It started a quarter-century ago as a 10-day festival that culminated in Woody Herman's big band playing on a flatbed truck. Over the years, the Clearwater Jazz Holiday has hosted a slate of legends, stars, talented up-and-comers, obscure beboppers, smooth jazzers, classy singers, Latin sizzlers and more. In its third year, CJH condensed to a four-day event held at lush Coachman Park, often coinciding with the first cool breezes after a long, stifling summer.It has been, quite simply, a civic treasure, one of the most venerable arts happenings in Tampa Bay.
For years, under the programming aegis of Frank Spena, the fest adhered to an acoustic mainstream aesthetic. He'd occasionally break the mold a bit, like in '87 when he booked the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, a rowdy New Orleans party ensemble, to shake up the Saturday night portion. The crowd loved it so much he brought the band back again the following year. Then there was the time he scheduled Native American saxophonist Jim Pepper, who dropped a few choice curse words to the family crowd, causing some consternation backstage.
In the mid '90s, Spena left and the Jazz Holiday's programming committee expanded its scope to include crossover acts such as Boney James, David Benoit and The Rippingtons. Even with its more contemporary spin, though, the organizers have always made sure to keep a respectable tradition quotient. In recent years, Herbie Hancock, James Moody, Terence Blanchard and the Count Basie Orchestra have graced the stage. For its silver anniversary, the festival features its most R&B-oriented act yet —- the New Orleans funk institution known as the Neville Brothers, along with its usual mélange of varied jazz acts.
Clearwater Jazz Holiday — here's to another 25 years.
THURSDAY, OCT. 14
6:30-8 p.m., Allon Sams
The keyboardist, a Tampa native, has performed and recorded with a who's who of smooth jazz names — Peter White, David Sanborn, Boney James, Chris Botti — and has carved out a solo career as well. Also a producer/engineer, Sams' sound is gauzy and melodic, with his acoustic piano gliding easily over a pillow of synths and background instruments.
8:30-10 p.m., Rick Braun
One of the ways to break out of the smooth-jazz box is not to play saxophone or keyboards. Trailblazer that he is, Braun plays trumpet over light, undulating funk grooves. You can hear his Miles Davis predilections when he uses the Harmon mute; traces of Chet Baker's full, luxuriant tone emerge when he plays open horn. A native of Allentown, Pa., he wrote a Top 20 tune for REO Speedwagon (1988's "Here With Me") and played trumpet on Sade's "Love Deluxe" tour.
FRIDAY, OCT. 15
5:30-6:45 p.m., Big Z & the SophisticKatz
This 10-piece ensemble hails from Sarasota-Bradenton and specializes in swing — all sorts of swing, from Artie Shaw to Brian Setzer to Tower of Power. The band also branches into Latin, funk and other contemporary styles. A show band in every sense of the word.
7:15-8:30 p.m., Victor Wooten
When bassist Wooten played the Jazz Holiday several years ago with Bela Fleck, he wowed the crowd with his solos, and at one point swung the bass around his neck by the strap. With an aggressive, blurry-fingers style, he's a true crowd-pleaser. Electric bassists are wont to sit at his feet: Wooten has been named Bass Player of the Year three times by, yes, Bass Player magazine. The publication also named him one of the Top 10 bass innovators of the '90s.
9-10:15 p.m., Branford Marsalis
The saxophonist is a fun-loving guy. I spent some time with Branford while he was playing saxophone for Sting in the late '80s. One day, while the band was rehearsing on stage in the Sun Dome, he suggested we toss the football around the arena floor. He ran an out pattern and I threw him a hard spiral. It caromed off his hands, and he shook one of them in pain. With that, Sting stopped the band and said to me over the microphone, "Would you kindly refrain from maiming my saxophone player?!" Marsalis left his pop days behind long ago, and now concentrates on probing, acoustic post-bop. He'll bring along a crackshot band, which includes pianist Joey Calderazzo.
