On March 26th at 8:00 PM, the Vermont Jazz Center will present a listening experience that will appeal to lovers of both classical and jazz music. Saxophonist Michael Zsoldos will pay tribute to one of the jazz lineage’s top tenor saxophonists Ben Webster. For this concert his jazz quartet will be augmented by a string quartet. Together they will perform an evening of music that Zsoldos transcribed from two recordings released by Webster in 1954: “Music for Loving” and “The Warm Moods.” Zsoldos will be joined by Miro Sprague (piano), Dave Clark (acoustic bass) and Tim Gilmore (drums). The jazz quartet will be complemented by string players Alicia Casey, Ben Van Vliet (violins), Marcia Cassidy (viola) and Ben Kulp (cello).
The concept of adding strings to a small jazz ensemble was used successfully as a marketing tool primarily by jazz impresario Norman Granz in the late 1940s. He found that the classy addition of strings arrangements to jazz records helped increase audiences and album sales of bebop artists whose music might be considered too intense for mass consumption. Although some listeners judged jazz-with-strings to be a commercial sell-out, its accessibility and relaxed sexiness increased jazz’s palatability to a new audience. Many musicians considered playing with strings to be a significant milestone in their careers. They found that the association with instruments usually reserved for classical music while collaborating with lauded arrangers gave credibility to their artistic struggle, enhanced their personal public image and elevated jazz’s overall class status. It could be inferred that jazz’s liaison with classically-oriented arrangements was a key factor in raising its status from popular music to art music.
It is interesting to note that the legendary saxophonist Charlie Parker believed his recording with strings to be among his very best. Although Bird’s undeniable position in jazz history was clearly established though his co-invention of bebop (which is best heard in quintet recordings without strings), his most financially successful recording was “Charlie Parker With Strings.” Examples of other jazz musicians who have recorded with strings include also include Clifford Brown, Paul Desmond, Wes Montgomery, Stan Getz, Bill Evans Trio with Symphony Orchestra (arranged by Claus Ogerman), Art Pepper, J.J. Johnson, Phineas Newborn, Jr., Tom Harrell, Russell Malone. Sheila Jordan’s recording (called Heart Strings) features some of the finest jazz string writing available, they were arranged by Alan Broadbent.
For the concert on March 26th, Michael Zsoldos will be representing tenor saxophonist Ben Webster who is best known for his gorgeous, breathy tone. History has been kind to “Frog,” as he was fondly called. He is recognized as one of jazz’s top swing-era tenor saxophonists – in the elite pantheon with Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young. Also known as “Brute,” he contributed significantly to several of the most important big bands (Ellington, Basie, Lionel Hampton and Bennie Carter) and his improvised solo on the 1940s version of Ellington’s “Cottontail” is referred to as one of the classic jazz solos of all time. After the demise of the big band, Webster was able to mold the swinging vibe of the large ensemble into small-group settings with colleagues such as Oscar Peterson, Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillespie, Illinois Jacquet, Johnny Hodges and numerous others. He is one of the few saxophonists to have recorded with the mythical, legendary pianist, Art Tatum.
It is clear that Michael Zsoldos loves Ben Webster’s music. His master’s thesis at Michigan State University presented an analysis and interpretation of Webster’s technique and style. This concert at the VJC is a means for him to present several transcriptions of string arrangements accompanying Webster’s performances in a live setting. Zsoldos writes:
The arrangements for this concert are transcribed from two albums released by Ben Webster in the early 1960’s—“Music For Loving” and “The Warm Moods.” The idea for this project was to shine a light on the behind-the-scenes contributions of the great composer/arrangers who wrote the string parts–Johnny Richards, Ralph Burns, and Billy Strayhorn–and to perform some beautiful arrangements which have seldom (if ever) been played live.
