5 Minutes That Will Make You Love Jazz Flute

The flute is one of the more overlooked instruments in jazz, but it’s been making an impact on improvised music for more than 50 years. Let 10 experts take you on a guided tour.

We’ve taken you through the great jazz pianists, the vocalists, the careers of Alice Coltrane and Ornette Coleman and Mary Lou Williams. This month, we thought we’d go down a less-trodden path, taking a look at one of the more overlooked instruments in jazz: the flute.

Sure, we were prepared for a few Will Ferrell jokes to crop up in the comments (or maybe jump up on the table?), but we had no idea that this piece would land in the biggest cultural moment the instrument had seen in years. Then André 3000 dropped his flute-laden album, “New Blue Sun,” and our timing became all too perfect.

The flute doesn’t have the gravitas or the boisterous sound of a saxophone or a trumpet, and it didn’t fully infiltrate the realm of improvised music until the 1960s, with the likes of Yusef Lateef, Eric Dolphy, Herbie Mann and Hubert Laws — not to mention the salsa and pachanga scene in New York, where the flutist, bandleader and record executive Johnny Pacheco was a major presence.

Since then, as you’ll see below, the instrument has found a home everywhere from the avant-garde to fusion to straight-ahead. Read on for a guided tour of the flute’s role in jazz, brought to you by 10 writers, musicians and educators. You’ll find a playlist at the bottom of the article, and be sure to leave your own favorites in the comments.

T.K. Blue, flutist

“Cherokee” by James Moody

I started playing flute as a student in high school on Long Island, and under the guidance of Eddie Jefferson (a close friend of my mentor, the tap dancer Little Buck) I was instructed to travel to New York City for my first “jazz” flute lesson. When I arrived at a hotel in Midtown, I was greeted by none other than Master James Moody! Having an obeisant attitude toward my elders I listened quite ebulliently as Moody spoke with encyclopedic erudition of jazz performance and all its major innovators. Though he was quite prosaic in his approach, he shared tremendous insight regarding flute improvisational technique. This experience changed my life forever! Please check out Moody’s rendition of the standard “Cherokee” from 1968. It’s nothing short of splendiferous! Moody’s warm tone, impeccable articulation with execution, creative ideas, high velocity, and dexterity on the flute puts him on Mount Rushmore! Not to mention he was the very first I heard use the circular breathing technique on flute, which is a herculean task indeed!

A Tribute To My Big Brother Bobby Few

By T.K. Blue (Talib Kibwe) 2/22/22

 

Mr. Bobby Few was a musician of immense musical offerings and rests in the highest pantheon of jazz masters! I was so fortunate and blessed to know him and share his stage in the creation of art deemed necessary and vital for the nourishment of the human soul!

Upon my desire to move to Europe in the fall of 1981, a close friend advised me to check out Paris, France. She was a singer and also suggested I should seek out pianist Bobby Few. I knew of his recorded work with Albert Ayler and Booker Ervin, which impressed me tremendously.

After a two-month stay in Switzerland I arrived to live in Paris December of 1981. No doubt I made a beeline to the first jazz club where Master Few was performing: The Dreher in Chatelet, Les Halles.  We clicked immediately and went on to establish a profound and wonderful relationship. I remember one of the very first concerts we did together at a church on the outskirts of Paris, which featured vocalist Bobby Helms, drummer Oliver Johnson, pianist Booby Few, myself on alto saxophone, and a bassist I can’t remember precisely but it could have been Jack Gregg or Andy McGee.

We performed a multitude of times together in various formats. On one occasion we went to Algeria as part of singer Joe Lee Wilson’s band. It was an exquisite experience as they produced our concert in a huge soccer stadium in Algiers. At the sound check we noticed all the backline was present except a PIANO!!! As a result, brother Few played cow bell on this gig! In addition he did an admirable job and never complained!!

