Jazz masters in spotlight
by Don A. Metivier, The Post-Star, July 2, 1979
A wide variety of jazz sounds filled Saratoga Performing Arts Center this weekend as the Newport Jazz Festival made its second annual appearance in Saratoga Springs.
Tracing the routes of jazz and its growth, the music ranged from the early blues of Muddy Waters, through the swing era of the big bands to the bebop of Dizzy Gillespie and the contemporary sounds of Gerry Mulligan.
The Newport Jazz at Saratoga Concerts, which ran from noon to midnight both days, faced threatening weather that at times poured rain on the lawn crowd, who fought back by erecting tents on the grounds.
“Knowing we were fighting the weather and the gas crunch, I think we did very well, Herb Chesborough, director of Saratoga Performing Arts Center, commented late Sunday.
“I have just had a talk with George Wein (promoter of the jazz festival), and he is happy too. It certainly looks good for another year of jazz at Saratoga,” said Chesborough.
Saturday’s crowd was a disappointing 7,500 compared to nearly 21,000 on the first day of the 1978 Newport at Saratoga event.
Sunday drew more than 10,000 despite the weather, about the same as last year’s second-day crowd.
Highlight of the first day, Saturday, was the “Battle of the Saxophones,” featuring Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Johnny Griffin and Illinois Jacquet. Also appearing on the 12-hour program were Grover Washington Jr., Muddy Waters and his blues band, Dave Brubeck and his quartet, singer Carmen McRae and her trio, and Machito’s Afro-Cuban Band.
The rain did come as forecast, but the showers were brief, and as Gerry Mulligan led his big band out in mid-afternoon Sunday, he noted, “the sun just came out, I see that as a good sign.”
Mulligan fronted a very young group who played with finesse but little fire. It appears that filling a band with well-educated musicians sacrifices some of the old players’ drive for musicianship.
The crowd seemed a bit bored with Mulligan, although he played extremely well and is still the best baritone saxophone player active today.
Betty Carter’s set of scat singing with her trio got the attention of the crowd, but it was the veteran blues singer B.B. King, his famed guitar “Lucille” and a solid 10-piece band that had the group on its feet, cheering.
King brings together decades of jazz music, combining the old field shout blues with swing, set to the beat of contemporary music. All that provides a very pleasing, driving sound, much in touch with today’s audience.
Another contemporary group — Ronnie Laws and Pressure — followed King and kept the crowd stirred up for what many considered the highlight of the entire weekend, the festival jam session.
The jam session, which was the hit of last year’s Newport Festival at Saratoga as well, was filled with quality jazz musicians led by Gillespie with his upraised trumpet, guitarist George Benson and many other top jazz players.
The group played as much for the enjoyment of each other as for the crowd, providing some outstanding solo work.
In addition to the weekend of music, the grounds at SPAC also had more than 50 craftspeople selling all types of handmade items such as jewelry, pottery and clothing.
Following the jam session, Lionel Hampton and his All-Star Orchestra closed the weekend, a move which surprised many, who thought the jam session was the natural finish for any jazz festival.
The stage at Saratoga is dark tonight as the New York City Ballet moves in to open its fourth season at 8:15 p.m. Tuesday.
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