(Steve Wilson. Photo by John Abbott)
By Jerome Langston
“That was my first time really getting to know him,” says well-known saxophonist, Walter Blanding, about interacting with jazz pianist John Toomey, during the rehearsal for the newly formed Attucks Jazz Orchestra, back in May of last year. Organized and directed by Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Todd Stoll, to celebrate Ellington 125 in concert at the historic, famed Norfolk theatre, the Attucks Jazz Orchestra brought together well-regarded NYC based jazz musicians, and many stellar musicians with ties to Hampton Roads. Walter was very impressed with Toomey’s playing, and told him so, which John appreciated. He then later asked Walter if he would come back to play the now long-running Attucks Jazz club series, and he happily agreed. Walter’s concert with the John Toomey trio is scheduled to occur next month.
Walter has been on staff at Michigan State University, as part of its jazz studies program, for 3 years now. That is where he is now, at the time of our phone chat. Rodney Whitaker, a distinguished jazz bassist, is responsible for getting him there, as they go way back to the early days playing with the Jazz at Lincoln Center orchestra. Rodney is even on Walter’s very first album, The Olive Tree. Teaching young musicians is an important mission for both of them.
A native of Cleveland, Walter has lived in many places, including Israel — where he lived for several years in the nineties, including at the start of his time as a member of the highly respected JLCO. He’s been a part of the many high-profile projects produced by Wynton Marsalis with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, since the nineties, from recordings to concerts. He didn’t leave the orchestra till January of 2022, having stayed for some 25 years. I ask him what led to his eventual departure. “I love those guys. I’m still a part of that family. Having spent so many years with them… cannot be erased. It’s a different time now… It was time for me to move on to something different,” he says. He has since performed, from time to time, as a special guest of the orchestra.
Concerning the Attucks jazz club gig next month, Walter is looking forward to the show. “We’re gonna be doing a few songs from my last album, which is called Fantasy in Blue,” he says, as well as other songs considered part of the jazz canon. Regarding the state of jazz music, he’s fairly critical of where it currently is, as much as he is for other genres of music, and forms of art.
“There are always examples of excellence, but I think there are many examples of things that are mediocre, that people seem to accept as being great, for some reason,” says Walter, who is also an accomplished clarinetist. “And I think jazz falls into that same category, just like everything else.” Now he is optimistic about its future, due to the many young jazz musicians coming up in respected jazz programs, like the one at Michigan State, where he teaches. “They are our future. It’s worth it for us to take the time and investment, in trying to help them to achieve their goals,” he says.
Following my conversation with Walter last week, just this past Thursday I finally had a lengthy conversation with legendary jazz saxophonist, Steve Wilson, who is of course from Hampton. Steve is a multi-instrumentalist who is well known for his years of collaborations with many of the biggest names in modern jazz, including Bruce Barth, Ron Carter, Chick Corea and Stefon Harris. As both sideman and leader, he’s been on albums released by Blue Note, Concord and Verve. He also teaches at the City College of New York, where he’s lived since 1987. I tell him that I’ve long been a fan of his artistry. He says that growing up in Hampton was actually a nurturing environment for him as a fledgling young musician.
“Growing up in the sixties and seventies in Hampton, there were a few things happening. One, the start of the Hampton Jazz Festival in 1968,” Steve says. “I got to see many of the greats live, even before I really knew what the music was about. Seeing it live is what really inspired me to want to be a musician.” He goes on to mention many of our area’s giants in jazz back then — some of whom are not as heralded as they should be. He tells me about the influence of jazz pianist “Virginia” Joe Jones, on him and the other young musicians from the area back then. And then there was trumpeter Everett “Blood” Hollins, and the Hampton icon, Weldon Irvine, whose artistry connected jazz to hip-hop and inspired many younger acts; including Mos Def, Erykah Badu and Q-Tip.
Steve, who has played the main stage of the Attucks Theatre before, will play the intimate jazz club room inside the venue, for the jazz series later this month. He says he will perform a mix of some original songs of his, with the John Toomey trio. This fall, Steve Wilson will be recording a new album, and the great Billy Childs has also written a concerto for him, which will premiere in the spring. Towards the end of our chat, I ask Steve if he still enjoys performing inside small, jazz club type spaces.
“I love playing small rooms because they are very intimate. And even though the audiences are smaller in number, they’re very dedicated audiences…” he says. “Also, acoustically it’s much easier to play. It’s a smaller room. You can hear everything… The energy stays in the room, between the audience and the musicians. And it’s a beautiful exchange of energy there. It’s like a musical communion.”
WANT TO GO?
Steve Wilson, Saxophone , February 22
Walter Blanding, Saxophone, March 22
Attucks Theatre
Presented by Virginia Arts Festival
