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BY LARS BJÖRN
The
quality of this year's Montreux-Detroit
festival was as high as it ever has been. As expected the homecoming
of many Detroit players who have gone to New York, or elsewhere, proved
to be a highlight of the festival. Charles McPherson gave a commanding performance
on Saturday, particularly with a mercurial version of "Cherokee." Tommy
Flanagan delighted the audience with his very tight trio, which included
Peter Washington on bass and Lewis Nash on drums. Flanagan's extremely sensitive
treatment of excerpts from three Ellington suites was a definite high point
of the whole festival. I also had the opportunity to enjoy two Detroit reunion
bands: the CJQ and the Lyman Woodard Organization. Before Yusef Lateef closed
out the festival after some rain-delays on Labor Day, I heard him talk about
life and music at the Pepsi Jam Academy. This was a very well attended Meet
The Artist session where Lateef's carefully articulated answers captivated
the audience. It is too bad that two other sessions had to be canceled.
Just before Lateef's talk I was able to catch a glimpse of a very exciting
combination: the astounding organist Joey De Francesco and the ever soulful
tenorist Houston Person.
Bob Hurst, Geri Allen and Kenny Garrett are
reunited
with their former teacher Marcus Belgrave
A large number of students participated
in this year's clinics
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