(Saxophonist Steve Wilson)
By Jerome Langston
Chatting with Jae Sinnett earlier this week, following a dental procedure that he’d just endured — was unfortunate timing for the acclaimed jazz drummer, composer and bandleader, but he was nevertheless a pleasure to talk to. Sinnett, who is widely known for his long-running Sinnett in Session jazz radio show, is also president of the recently formed, Hampton Roads Jazz Inc., a non-profit organization that is “dedicated to preserving, promoting and presenting jazz in performance and educational contexts,” per its website, and is already making quite a few waves in jazz circles, here in the 757.
Back in April, jazz legend Branford Marsalis, performed with Jae’s trio, as part of a benefit concert for the organization at CNU’s Ferguson Center for the Arts. Later this month, HR Jazz Inc. is presenting the 3-day Phoebus Jazz Festival at Hampton’s The American Theatre, featuring the music of some excellent VA connected jazz acts, as well as a number of prominent jazz artists of national acclaim. Jae tells me that he really wants the festival to distinguish itself from other “so-called” jazz festivals, in our local metro. Especially as the prominent two that he mentions, features a lot of non-jazz artists amongst their line-up of performers.
“There are no jazz festivals in the seven cities, when you look at it that way,” he says, matter-of-factly. “So that’s a big part of the reason why I formed this organization, to present this music — the way it was played, the way it was invented, the way it was envisioned,” adds Jae. Over the course of the 3-day festival, a nice, wide spectrum of jazz acts will get to perform for real jazz loving fans, inside an elegant theatre with good acoustics. Those acts will include The Headhunters, Tierney Sutton, Justin Kauflin, the Duane Smith Quartet, and Jae Sinnett’s Zero to 60 Quartet, featuring acclaimed saxophonist, Steve Wilson, who is himself from Hampton.
Having an ideal listening experience for jazz was really important to Jae. “Jazz doesn’t belong in big venues — like a coliseum, for example. Just my opinion. Because acoustically, if you’re dealing with the acoustic piano, the acoustic bass, it doesn’t work well in those venues,” Jae says. “So the size of the venue, the acoustic compatibility of the venue, is very, very important.” The historic theatre is an intimate room, with less than 400 seats.
“I wanted to feature some of the best regional performers. And I always will, in any of our events,” Jae later says. Starting with the Friday night lineup, Jae, who as an award-winning bandleader has produced nearly 20 albums, explains some of his programming decisions for the festival. “I was thinking about versatility…,” he says, in regards to the festival lineup. “I wanted vocals on the Friday night. I think she [Liz Brydge] put out a fantastic record, It’s All Right With Me.” Duane Smith of Fuzz Band fame, opens the first night with his jazz quartet. Duane has long been a great trumpeter, and it’s nice to see my friend back in his straight-ahead jazz bag.
(The Headhunters’ new album drops October 11.)
Jae Sinnett’s Zero to 60 Quartet featuring Steve Wilson, will close out Friday night, with the backing support of the Symphonicity Jazz Orchestra, whom they’ve performed with before. “It’s a massive production. It’s not an easy thing to pull off, logistically, but it’s a beautiful show though,” says Jae. They will perform six of his compositions, as well as the standard, “As Time Goes By.” Saturday night showcases the excellent Latin jazz ensemble, the Latin Jazz Conspiracy, which is based here in Hampton Roads, and will feature pianist Steve Anderson. And The Headhunters, including legendary drummer Mike Clark, who is a friend of Jae’s, will close out Saturday Night. The iconic band, long associated with Herbie Hancock, is not only still performing, but has a new album coming out in October called The Stunt Man, which includes the astonishing sax work of NEA Jazz master, Donald Harrison.
Sunday ‘s afternoon show will open with jazz chanteuse, Tierney Sutton, who is a nine-time Grammy nominee. “She’s a fantastic performer. And she has very interesting, cross-appeal,” says Jae. The jazz drummer and educator had wanted to bring her to the first Phoebus Jazz festival in 2019, but those plans fell through. Pianist Tamir Hendleman follows Sutton on Sunday, and the “evening” ends with the great Justin Kauflin, who replaced legendary jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut. Once Cyrus was out, Jae knew that Justin, a fantastic pianist himself of national acclaim, would be a logical replacement — if available, which he was. “I thought if anybody has the skill and power, and the ability to close that festival, it’s him,” says Jae.
Sinnett is confident that the festival will continue to grow, and will be even bigger next year. He’s hoping to attract anywhere from 200 to 250 patrons per night, which he would consider a big success, for HR Jazz Inc. The Phoebus Jazz Festival is adding to an impressive fall calendar of high caliber jazz concerts in the 757, including the return of the Attucks Jazz club series, and Jae’s own concert Zero to 60 quintet concert, featuring the legendary Randy Brecker, on October 12, also at the historic Attucks Theatre. And then there’s a September concert at the Sandler Center, as part of their popular TowneBank jazz series.
“This is big for us in a few different ways, Jerome. It’s perception,” Jae says, near the end of our chat. “It’s validity. Like ‘hey, this organization is serious,’ and it’s gonna do some things, and it’s gonna help our community.”
WANT TO GO?
Phoebus Jazz Festival
Presented by Hampton Roads Jazz Inc.
September 27-29
The American Theatre
757-722-ARTS
