New York (Top40 Charts/ Michael Wolff Trio Official Website) - Michael Wolff Trio to Appear at The Kennedy Center, with Special Guest Steve Wilson
Live Review: 'All of the music felt very full and passionately alive' 'Wolff proved to be one of the most engaging all-around performers in the entire jazz game'
The acclaimed Michael Wolff Trio will have the honor of performing at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. on October 24th. Wolff will play selections from his recent CD 'Joe's Strut' (WRONG Records,) which has been praised as 'funky as hell.' DownBeat said: "Joe's Strut delivers, smoothly and seamlessly." Special Guest Steve Wilson will join Wolff for two sets at the KC Jazz Club. DownBeat recently commented, "Wolff and Steve Wilson, playing soprano sax, craft an eloquent conversation." In a live review of a Wolff concert this summer, The San Jose Mercury News raved, 'all of the music felt very full and passionately alive.'
October 24, 2009, - 7:30p & 9:30p
Michael Wolff Trio with Special Guest Steve Wilson
Chip Jackson, Bass, Victor Jones, Drums
Kennedy Center Jazz Club
Washington, DC
Tickets: $25; To Purchase Tickets: (202) 467-4600. The toll-free number is (800) 444-1324.
https://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/jazz/
'Joe's Strut' has garnered substantial national and regional press coverage since its release, and critics appear to have coalesced around a common theme: This CD is funky! In The New York Times, Nate Chinen noted that Strut 'throws in a few hints of funk,' and that sentiment appears again and again reviews of the album. In fact, All About Jazz-NY said the CD was 'funky as hell.' Other notable coverage includes a recent 'Prelude' feature in JAZZIZ, and multi-page 'Before & After' interview feature JAZZTIMES Magazine, which praised Wolff as 'a musical renaissance man.' A terrific CD review in ALLMUSIC noted 'the opening track finds Wolff, a master of harmonics with an assured quick-mindedness, full of surprises, tossing around choppy discordant post-bop chords like confetti and alternately unreeling no-nonsense bluesy flurries, the saxes and rhythm section maintaining a solid soulful block as he goes on his merry way.' In Jazztimes' CD review, they comment: 'Wolff's joy in playing piano is unmistakable and infectious.' DOWNBEAT says: 'Joe's Strut delivers, smoothly and seamlessly,' and adds, 'his uptempo solos can swing hard, and he has the temperament to leave space where it belongs on the ballads.' The San Jose Mercury News called Wolff 'A commanding jazz presence.'
San Jose Mercury News
Live Review: Michael Wolff in concert
By Jim Harrington 6/09
Michael Wolff spent the first part of his career surrounded by jazz legends.
The Louisiana-born pianist, who was raised mo stly in Berkeley, was just 19 when he broke into the business as a member of Cal Tjader's band in the early '70s. A few years later, he made his recording debut alongside the great Cannonball Adderley. He then went on to perform with Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter and several other A-list jazz stars.
The 54-year-old former UC Berkeley student, who now lives in New York, surely learned much from the time he spent with those undisputed jazz masters. In retrospect, however, his greatest tutor may not have even been a musician - it may have been late-night TV talk show host Arsenio Hall.
As the band leader and musical director for 'The Arsenio Hall Show,' which ran from 1989 to 1994, Wolff spent countless hours watching the host expertly work the crowds. He obviously paid attention, for the one thing that now truly differentiates Wolff from most other jazz musicians is his ability to entertain.
During his homecoming gig on Saturday afternoon at the Florence Gould Theatre at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco, Wolff proved to be one of the most engaging all-around performers in the entire jazz game.
The show, part of SFJAZZ's 10th anniversary Spring Season schedule, included its share of fine musicianship, stellar improvisation and memorable tunes. Yet, what really made it special was everything else Wolff did to make sure his fans were having a good time.
He was witty and funny between songs, at one point going into a stand-up comedy routine that would have impressed Arsenio, and he showed a great deal of enthusiasm and energy for both the crowd and the music. Indeed, Wolff even danced onstage, an activity that the veteran concert-goer might have previously believed was against the law at all jazz shows. (In reality, dancing is probably only considered a crime at Charlie Haden and Keith Jarrett gigs.)
