden, then given historical weight through interviews wilh Ethan Iverson. Steve Swallow, Carla Bley, Metheny. Joe Lovano, critic Howard Mandel and producer Jean-Phillipe Allard. It's that depth of interview ;uid attention to detail lhal makes this film such a joy. Whether you're a long-time fan of Haden's music, or a newcomer 10 ihc bassist, ihe sheer expanse and variety of Haden's work has a certain "wow" factor. From the Omelie Coleman Quartet lo John and Alice Coltrane (and later their son Ravi) lo ihe Keith J;uTeit Trio to his own Liberation Music Orchestra lo his film noir-influenoed Quartet Wesl to work wilh Metheny to ihe spiritual ducts with pianist Hank Jones, Caduff has packed this lllm wiüi love, insighl. fine storytelling imd plenty of icnillc pcrlonnance clips. It's a moving tribute lo the music, jxission. politics and life ol'Cliarlie Haden. Kamhling Boy has been playing lllni festivals during Ihc past few months lo stuiiig ivviews, I loixMully, it will got lo a theater or festival no;u-you, ll's a icirific u ibiiie lo one of ounnosi iinjXMianl ;inists. OB 8 DOWNBEAT January 2010