SATURDAY, OCT. 16
1:45-3 p.m., Pepper and Fine Thyme
Based in Safety Harbor, this seven-piece plays spirited acoustic jazz in the pre-bop mold. Vocalist Paulette Pepper fronts a lineup that includes piano, drums, acoustic bass, trombone, trumpet and saxophone. The combo's well of classic swing and jazz numbers is just about bottomless.
3:30-4:45 p.m., Tony Vacca & World Rhythms
I'm picking this cross-cultural collective as the sleeper of the fest. Based in Massachusetts, the ensemble combines the loping rhythms of ju-ju and other African beats with the spirited improvisation of jazz. A bevy of percussionists lay down a roiling, heavily syncopated groove, while saxophonists (baritone and alto in the song that I heard) play rough-hewn melodies and biting solos over the top. Vacca, who plays the ballofon, an African percussion instrument, does not ape Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the defining artist when it comes to jazz-African hybrids. He and his band, which includes Americans and Africans, have their own thing.
5:15-6:30 p.m., Dan Moretti
The saxophonist (who also plays flutes and clarinet) is an associate professor at the Berklee School of Music in Boston. In a CJH lineup that's short on acoustic post-bop this year, he's a valuable asset to the fest. His style is reminiscent of Michael Brecker — long on fluidity and imagination.
7-8:15 p.m., Chris Botti
To some folks (like me), having two smooth jazz trumpeters (see Rick Braun) on the same edition of the Jazz Holiday might seem like a bit of overkill. If, however, you are an inveterate fan of smooth-jazz trumpet, well, it's just an embarrassment of riches, now, isn't it? Botti, a native of Oregon, has played in the bands of Sting (1999-2001) and Paul Simon (1990-1995). His latest album, When I Fall in Love, is a collection of standards by Irving Berlin, Gershwin and such, done all smooth-like. If that weren't enough, People magazine named him one of its "50 Most Beautiful."
8:45-10 p.m., The Neville Brothers
See accompanying story.
10-10:20 p.m., Fireworks
SUNDAY, OCT. 17
12:30-1:30 p.m., Clearwater Jazz Holiday/Ruth Eckerd Hall Youth Jazz Band
An aggregation of talented youngbloods kicks off the Sunday portion.
2-3:15 p.m., Nate Najar Quartet
The St. Petersburg native has made a solid name for himself on the national jazz scene. All Music Guide waxed: "One of the most consistently interesting and enjoyable young guitarists on the jazz scene. Highly recommended." Najar takes an orchestral approach to his instrument, plumbing chords and single-note runs, combining them into lush soundscapes. Besides playing with his own quartet, he is a member of the Modern Guitar Quintet and performs regularly with trombonist Buster Cooper, a Duke Ellington alum.
3:45-5 p.m., Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet
In the spirit of the Manhattan Transfer, New York Voices and Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, this D.C. foursome sings swing and jazz classics in four-part harmony. Two guys, two gals, plenty of notes. In a style called vocalese, they also put words to timeless solos from the jazz canon.
5:30-6:45 p.m., Adela Dalto
The singer incorporates elements of Latin, Brazilian and American jazz into her style. Her crystalline voice possesses plenty of swagger. She was born in Texas to Mexican parents, raised in Gary, Ind., and married Jorge Dalto, George Benson's late pianist and musical director. She's long been a favored vocalist for the top bandleaders in Latin jazz.
7:15-8:30 p.m., Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
In 1996, this band's appearance in the film Swingers helped ignite the neo-swing movement. The guys came together in 1992, and developed a playfully retro show, zoot suits and all. BBVD has sold more than 3 million albums. The fun-loving group has managed to survive the demise of the '90s swing fad, mostly because there's a solid musical foundation to what they do.
For parking and other information, visit www.clearwaterjazz.com.
—ERIC SNIDER
This article appears in Oct 13-19, 2004.