Brubeck Serves as a Shining Light at Music Education Conference

It was probably appropriate that a performance by the Dave Brubeck Quartet was the climax of the International Assn. for Jazz Education’s 29th annual conference Friday night at the Long Beach Convention Center’s Terrace Theater. The veteran composer-pianist has long been a shining example of the impact an academic education can have. And, when he came to prominence in the ‘50s, it was primarily via his great popularity with university audiences.

Despite the fact that he has been leading a similarly instrumented ensemble--alto saxophone, bass, drums and his own piano--for nearly half a century, Brubeck’s performances have never drifted into and-then-I-wrote predictability.

Working before a packed house of knowledgeable jazz fans with saxophonist Bobby Militello, bassist Michael Moore and drummer Randy Jones, he seemed even more willing to push the musical envelope.

He would not have been allowed to leave the hall, of course, without playing Paul Desmond’s “Take Five.” And both he and, in particular, drummer Jones seemed to take great pleasure in parsing the 5/4 meter into every imaginable rhythmic permutation.

But there also were more quietly introspective moments. Brubeck’s soloing on “In Your Own Sweet Way,” for example, displayed his capacity for great harmonic subtlety, often using only a few notes to imply great harmonic layering.

And a selection from his new recording, “The Crossing,” underscored the fact that, at 81, his compositional juices are still flowing freely.

Other high-visibility performers on the Friday night schedule included saxophonist Steve Wilson’s quartet, the Rodney Jones Soul Manifesto and Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra with singer Dee Dee Bridgewater.

There was also a lovely duet appearance by vibist Gary Burton and pianist Makoto Ozone, whose precise styles made for an unusually creative fit.

As with other aspects of the conference, however, many of the intriguing moments were generated by less-visible artists.

The first segment of Friday’s concert, for example, was dedicated to appearances by two young ensembles: The IAJE and NFAA Clifford Brown/Stan Getz Fellowship Recipients Quintet and the IAJE/BET Jazz-Sisters In Jazz Collegiate Quintet, both filled with talented young artists well on their way to professional careers.

In other locations, highlight performances were offered by the thorny Either/Orchestra, the hard-driving New Jazz Composers Octet, pianist Lynne Arriale’s blend of flowing lyricism and subtle harmonies, fluegelhornist Ingrid Jensen’s superb playing with the Virginia Mayhew Group and the richly orchestrated sounds of the Kim Richmond Concert Jazz Orchestra.

For the jazz aficionado, one of the most remarkable aspects of the IAJE gatherings is the awareness of being surrounded by literally thousands of others who--despite individual stylistic preferences--also care enough about the music to join the organization and attend the conference.

Consider a few small but fascinating examples: overhearing a discussion on a hotel elevator regarding some of the more complex aspects of John Coltrane’s improvisation; walking behind someone who is casually whistling the line of a Charlie Parker solo; watching youthful audience members, young enough to be the grandchildren of Dave Brubeck’s first collegiate fans, enthusiastically cheering the legendary artist’s performance.

On Friday, as well as during the other festival evenings, the musical events spilled beyond the Convention Center to the Westin Long Beach Hotel, which ran its own schedule of jazz events in two rooms--the Lobby Grill and the Ocean Ballroom--for a good six hours or so every evening, with no cover charge. The lineup of artists was extensive and impressive, including singers Mary Stallings, Kate McGarry, Kendra Shank, Mark Murphy and Barbara Sfraga, and ensembles led by Terry Trotter, James Williams, Bill Cunliffe and the Banda Brothers.

Fortunately, although the conference ended on Saturday, the Westin Long Beach continues its jazz events--currently only on Thursday nights but perhaps, with this week’s impetus, soon expanding to other dates.

The conference wrapped on Saturday night with scheduled performances by the Al Di Meola World Sinfonia, the WDR Big Band tribute to Joe Zawinul, local favorites Poncho Sanchez and Joey DeFrancesco, and a jazz oratorio by Dr. Willis Kirk. By almost any standard it was a success--the third most heavily attended conference in the series. In retrospect, amid all the seminars, panels and concerts, the events that remain most memorable are the jams, the spontaneous get-togethers--especially a marvelously spirited Latin jazz session on Friday night--in which the central essence of jazz, its incomparable inner community, was in full blossom.