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Temple University Jazz Band: Without You, No Me

By Jack Bowers
November 28, 2021
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Temple University Jazz Band: Without You, No Me

When his friend, colleague, mentor and confidante

Jimmy Heath

saxophone, tenor
1926 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">Jimmy Heath died in January 2020, trumpeter

" data-original-title="" title="">Terell Stafford's first impulse was to find a way to honor and remember the renowned Philadelphia-born saxophonist. As Stafford is director of the Temple University Jazz Band, also in Philadelphia, an obvious way would be to record a tribute album, which Stafford set about preparing. And then the Covid-19 pandemic arrived, scuttling those plans and most others on the drawing board.

The band did manage to release one album, The Covid Sessions: A Social Call, during the pandemic, recorded at long-distance with students "phoning in" their performances from homes across the country, but it wasn't until April 2021 that they were able to gather in the spacious Temple Performing Arts Center using social distancing, plexiglass dividers and half-hour "fresh air breaks" to record Without You, No Me, a picturesque tribute to Heath featuring special guests (and fellow Philadelphians) bassist

Christian McBride

bass
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Christian McBride and organist

Joey DeFrancesco

organ, Hammond B3
1971 - 2022

" data-original-title="" title="">Joey DeFrancesco.

The album also honors two other Philly legends who died within the past year: saxophonist

Bootsie Barnes

saxophone, tenor
1937 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">Bootsie Barnes and Hall of Fame basketball coach John Chaney—Barnes with Temple alumnus

Jack Saint Clair

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Jack Saint Clair's high-octane "Bootsie," Chaney with McBride's multi-layered "The Wise Old Owl." Heath wrote the breezy "Without You, No Me" (for

Dizzy Gillespie

trumpet
1917 - 1993

" data-original-title="" title="">Dizzy Gillespie) and the eloquent "Voice of the Saxophone," DeFrancesco the fast-paced "In That Order,"

Todd Bashore

saxophone, alto

" data-original-title="" title="">Todd Bashore (a former student of Heath's) the assertive opener, "Passing of the Torch."

Danielle Dougherty

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Danielle Dougherty sings (quite well) on Saint Clair's perceptive arrangements of the standard "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone" and

Shirley Scott

organ, Hammond B3
1934 - 2002

" data-original-title="" title="">Shirley Scott's soulful "The Blues Ain't Nothin' (But Some Pain)." Bassist

John Clayton

bass
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">John Clayton arranged "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" (showcasing McBride's full-throated bass), pianist

Bill Cunliffe

piano
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Cunliffe "In That Order." The freewheeling closer,

Juan Tizol

trombone
1900 - 1984

" data-original-title="" title="">Juan Tizol's "Perdido," was scored by another Philadelphia icon, saxophonist

Larry McKenna

saxophone, tenor
1937 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Larry McKenna. DeFrancesco solos on "In That Order" and (with McBride) on "Perdido," McBride again on "The Wise Old Owl" and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love."

The band is admirable throughout, as are its (unnamed) soloists, one of whom may (or may not) be Stafford. McBride and DeFrancesco? Impeccable, as always. Splendid cover art too: a silhouette of Heath, saxophone in hand, against a backdrop of Philadelphia skyscrapers. A warm and spacious salute to a jazz colossus that was well worth the wait.

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Track Listing

Passing of the Torch; Without You, No Me; Bootsie; Please Don��t Talk About Me; In That Order; Voice of the Saxophone; I Can��t Give You Anything But Love; The Wise Old Owl; The Blues Ain��t Nothin�� (But Some Pain); Perdido.

Personnel

Terell Stafford

trumpet

Fareed Simpson-Hankins

trumpet

John Meko

trumpet

John Brunozzi

trumpet

Banks Sapnar

trumpet

Robby Cruz

trumpet

Patrick Hill

bass

Adam Abrams

saxophone

Dyland Band

saxophone, tenor

Ross Gerberich

saxophone, tenor

Gabe Preston

saxophone

Christian McBride

bass

Joey DeFrancesco

organ, Hammond B3

Andrew Sedlacsik

trombone

Bill Saurman

trombone

David Chodor

trombone

Nathan Pence

bass, acoustic

Anthony Aldissi

piano

Michael Raymond

guitar

Maria Marmarou

drums

Additional Instrumentation

Omeed Nyman: bass trombone; Danielle Dougherty: vocals.

Album information

Title: Without You, No Me | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: BCM&D Records

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