In 1985 I had the esteem opportunity to record my very first LP as a leader in Paris entitled Egyptian Oasis. I assembled a band with Bobby on piano, Sangoma Everett on drums, Louis Petrucciani on bass (the brother of piano legend Michel), and Edouard Detmer the producer of this date. At a rehearsal Bobby was warming up playing a tune I never heard before entitled I Love Music by Emil Boyd and Hale Smith. Both Emil and Hale are from Bobby’s hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. This composition is a jewel and Bobby’s arrangement transformed it into a multi carat diamond!!! I leaned over his shoulder and said, “my dear brother let’s record it”. The rest is history and this composition remains as one of my most treasured musical experiences.

After hearing of Bobby’s illness I went to visit him and his dear wife Simone, who was always by his side. The memory of seeing him and Simone is priceless. I asked him to play the piano, which he did magnificently! It brought tears to Simone’s eyes, as he had not touched his piano in several months.  I was speechless and treasured every note, phrase, and musical nuance crafted by a master artist.

I had on my phone the Egyptian Oasis recording, and played I Love Music for Bobby. He said, “Wow Talib, you wrote a fantastic arrangement of Hale’s song”. I had to remind him this was his incredible arrangement!!!!

Simone called me from the hospital a short period before Bobby’s transition to the world of our ancestors. It was my last conversation with a dear friend, big brother, and musical mentor. I miss knowing he is no longer with us on the physical plane, but he is forever with us in our hearts and memories. May his soul rest forever in Paradise, shining much love, wisdom, and musical intuition upon us all!

T.K. Blue—Talib Kibwe

Africa has been calling my spirit since adolescence growing up in Long Island, New York.  As a precocious teenager, I acquired tremendous ebullience with a desire to know more about the land of my ancestors.

Serendipity played a part when I went to a jam session in London, England during the early 1980’s. I was there to perform with NEA Jazz Master Dr. Randy Weston for the International Book Fair organized by John La Rose and Sarah White. One night I decided to go to a jazz club, which hosted a jam session and on piano was none other than South African pianist Chris McGregor (he was exiled in protest of Apartheid). Chris had a large ensemble called The Brotherhood Of Breath, comprised mostly of British musicians with additional players from South Africa and Ghana. While I was in the middle of an alto sax solo, I heard a voice shout from the piano bench “Can you go to Mozambique next week?”

I was residing in Paris, France and left the following week for my maiden voyage to East Africa: Mozambique. We performed three concerts to very enthusiastic audiences and it was absolutely a splendiferous experience. There were four Americans in the band: myself, trumpeter Kamal Abdul Alim, baritone saxophonist Bruce Grant, and drummer Barry Altschul. On bass from Panama was Santi Debriano. During my departure at the airport in Maputo, I attempted to check my baggage when a hand came from behind me and took my luggage off the scale. His name was Mario and he was a film producer from Brazil. He explained his acumen for jazz as he heard the Brotherhood of Breath the night before. He was fascinated with my musicianship and offered me to stay two additional weeks to compose music for his documentary “The Black Women of Maputo”

My plans suddenly changed and my stay in Mozambique was extended two weeks.  Needless to say it was a marvelous experience. In addition to composing music for Mario’s documentary, my extension afforded me the opportunity to hear and experience the extremely multifarious traditional music of Mozambique, entrenched in the fecundity of the African aesthetic.

I heard ensembles playing the Chitata (see photo), an idiophone from the family of hand-held finger pianos that exist in other parts of Africa: sanza, lukembi, mbira, kalimba. I also experienced performances from the ancestor to our modern day xylophone/marimba/vibraphone: Timbila and Mbila (see photo). These instruments are also from the idiophone family and their orchestras are quite varied. They are similar to the balaphon (see photo) you find in West Africa and come in a multitude of sizes, including some quite large that are played over large empty oil barrels. Lastly I also heard an ensemble of Nyanga   the panpipe wooden flutes (see photo). These are from the areophone family of instruments and you find extensions of these flutes in Ecuador. The African drum is also quite prevalent in Mozambique with a vast variety of shapes and sizes.

