A week in tap

Yesterday ended an interesting week for me and tap.  On Monday I went to Baltimore, the home town of the late tap master James "Buster" Brown to visit his last surviving sister, Ruth Jackson, who is 97.  Some of us tappers kept in touch with her after Buster died because she cared about us and knew the strong bond Buster had with us.  She told us stories about growing up in Baltimore in a loving family.  Now she is in a facility and having a challenging time.  When I visited her I met some relatives of hers that I knew and some that I didn't.  At one point it was just me and her there, she being in and out of being awake or talking.  I realized I had some media of Buster on my iPodTouch, so took it out, placed it by her ear and played what I had for her.  I then played some tap recordings and saw her feet moving under the covers.  Good to be there and just be present for this moment in her journey.

Wednesday I went to the weekly tap jam run by Michela Marino Lerman at Small's Jazz Club in Greenwich Village.  It was the day after her birthday and became somewhat of a celebration of that.  Michela was one of the folks who went to the tap jam Buster held at Swing 46 Jazz and Supper Club for years on Sunday evenings.  She now is carrying on in the same tradition at Small's.  What was special about Buster's jam was that he encouraged anyone to get up and dance no matter what their level of skill.  Consequently, many found this a safe place to take chances and grow.  Grow not only as tap dancers, but as people.  Michela has the same approach in her jam.  Plus, there is a nice floor to tap on.  Check it out (138 W. 10th St) on Wednesdays from 5 - 8pm....no cover!  You can dance or just watch.

Friday I went to Celebrate Brooklyn to see a collaboration between Geri Allen (pianist), Carrie Mae Weems (video/photography artist), Lizz Wright (vocalist), Esperanza Spalding (music artist) and Maurice Chestnut (tap), among others.  It was an interesting idea, but a bit too long for my taste.  However, there were some outstanding moments. which included the singing of Lizz Wright, with whom I was not familiar.  One of the songs she did that hooked me on her was "Grandma's Hands", one my favorite Bill Withers tunes.   Maurice had a few spots where he jammed with the musicians on stage.  The sound system was great, with those of us sitting way back on the lawn able to hear him quite well.  I used the super zoom on my camera to see him.  It was good to have tap in that venue.

Finally, I saw Savion Glover at The Blue Note last night.  What can I say?  He always knocks me out in what I feel is a spiritual journey into something rooted and deep.  He was there for a week working with different jazz artists on different nights which were;  McCoy Tyner (pianist), Jack DeJohnette (drummer) and Roy Haynes (drummer).   Last night was Roy Haynes.  Before Roy came out, Savion did some extended dancing with musician Patience Higgins playing.  Then at one point tap artist Marshall Davis, Jr. came on to join Savion in a two person rhythm communion that was transcendental.  Savion at one point let Marshall go on his own and I just looked at Marshall's face as he went into his own space.   87 year old Roy Haynes ended it all by playing/trading with Savion and even trying out the tap floor himself!  One of the added treats for me was meeting Amiri Baraka who was in the audience.  I mentioned that Roy did some impromptu tap, well check out this YouTube clip of Roy and Jack DeJohnette doing some tap trades of their own!  Roy is at the top and Jack has his back to the camera.

Upcoming is Jason Samuels Smith at the Joyce Theater in July.  You can get tickets for 10 bucks!
Go see and support tap....

http://www.joyce.org/performancestickets/calendar_detail.php?event=437&theater=1