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SAN FRANCISCO — The American Mavericks Festival made a side
trip into jazz on Saturday with a hot and heavy, swinging and inspiring
tour of the music of Edward "Duke"
Ellington.
"Ellington's music is a celebration of God, nature and all of us," said
conductor/trumpeter Jon Faddis, who
provided his own celebration of the jazz master with the help of the
San Francisco Symphony and the
Mavericks Jazz Band.
The evening opened with "Harlem," which employed instrumental groupings
from both ensembles. The Mavericks Jazz Band augmented the traditional
symphony in true Ellington fashion, with the brass and trumpet section
at the fore. A trumpet solo rippled into the other instruments with
Faddis signaling to the musicians, one of whom even took a turn in the
spotlight on the timpani.
Soulful Canadian pianist Renee Rosnes followed, joining the combined ensemble for a swinging and spirited rendition of "New World a-Comin'," for piano and orchestra.
The first section of the concert concluded with a veritable Pullman car
of Ellington standards — "I'm Beginning to See the Light," "Take
the 'A' Train" and "Solitude" — all wonderfully sung by gospel
legend Queen Esther Marrow.
Marrow's remarkable renditions were nearly upstaged by the stunning
trumpet solos of Faddis, who crept offstage in the middle of the action
to retrieve his horn just before " 'A' Train."
But it was during the second half of the concert — when the
Mavericks Jazz Band took center stage without the symphony behind them
— that Davis Symphony Hall really began to cook like a Kansas City
jazz joint in the 1930s. A selection of 10 songs from Ellington's
Sacred Concerts showcased the vocalists and the incredible depth
of talent in the band.
Bass Milt Grayson gave a charged
rendition of "In the Beginning," followed by Marrow's waltzing "Tell Me
It's the Truth." Soprano Priscilla
Baskerville added a rumba-tinged rendition of "Heaven," and
the San Francisco Symphony Chorus joined in the fun with "David Danced," which included a wondrous trumpet solo by John Worley.
The highlight of the evening came with Queen Marrow's vivacious
interpretation of "The Lord's Prayer." With a little help from Faddis,
the chorus began a call-and-response of "amen" and hand clapping. The
infectious theme then spread across the audience, transforming the hall
into a Sunday church service complete with shouts and toe tapping.
The task of performing "Come Sunday" (RealAudio excerpt of archived recording) fell on the shoulders of Grayson, whose thunderous low notes nearly vibrated the building's foundation with the line "Lord, please let my people through." Baskerville returned for "My Love" and the closing piece, "Praise God and Dance."
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