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</strong><p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:center;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">NEW ORLEANS JAZZ FESTIVAL IN TEL-AVIV 2019<span></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:center;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span> </span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The
second New Orleans Jazz Festival in Tel-Aviv took place on June 20-22, in the
Tel-Aviv Museum of Art and in the square in front thereof.<span> </span>A month has gone by, and I have not yet
decided how does one sum up a three-day festival in a few words, when each show
invites a separate essay?<span> </span>Not that I
attended all the shows – a mission impossible, really, taking into account that
it took place in three concert halls, sometimes simultaneously; from 8PM there
were also free outdoors concerts by various bands.<span> </span>I found some shows – paid and free –
uninteresting.<span> </span>I didn't go to the Billie
Holiday tribute (the feedback from friends who did was less than enthusiastic)
or to the Cuban shows.<span> </span>There were other
shows I had to give up, too.<span> </span>Basically,
I went only to strictly traditional jazz show jazz shows.<span> </span>True, I heard thrice each the French Olivier
Franc Sidney Bechet messengers and the Michael White Quartet from New Orleans
(all members were native Orleanians), but we are not too spoilt with that
quality groups.<span> </span><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Some of my friends and I heard the
Olivier Franc Band at the Gold Washboard Festival in Poland in 2003, so we knew
what to expect; some friends who had never heard of Olivier Franc (he should be
no stranger to followers of Trevor Richards) thanked me for tipping them
off.<span> </span>It is not too often that we hear
father and son in the same band, but in this case it's true: papa Olivier plays
soprano sax (which was previously owned by Bechet), while his son Jean Baptiste
Franc plays piano with the band.<span> </span>Add to
it the late grandpa Rene Franc, a traditional clarinet and soprano player, and
you get a real jazz dynasty! <span> </span>The
repertoire, as the name suggested, comprised mainly songs by Sidney Bechet or
often played thereby, but also some originals by Olivier and Jean-Baptiste
Franc.<span> </span>I was rather disappointed they
did not play "Onions" – not my favourite, but Bechet's greatest hit
at the time.<span> </span>The trombonist Benoit de
Flamesnil played<span> </span>different Vic Dickenson
composition at each set, justifying it by mentioning the frequent collaboration
between Dickenson and Bechet.<span> </span>The
bassist <strong><span style="font-weight:normal">Yann Lou Bertrand</span></strong>
and the drummer Thomas Racine provided solid swing; when soloing, Mr. Bernard sang
higher than the bass line, Major Holley style.<span>
</span><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Jean Baptiste Franc also played a
solo set which, although labelled "Tribute to Fats Waller" covered
the entire gamut of piano playing, with nods to other stride pianists, as well
as to Errol Garner.<span> </span>There were some
originals, including a boogie woogie which, Mr. Franc said, was NOT his
style.<span> </span>He received a well merited
standing ovation.<span> </span>The next set was a
boogie woogie solo by the Swiss boogie woogie wiz Silvan Zingg.<span> </span>I went to hear him because I had a gap
between performances, and was well rewarded.<span>
</span>True, there was too much talk and too little music to my taste, but the
public loved it!<span> </span>Inter alia, Mr. Zingg
told a story about his classical piano teacher and how, when she was in the
room, he played classical, while as soon as she went out switched to boogie woogie,
demonstrating it by playing Dvorak's "Humoresque" straight and as
boogie woogie.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The Dr. Michael White Quartet from
New Orleans was perhaps the most popular group in the festival, its first show
being sold out (actually, so was one of the Cuban shows).<span> </span>True, it was held I a relatively small hall,
but it was full to capacity.<span> </span>Actually,
most shows around 8PM were very well attended, better than the earlier
ones.<span> </span>I attended one every day of the
festival, and it was worth it.<span> </span>All the
members – Dr. White, Greg Stafford (trumpet), Detroit Brooks<span> </span>(banjo) and Lewis Kerry (bass) are New
Orleans native.<span> </span>For its third show, Duke
Ellington in New Orleans, our own Eli Preminger sat in; Greg Stafford, although
he stayed on stage, sat out for some of the Ellington numbers.<span> </span>I was sorry the group was pianoless, but the
cooperation between the banjo and the bass created a piano-like impression on
some banjo solos.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The Israeli Isradixie Band, with
guests Enrico Tomasso and <span> </span>Bruce Harris, gave
a better than usual show, labelled "Trumpet Summit" and devoted to
Louis Armstrong. <span> </span>It captivated the audience
from the first song – an unaccompanied Pau More vocal rendition of "Let My
People Go."<span> </span>What can I say about
the band that I have not said before?<span> </span>Thoroughly
professional, good solos from all members, with Anton Lutsky (sousaphone)
sitting in for the regular Shay Buxbaum. <span> </span>I have praised Felder, Jacques Sany and Merton
Cahm so often that I have nothing to add.<span>
</span>Th rhythm section with Aharoni Ben-Ari on guitar and banjo and Amram David
on drums (and Paul Moore on ukulele banjo and washboard) is just perfect for
the band. <span> </span>Enrico Tomasso is an internationally
known (at least in Europe) English trumpeter/singer.<span> </span>Duncan Harris is a young black American trumpeter/singer,
who as learnt about Satchmo's music through Wynton Marsalis.<span> </span>I also caught Isradixie outdoors, this time
with Shai Buxbaum, giving its usual great performance.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Another free show I caught was by
listmate Larry Brandt's Doctor Jazz.<span> </span>I
was really happy to hear the band serving its usual good time jazz (isn't it
what OKOM is about?), as I hadn't heard of it in a long time and started wondering
whether it was still around.<span> </span>Larry still
sings well, and the band sounded happy to be playing.<span> </span>The banjo player Shimi Gilad always seems so
enthusiastic!<span> </span>There rest of the band
were Amnon Ben-Artzi on trombone, Eli Preminger (trumpet), Larry (vocals and an
unidentified horn labelled in the programme as "parade trombone), Anton
Lutsky (sousaphone), Dan Cohen (drums) and a very good soprano saxophonist
whose name I do not recall at the moment.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Arguably the best group featured was
the Europa Social Club, the members being Brits Enrico Tomasso, Ian Bateman (trombone),
Adrian Cox (reeds), Denny Illet (who had been the accompanist of Lilian
Boutte), and the French <strong><span style="font-weight:normal">Sebastien
Girardot</span></strong><b> </b>(double bass) and<b> </b><strong><span style="font-weight:normal">Guilluame Nouaux (drums).</span></strong><b><span> </span></b>I have heard all of them before, but somehow
this time they managed to sound better than ever.<span> </span>The were joined by the New Orleans singer Patricia
Boutte for several numbers.<span> </span>Ostensibly a
tribute to King Oliver, it was really an excellent traditional jazz concert
with wonderful arrangements and great solos from everybody.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The last group I managed to catch was
the Hungarian Jazz Steps Band in a programme labelled "Let's Dance,"
devoted to Benny Goodman and Count Basie.<span>
</span>A very good band, but somehow not on par with the others.<span> </span>Judging by the way it played traditional
standards, it probably sounded better on its first show devoted to the ODJB.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">All this windfall was masterminded by
the musical director Ziv Ben, who seemed to have accomplished "mission impossible,"
and has already promised another one for next year.<span> </span>I confess that I can't wait!<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span> </span></span></p>
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