Over the years, I have seen some of the world’s great
musicians right here in my own hometown.
No, Baltimore was not - and will never be New York. But it was definitely a city that every touring artist would have to make during the heyday of the 60's and 70's. Baltimore’s Left Bank Jazz Society had
regularly featured musicians like Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, the Jazz
Crusaders, Freddie Hubbard, and many more. Even though I was still a little too young to actually see some of those guys, I can’t help but wax lyrical about the number of talented
cats that came through this old town.
Today, there are still many musicians in
Baltimore who have had the privilege to play alongside those giants, some of whom continue
to share their musical chops with today’s contemporary artists. Such is the
case with the members of Jumpstreet.
These guys have covered both ends of the musical spectrum, having
performed with old-school legends as well as today’s contemporary popular
artists. They continue to cultivate longtime friendships with guys who cut
their teeth with them right here in Baltimore. Guys like Victor Wooten, Kim
Waters, Dennis Chambers, and Greg Karukas can still be seen jamming with
members of the Jumpstreet band on touring gigs, or heard on studio recordings, etc.
Last Saturday night's fundraiser for the Eubie Blake Center featured Jumpstreet, a popular jazz group with R&B layers that had kept Baltimore jumping for years, hitting their stride in the late 80's and on into the 90's. They may have sprouted one or two more gray hairs than when they were
regularly rocking the house at The 13th Floor, or at The Haven, but it was great to see the boys from Jumpstreet still playing their music with the same gusto
as they did when they first got together, some thirty years ago. These days Brad
Collins fronts the band on sax. A true
master at his instrument, Brad’s style reminds me of David Sanborn; a nice
combination of power and savvy, tastefully allowing the music to “breathe” when
the song calls for it. Did I mention
that Brad can sing? Oh yes, ladies and gentleman – the man has velvet pipes,
okay? Jeff Wilson is a treasure at the keyboards.
You can hear him regularly at the Prime
Rib as he performs solo at the baby grand and delivers jazz classics with a style
and finesse that is truly extraordinary. James “Jimmy” Taylor is rock steady on the
drums and knows how to leave “the pocket” and dazzle you for a few minutes, then slide right back into the original
groove. His cousin, Terry Battle, the
group’s highly recognized bass player and bandleader, is still cool as ever,
never overbearing or pretentious. He
gives you just the right amount of sophistication to seamlessly tie it all together.
I thoroughly enjoyed the event and give big-time kudos to
the Executive Director of the Eubie Blake Center, Troy Burton, for putting it
all together. I chatted with him after
the show and needless to say, he was very enthusiastic.
“When I got involved six years ago, I wanted to emphasize the potential for the Center to be a performance venue where live jazz can
thrive in this city. My vision is to
continue working toward making this a place where musicians can come and showcase their
craft and preserve the art of jazz in front of a live audience. We are not looking to have the
Eubie Blake Center to be regarded as a museum ...”
Right on, Troy.
Looking forward to the upcoming shows.
Don’t miss the Jumpstreet Trio at the Prime Rib on weekends,
featuring Terry, Brad, and the
incomparable Jeff Wilson on piano, for an evening of fine dining with an
elegant, smooth- groove backdrop. You might even see a special
celebrity guest sit-in for a surprise performance.
For more information:
Phone: 410-225-3130 - Email: info@eubieblake.org: 847 N. Howard Street Baltimore, Maryland 21201-4605
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