To keep my string quartet writing chops up, I started transcribing arrangements from these Ben Webster records during the winter of 2012. It was like taking lessons from three genius composer/arrangers. I gleaned ideas on doublings within the quartet, writing good countermelodies that start low in the cello and viola and continue ascending to the violins, or doing the reverse; how to write chord voicings that ring; how to write a good introduction and ending. It’s classic, timeless, great quartet writing. I’m looking bringing these charts to life at the VJC.
Zsoldos will be presenting the music of Ben Webster on March 26, 2016 with a hand-picked ensemble of the highest caliber. Pianist Miro Sprague, originally from the Pioneer Valley, is a recent graduate of the Thelonious Monk Institute where he studied with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. Bassist Dave Clark is an instructor at Berklee School of Music in Boston and has appeared on over 40 albums with Gunther Schuller, Dave Liebman, George Adams, Maggie Scott, and many others. Drummer Tim Gilmore is a Lecturer at Plymouth State College who has performed with Lester Bowie, Marion McPartland, Fred Hersch, Tower of Power, Tiger Okoshi, Warren Vache among others. The string players include violinists Alicia Casey and Ben Van Vliet, cellist Ben Kulp of the Upper Valley Music Center, and Darmouth College professor Marcia Cassidy on viola.
It was Zsoldos’ idea to label this series of concerts recognizing musicians in his position “Under the Radar.” Zsoldos himself is a consumate performer who often appears as a sideman but rarely gets the opportunity to present his own vision. When he chooses to step into the limelight he does it in a big way: Zsoldos’s most recent recording “Off the Cuff” with drummer Matt Wilson, bassist Martin Wind and pianist Miro Sprague was on the nominating ballot in four categories for the 2011 Grammys. For his Jazz Center performance Zsoldos chose to present music that is also “under the radar:” music that has never been heard live (only on recordings), music that raises awareness of the brilliance of the string writing of Ellington’s string writing right hand man Billy Strayhorn: Music that fuses a jazz quartet with a classical string quartet. This is a very exciting opportunity for listeners to observe the fluid boundaries between jazz and classical music, to experience the beautiful side of jazz, and to appreciate the huge impact Ben Webster has had on the evolution of the tenor saxophone.
The VJC is especially grateful for co-sponsorship of this event from Douglas C. Cox (violin-maker) and Norman Cohen (in honor of Florence Gerstin) whose contributions have made this concert possible. The VJC is also grateful for the ongoing support from the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Hospitality for our artists is provided by the Hampton Inn of Brattleboro. VJC publicity is underwritten by the Brattleboro Reformer, WVPR, WVEW, WFCR and Chris Lenois of WKVT’s Green Mountain Mornings.
Tickets for the Michael Zsoldos concert are $20+ general admission, $15 for students with I.D. (contact VJC about educational discounts); available at In the Moment in Brattleboro, or online at www.vtjazz.org, by email at ginger@vtjazz.org. Tickets can also be reserved by calling the Vermont Jazz Center ticket line, 802-254-9088, ext. 1. Handicapped access is available by calling the VJC at 802 254 9088.
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PRESS RELEASE – For immediate release
Contact: Eugene Uman at eugene@vtjazz.org or 802 258 8822
Writing Credit: Eugene Uman
The Vermont Jazz Center Presents Michael Zsoldos Quartet + Strings Performing the Music of Ben Webster: arrangements transcribed from two albums released by Ben Webster recorded in 1954: “Music For Loving” and “The Warm Moods.”
Short Summary
Who: Michael Zsoldos, tenor saxophone; Miro Sprague, piano; David Clark, bass; Tim Gilmore, drums; Alicia Casey and Ben Van Vliet, violins; Marcia Cassidy, viola.
What: The Music of Ben Webster Plus Strings
When: Saturday, March 26th, 8:00 PM
Where: The Vermont Jazz Center, 72 Cotton Mill Hill, #222, Brattleboro, VT 05301
Tickets available: online at www.vtjazz.org by phone 802 254 9088, by email at ginger@vtjazz.org, in person at In The Moment, Main St., Brattleboro, VT.
