by Stella Cheung Houston
Got to see James Moody again! Just saw him in May
in Singapore! This time he was with some other giants Cedar Walton, Eddie
Marshall and Tony Dumas. Cedar Walton and Eddie Marshall were cover subjects
of past print issues of Jazz Now magazine.
It was a concert dedicated to Billy Higgins and Smith Dobson. At that particular
concert, Joe Henderson was still alive.
I really appreciate James Moody announcing each piece. It helps me get the
titles straight even though I had heard most of the tunes. It also helps
us learn our standards or to remind us of the names of the tunes that we
have appreciated for years and who the composers are so we can give them
the credit that is due.
They started with "Once I Had a Secret Love." "Everybody
knows that I had this secret love. I have had her for years. Just don't
tell my wife." Moody quipped. All through the evening, Moody told jokes
in between pieces, entertaining a mostly full auditorium on the Stanford
University campus. He played the alto, tenor and flute. Oh what a treat
to hear him play "Wave" on his flute, since my friends and I are
learning to play that piece. His tenor solo on Cedar Walton's "Firm
Roots" was explosive. Cedar did a marvelous rendition of "All
the Things You Are." "Body And Soul" was in a Latin beat
that made the piece less melancholy than the way Billie Holiday used to
sing it, and it swung beautifully. All the while Tony Dumas presented supportive
and solid bass lines. The piano solo on this piece was awesome. Cedar's
improvisation just poured. Moody brought it down to earth, but let it soared
again. Moody took a long cadenza on "Night in Tunisia," showing
off his techniques and the beautiful tone of his alto. Yet there was no
screaming or squeaking or ear-piercing sound. "Just to show you how
BAD he really is!" Haybert, Jazz Now publisher said.
Eddie Marshall is still my favorite drummer, it was wonderful to watch him
play. To hear drums so sensitively played is mesmerizing. How can one play
drums so softly and unobtrusively even to the softly spoken bass, and yet
keeping perfect time! His sticks and brushes danced on the instruments.
It was so graceful! It seemed so effortless!
No doubt, these are masters. We are happy to be able to hear them live over
and over again. Let's don't miss the opportunities. Moody told us that he
will be seventy-seven at his next birthday! Thank you, Stanford for bringing
them together for us.
by Stella Cheung Houston
Back to 
Contents Page
Jazz Now Interactive
Copyright Jazz Now, August 2001 issue, all rights reserved
jazzinfo@jazznow.com