 

While in Maputo, I was also quite fortunate to meet one of Mozambique’s most renowned artists: the painter Malangatana Ngwenya. We became great friends immediately and his artistic expressions are extremely prolific. I became obeisant in his presence, realizing he also drew the artwork on some of the LP covers for legendary trumpeter Hugh Masekela. Master Malangatana’s drawings are also featured in a book on the traditional music of Mozamboque, as well as many museums, buildings, and galleries throughout the country.

Mr. Ngwenya later came to Paris, France with his wife for a visit and I offered him my studio apartment during his stay. He was so appreciative that he drew an exquisite picture, which he signed and dedicated to my mother Lois Marie Rhynie (see photo), as she held a Master’s Degree in Art History. Sadly to say Master Malangatana joined the ancestors in 2011.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Motherland Connections and Reflections.

God Bless—T.K. Blue

Melba Liston was a true unsung hero of Jazz and a trailblazer for female instrumentalist within this art form. No doubt women were and to some degree still are marginalized within Jazz and they deserve much more recognition and accolades for their incredible work, creativity, and accomplishments.

I grew up in a small town in Long Island about 45 minutes from NYC called Lakeview. My parents divorced when I was 10 years old and fortunately I had several male adult mentors who shared their wisdom and guidance. They were like surrogate “fathers” for myself and I cherish their memories immensely. Residing right down the street from my house were: Conrad Buckner (Little Buck) who was an outstanding tap dancer and close friend of Jazz singer Eddie Jefferson; Roger Lewis, who had a very successful business in architecture and he designed Milt Jackson’s home in Queens; and saxophone master Billy Mitchell, who worked extensively with the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band as well as Count Basie Orchestra.

While in high school in the early 1970’s, I met the great Melba Liston at Billy Mitchell’s home. At that time she was traveling back and forth to Jamaica, West Indies where she taught Jazz at the university in Kingston.

She had such a sweet and loving demeanor. I had no idea at that time how important was her contribution to Jazz history. After graduating from NYU in the mid 1970’s I was very fortunate to become friends with piano icon Patti Bown, who took me under her wing. At this time Patti was close with a gentleman named Richard Jennings, who was very instrumental in presenting Jazz at the United Nations. Patti had a concert at the UN and asked me to perform with her quintet: Earl Williams on drums, Bob Cunningham on bass, Harold Vick on tenor sax, myself on alto sax, and of course Patti on piano. Melba and Patti were good friends having worked together with the Quincy Jones Big Band, so Patti asked Melba to write her arrangements. This was the first time I had the opportunity to witness Melba’s genius as an arranger. I also found out about her wonderful work and arrangements for Quincy Jones and Dizzy Gillespie.

Some years later I started performing with the great Randy Weston, who also worked closely with Melba. They were intimately united in the symbiotic relationship of composer and arranger.

Melba arranged and performed on many of Randy’s early recordings, the first of which was Seven Waltzes for Children. She also arranged for many large ensemble recordings in the canon of Dr. Weston. Their most famous and important “oeuvre” was Uhuru Africa in 1960!

Randy mentioned he became so attracted to Melba after hearing her trombone rendition of “My Reverie”, featured with the Quincy Jones Big Band. He always talked about her warm and huge sound. Melba was a true trailblazer who had to overcome many obstacles and adversity, being an African-American, a female, and a Jazz musician.

Besides being an excellent and prolific arranger, Melba was also a very fine composer. The Wilbur Ware institute under the direction of Gloria Ware honored Melba’s legacy back in 2014 at the Manhattan School of Music in NYC. I was part of this celebration and was able to check out many of Melba’s excellent compositions.

On my latest CD Amour (Dot Time Records) I recorded one of Melba’s songs entitled Elvin Elpus, written in dedication to drummer Elvin Jones. In addition an incredible saxophonist from Chicago Geof Bradfield wrote an extraordinary suite in dedication to maestro Liston called “Melba”.

I am so thrilled to see that a children’s book of illustrations on the life of Melba Liston came out and her image is being used to advertise the next JEN conference. On April 23, 1999 we lost a true heroic figure and one who blazed the path for other amazing female performers to follow.

I will always cherish the memory of Melba Liston!!!!!

