Friday, June 8, 2007
The one-day Fujitsu Jazz Festival swings into Carnegie Hall tonight with a tribute to legendary pianist Oscar Peterson (pictured left, courtesy of npr.org). The all-star lineup includes Hank Jones, Marian MacPartland and Mulgrew Miller, all of whom will be tickling the ivories, vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, guitarist Russell Malone and trumpeter Clark Terry.
Festival producer Pat Philips says they chose to honor Peterson "because he deserves it and has really never gotten a big tribute in America." The 82-year-old Canadian musician has been honored in his native country, but never here. Peterson, who is not well, is unable to attend the concert; his wife and daughter will be present.
Miller, the director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University, took some time to speak on the phone about the tribute, being a jazz musician and training young talents.
Q. With whom will you be performing at the concert?
I'll be playing in a band with [bassist] Christian McBride and [drummer] Lewis Nash. We've played together and know each other very well, personally and musically. And Wynton Marsalis will be joining us, another old friend. I'll be amongst friends, so to speak. That said, we do have our own respective bands, so we don't play together (often).
Festivals are devised to draw a lot of people to the music. So that a large group of people can see top musicians play together.
Mulgrew Miller, hard at work. Courtesy of internationajazzproductions.com
Q. What is your role with the WPU Jazz Studies program?
I'm one of the overseers of the program. I teach what's called small ensembles: I supervise a small group that you would see in a nightclub and coach them.
They're all on a pretty high level since they have to audition to get into the program. ... I find it very stimulating to be there with them because they're so young, enthusiastic and eager to learn.
When I was first offered the job [in September 2005], I wasn't sure how I would like it. I was just kind of testing the situation and testing myself in the situation. I'd always taught; I've done workshops and things before. So it wasn't totally foreign. But to have a commitment to an institution where you're coming back week after week was a whole new thing for me.
The part I didn't expect was the personal connection with the kids. After awhile, they become a part of your life, almost a part of your family. You start to think of them as your children.
Q. Where do your students play?
There are some clubs near Newark, Cecil's and Trumpets, where some of them hang out. ... Quite a few of them hang out in New York. But not many of them have graduated to the actual scene.
Q. How do you balance your duties at the university with your busy performance schedule?
It's a very, very delicate balancing act. I'm in school Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and I have a long weekend to myself for touring. So I'm touring on weekends now. Once a semester, I might go out for two weeks in Europe and Japan.
Q. What are you doing this summer?
Right after the Oscar Peterson tribute, I'm going to be in New York making a record with [bassist] Ron Carter. And right after that I'm going to Europe with Ron Carter. Then right after a Ron Carter tribute in New York [during the JVC festival], I'm going back to Europe with him. I have a full plate.
E-mail: shih@northjersey.com
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