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James Mahone at SFJAZZ

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By Harry S. Pariser
November 26, 2017
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James Mahone
SFJAZZ
The Music of Booker Little
San Francisco, CA
November 16, 2017

Way back in the early 1960s, a major new composer and trumpeter emerged on the scene, teamed up with extraordinary jazz musicians such as

Reggie Workman

bass
b.1937

" data-original-title="" title="">Reggie Workman,

Julian Priester

trombone
b.1935

" data-original-title="" title="">Julian Priester,

Max Roach

drums
1925 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Max Roach,

Ron Carter

bass
b.1937

" data-original-title="" title="">Ron Carter and

Eric Dolphy

woodwinds
1928 - 1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Eric Dolphy to produce four releases whose legacy endures today.

A Memphis native,

Booker Little

trumpet
1938 - 1961

" data-original-title="" title="">Booker Little came from a musical family. His father, who worked as a Pullman porter, played trombone, while his mother was a pianist. Heading on to Chicago Conservatory, he was fortunate enough to work with

Johnny Griffin

saxophone, tenor
1928 - 2008

" data-original-title="" title="">Johnny Griffin. Moving to New York, he shared digs with the illustrious

Sonny Rollins

saxophone
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Sonny Rollins and then met collaborators Roach and Dolphy.

Clifford Brown

trumpet
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Clifford Brown, Little's chief musical influence, died in a car crash in 1956. Little passed away from complications resulting from uremia on October 5, 1961 at the tender age of 23.

SFJAZZ's Hotplate series regularly invites local artists to play the music of past jazz notables. For this show, Oakland-based tenor saxophonist

James Mahone

saxophone, tenor
b.1969

" data-original-title="" title="">James Mahone brought a group together to the

Joe Henderson

saxophone
1937 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Henderson Lab to celebrate the music of Booker Little. Mahone has lived and worked in Tokyo and has played alongside the likes of

Joshua Redman

saxophone
b.1969

" data-original-title="" title="">Joshua Redman,

Wynton Marsalis

trumpet
b.1961

" data-original-title="" title="">Wynton Marsalis and the late

Billy Higgins

drums
1936 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Higgins and

Gil Scott-Heron

vocals
1949 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">Gil Scott-Heron, as well as having appeared as a sideman on a wide range of recordings.

Mahone's group included some heavyweights. Oakland native and head of music studies at the College of Alameda,

Glenn Pearson

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Glenn Pearson has been playing piano since age 15. Trombonist

Mitch Butler

" data-original-title="" title="">Mitch Butler, a native of Raleigh, North Carolina, has led his own ensembles as well as participated in several jazz orchestras. Trumpeter

Mike Olmos

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Olmos is a San Francisco resident who appears regularly with his own group and with those of others and played with the late

Etta James

vocals
1938 - 2012

" data-original-title="" title="">Etta James. Bassist

Joshua Thurston-Milgrom

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Joshua Thurston-Milgrom is a Stanford lecturer who has studied and played in Chicago and Berlin. Drummer

Claudio Rochat-Felix

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Claudio Rochat-Felix currently works as a music analyst for Pandora (in addition to professional gigs), having previously taught percussion. He has worked as a sideman (and recorded with) the likes of

Lauryn Hill

" data-original-title="" title="">Lauryn Hill,

Jason Mraz

" data-original-title="" title="">Jason Mraz,

John Hicks

piano
1941 - 2006

" data-original-title="" title="">John Hicks and

Gary Bartz

saxophone, alto
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Gary Bartz.

Taking the stage for the beginning of the set, Mahone reflected upon Little's music; it is "powerful and deserves to be heard." The set kicked off with "Booker's Blues" from the oddly titled Booker Little and Friend (Bethlehem, 1961). Ensemble playing gave way to one of Butler's longwinded trombone solos. Mahone came in on tenor, before Pearson soloed eloquently. Pearson, waited on the side, one foot planted on the stage, until the proper moment when he stepped forward to solo and bring the tune to its conclusion.

A "one" and a "two" ushered in "Forward Flight," another tune from Booker Little and Friend, and spirited sax, trumpet and then trombone solos followed. Pearson gave a percussive edge to his playing on the 88s, while the bearded Thurston-Milgrom mouthed the notes as he thumbed his bass.

Next up was "Calling Softly" from Booker Little and Friend, and Mahone soloed fluently and flowing. After a trombone solo, all three horns converge to conclude the piece.

"Moods in Free Time," from Out Front (Candid, 1961) had Olmos front and center on trumpet. Rochat-Felix's reflective drum solo became a charge as the ensemble returned to bring it to an end. "Matilde," again from Booker Little and Friend again offered a lovely trumpet solo. Time allowed only a shortened version of Abbey Lincoln's arrangement of "Blue Monk."

The second set followed in much the same vein, and "Hazy Blues," "Forward Flight," "Strength And Sanity" and "Man Of Words" were played from Up Front, while a stretched out, concluding "Blue Monk" allowed Pearson to solo eloquently.

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