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allaboutjazz.com ~~ Kandie Le Britain Webster, Profile Editor....
jazzylover59.multiply.com/ -- My first personal webpage dedicated to my jazzy friends, Russell, Roy, and Benny and a few others. Includes photos, favorite links and LOTS of videos of Russell.
My jazzy life started on a Sunday in July, 2005, when my just-out-of-high school jazz-pianist daughter participated in the week-long Centrum/Port Townsend Jazz Festival and Camp. The first person I met was John Clayton, his first time at being Artistic Director, and that is why he is my first "jazzy" friend. I call him my big brother in jazz.
I returned the following Friday, and on Saturday morning met my second jazzy friend, Russell Malone, after a workshop including him and Benny Green and Christian McBride. Russell and I reconnected throughout the day and evening and we have been friends ever since. I love his music. I am not really an electric guitar fan, so that is saying a lot, that Russell's music could impress me to that extent. I like his music more than the man himself, and that is also saying a lot! (Hi, Russell...)
Jump to my jazzy friends here at MySpace: I gave John Clayton first place, followed by Russell, then my very special friend, Tassili Bond, who plays bass in The Russell Malone Quartet, in addition to being on three of Russell's recordings for MAXJAZZ. I refer to him as my breakfast buddy because he took me to a Southern-style restaurant in Oakland when I saw them at Yoshi's back in 2006. I think I tried grits for the first time!
After Russell and Tassili are the other RMQ members -- Martin Bejerano (piano), and Johnathan Blake (drummer). Both are on Grammy-nominated recordings with Roy Haynes and Mingus Big Band, respectively.
My next "friend," Christian McBride, rounds out the bass section. I also met Christian at Centrum and then again at Jazz Alley when he played there with Pat Metheny, and then again at the Monterey Jazz Festival a week later where I also saw Russell and Benny again.
Next is the "vocalist" section which includes Harry Connick, Jr. who Russell used to play with, and whose acting work I absolutely love. Russell also played with Diana Krall, one of my absolute favorite female vocalists. I did not even know of her music until AFTER I met Russell and was wanting recordings he was on. My other vocalist friends are two beautiful ladies in Belinda Underwood and Roberta Gambarini.
The drummer section includes Willie Jones III, who I had the pleasure of meeting at Jazz Alley recently when he played with Hank Jones and Roberta. Willie toured and recorded with Roy Hargrove until about 2006. (Roy is my jazzy friend, but is not my friend on MySpace because he said he is not involved with his page here and my friend requests go unanswered.) The other drummer is Ulysses Owens whom I have never met, but plays for Russell when Johnathan cannot make it for a quartet gig.
The pianists are close to my heart because my daughter, Ashley, is a jazz pianist which I have mentioned. Benny Green (who does not have a page on MySpace) is her very special friend since meeting him at Centrum also, and we have been able to see him with Belinda Underwood at Bake's Place here in Washington about twice a year.
The piano section includes Emi Meyers, who is Ashley's friend from Centrum, and Danny Grissett, who plays with The Russell Malone Quartet when Martin is not available. Next is John C's amazing son, Gerald Clayton, who plays and records with Roy Hargrove. This section is rounded out by Jim Martinez and Bill Anschell. Bill lives across the cemetery from me! Bill is an Earshot Jazz Musician of the Year (2006) and I try to see him when he is at our neighborhod bar and grill, Ricky's, for Monday Night Jazz or at Tula's in downtown Seattle.
The other jazz guitarists have their own section and they are all fans and friends of Russell, as that is how I came to know each of them. Mark Mosley holds a special place in my heart because I helped him get his page started on All About Jazz, where I am a volunteer editor.
I can honestly say that the most endearing jazz friends that have caught me by surprise by their continued friendship, are the photographers and the journalists. You guys are the best! I have thoroughly enjoyed the work of Atael Weissman in Toronto, Canada, and Eddy Westveer in the Netherlands. Their work can be seen on "flickr." My favorite photos by them of Roy Hargrove and Russell Malone and Benny Green can be seen there.
Annette Blichman and I "met" on Russell's page at All About Jazz, with a rocky start, but she has been a great penpal, giving me great advice and words of wisdom about jazzy men and their not-so-jazzy behavior!
I have a few special jazz-fan friends who(m) I hope to continue to get to know.
I am Kandie Le Britain Webster, or otherwise known extensively on various websites as "jazzylover59." I love to make comments on my favorite jazz photos on "flickr" and my favorite videos on YouTube. You can also find my own personalized page with photos and videos and jazzy links on jazzylover59.multiply.com/.
And if you have read everything up to this point, I commend you and wish I could at least shake your hand. You can check out all this jazzy stuff and decide whether you would like to be my jazzy friend.
Jazzy Cheers to All!
ps...Thanks for putting up with the excess use of the word "jazzy!"