Wolff came to town in support of the newly released 'Joe's Strut,' a work that is named in honor of the pianist's old friend and fusion-jazz giant, Joe Zawinul, who died in 2007. That CD features a two-saxophone quintet on five cuts and a regular piano trio on the remaining three numbers.
Wolff was leading a standard piano trio during Saturday's concert, which meant that some of the 'Strut' cuts performed would lack the twin saxophone power found on the recorded versions. Still, if you didn't know the record, it would have been impossible to tell that anything was missing - all of the music felt very full and passionately alive.
The pianist had enlisted the right men for the occasion: San Mateo County drummer Akira Tana and Berkeley bassist Peter Barshay. Although this trio doesn't perform together regularly, it is also one that took about two minutes to gel and then proceeded to grow stronger as the 90-minute set progressed.
An early highlight was the trio's elastic take on the old standard 'Autumn Leaves.' The three players opened the tune by milking a slinky, slightly funky groove, built on a tightly coiled bass line, and then moved at a leisurely gait through a pastoral patch, before unexpectedly bringing the number to close in bawdy nightclub fashion.
That ending served as a proper segue into the title track from 'Joe's Strut.' The original composition lived up to its name - in pace and swagger, it was very much a 'Strut,' and it also held true to Zawinul's vision of fusion music. It was a truly rocking number, one that found Wolff channeling his inner Jerry Lee Lewis and bringing 'Great Balls of Fire' to the keys.
The afternoon's most memorable moment - although, not its best one musically - came during the encore when Wolff's trio covered the Temptations' mighty 'Papa Was a Rollin' Stone.' During that number, the pianist coaxed audience members out of their seats to play a game of follow the leader - he got them to clap along, dance and sing to the classic soul cut. That was a sight that I'd never seen before at a jazz concert - but it's also one that makes me want to catch this wonderful entertainer the very next time he's in town.
In other words, Arsenio would be proud.
Wolff's Special Guest for The Kennedy Center, Steve Wilson, is one of the most in-demand figures in jazz, and his multiple roles as a band leader, sideman, educator and jazz historian have lead journalists to praise him as 'a dynamic improviser,' 'a musician's musician,' 'one of the finest saxophone players today'. Recent coverage includes NPR's JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater and The Washington Post. Nominated as Alto Player of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association, Wilson is known for his modest, warm personality...and for his in-depth knowledge of all-things-jazz. https://www.stevewilsonmusic.com/.
In November, the Michael Wolff Quintet will spend multiple days at The Clarion at Brazosport College in Lake Jackson, TX - Wolff will lead clinics with five student ensembles, perform with his Quintet, and will serve as Guest Conductor for the Region 17 Band, an all-star student ensemble, in their Fall concert. The details are:
Michael Wolff Quintet
The Clarion at Brazosport College
500 College Drive
Lake Jackson, TX 77566
November 19, 2009, - 3:30p-6p, 7p
Clinic and rehearsals for Jazztravaganza concert at 7p
Mike Clark, Drums, Jake Hertzog, Guitar, Chip Jackson, bass, sax, tba
https://www.brazosport.edu/sites/Clarion/Welcome%20Page/Clarion.aspx
November 20, 2009 , 8p
Michael Wolff Quintet
Chip Jackson, Bass; Mike Clark, Drums; Jake Hertzog, guitar; sax, tba
November 21, 2009 - 7p
Michael Wolff, Guest Conductor with Region 17 Jazz Ensemble
Other upcoming tour dates:
October 2, 2009- - 8p
Michael Wolff Trio
Ugonna Okegwo, Bass; Victor Jones, Drums
Juanita K. Hammond Center for Performing Arts
Missouri State University
Springfield, MO 65897
https://www.hammonshall.com/Shows.aspx?id=93
October 3, 2009- - 8:30p, 10p
Michael Wolff Trio
Ugonna Okegwo, Bass; Victor Jones, Drums
The Blue Room @
The American Jazz Museum
1616 E. 18th Street
Kansas City, MO 64108
https://www.americanjazzmuseum.com/SiteResources/Data/Templates/t2.asp?docid=559&DocName=The%20Blue%20Room
November 6-7, 2009 - 9:45p
Michael Wolff Trio
Ugonna Okegwo & Victor Jones
Knickerbocker Bar & Grill
33 University Place
New York, NY 10003
Reservations: 212-228-8490 https://www.knickerbockerbarandgrill.com/
