Jazz Reviews : Heritage Foundation Tribute to the Rumseys

Billed as a “Tribute to Joyce and Howard Rumsey,” a concert was presented Sunday afternoon by the Jazz Heritage Foundation at the Musicians’ Union on Vine Street, with proceeds going to the Paul Bullock Memorial Scholarship Fund for young music students. (Bullock was a key figure in the launching of the foundation.)

Given the premise, it might have been assumed that the show would feature some of the world-class artists to whom Howard Rumsey gave exposure during his many years running the Lighthouse in the 1950s and 1960s and Concerts by the Sea in the 1970s.

No such grand moments materialized. A show that could logically have included Horace Silver, Herbie Hancock, Art Blakey, Carmen McRae, George Benson and dozens more turned out to consist of conventional performances by lesser-known local musicians.

The matinee was long in duration but short on organization. Singer Ernie Andrews, by all odds the most popular of the scheduled artists, waited around and did not hit the stage until more than four hours into the show. There were no drums on stage for most of Pat Britt’s very casual be-bop set.

One pleasant surprise was the appearance of a new big band, led by saxophonist Steve Elliott and trumpeter Roger Ingram. Biting vigorously into mainstream charts by John Fedchock and Oliver Nelson, they displayed good solo work by Elliott, trumpeter Mark Lewis and others.

Trophies were presented by foundation president Larue Brown Watson to Paul Bullock’s widow, and by president emeritus Kenny Burrell (the first artist to play at Concerts by the Sea, in 1972) to Howard and Joyce Rumsey.

The Jazz Heritage Foundation is one of several locally based jazz good-will groups, all well intentioned but underfunded. The difficulties encountered Sunday, all too typical of such events, may indicate that instead of competing for members and money, they might well be advised to consolidate into one unified organization with fuller financing and a single sense of direction.