T.K. Blue’s reflection on the Spirit Of Our Ancestors recording by Dr. Randy Weston May 1991.

May 20, 1991 marked the first day of a landmark recording by Dr. Randy Weston and African Rhythms at the world-famous BMG studios in New York City. When I arrived at the building lobby the elevator door opened and standing inside was Dizzy Gillespie with his longtime close friend and associate Jacques Muyal, who was living in Switzerland. On my first trip to Tangiers in 1985, I visited Jacques’s home and met his mother and brother. Mr. Muyal is an extraordinary gentleman and jazz producer with a deep love of our music.

I was quite overwhelmed knowing I would be on the same recording as the great Dizzy Gillespie, responsible for the major evolution in jazz history called Bebop. We hit it off right away and Maestro Gillespie greeted me with a warm smile and hug. Once we started the session I handed Dizzy a Bb trumpet lead sheet for African Sunrise. He stated his preference for a concert lead sheet. After his perusal of the music he noticed an E minor 7(b5) to A 7(b9) resolving to D minor 7.

Dizzy then went to the piano and said “look at the E minor 7(b5) as a G minor 6th with 6th in the bass. Then he proceeded to play the most gorgeous chord progression. He was a pure musical genius! When he later did the first and only take of African Sunrise, Dizzy never looked at the music.

Soon to arrive in the studio were the leader Randy Weston and his longtime arranger and trombonist Melba Liston. Melba had recently endured a stroke and was confined to a wheel chair. However she taught herself how to compose and arrange on the computer using her left hand only (her right hand was incapacitated due to the stroke). Preceding this recording Randy and I were performing in Los Angeles and we would frequently check on Melba to see how she was doing health wise and how the arrangements were unfolding.

Shortly after their arrival an A list of jazz practitioners blessed the room with their astonishing presence: Idrees Sulieman-trumpet and who also could burn on alto sax

Benny Powell—trombone (Benny and I had become really close since our joint performances and tours for African Rhythms dating back to 1985. I was also featured on his album: Why Don’t You Say Yes, Sometimes? It was recorded around the same time as Spirits Of Our Ancestors in 1991)

Billy Harper—tenor sax (I first heard Billy with his band at Joe Lee Wilson’s jazz loft The Ladies Fort Festival in the mid 1970’s. He was on fire and I also heard him later with Max Roach.

Dewey Redman—tenor sax (Dewey often spoke very highly about a young upcoming tenor titan that was not very well known, but soon to be the unconquerable master musician Joshua Redman) It was my first time to play with Dewey and he was also featured with Randy’s band for a concert at Lincoln Center not too long before he passed away. He was a gentle man and a giant on the tenor sax!

Pharoah Sanders—tenor sax (I was a huge fan of Mr. Sanders since my high school days in Long Island. During my senior year the early 1970’s The Creator Has A Master Plan was our anthem. It was quite awe-inspiring to have an opportunity to record with a master and spiritual beacon of improvisation.

Alex Blake—bass. Alex and I are best friends and his artistry on the bass is quite breathtaking. This was our first recording together. I first heard him in duo with Randy at the Village Vanguard in the mid 1970’s.

Jamil Nasser—Maestro Jamil and Randy were extremely tight. Randy credited Jamil with introducing him to four great pianists: Oscar Dennard, Lucky Roberts, Phineas Newborn, and Ahmad Jamal. I was blessed to be a member of Benny Powell’s Quintet since the late 1980’s and Jamil was one of the bassists. He knowledge was vast and deeply spiritual.

Idris Muhammad—drums. It was my first opportunity to perform with Idris. Wow he always displayed an in-depth sensibility for the second-line New Orleans aesthetic and kept everything modern with melodic underpinnings. Randy loved Idris dearly and they had previously recorded together for Verve Records.

Big Black—words are inadequate to describe his dexterous rhythmic interplay and soulful drive on the hand drums rooted in the Mississippi delta blues, jazz, and the traditions of Africa and its diaspora. I was so overjoyed to perform many concerts with Big Black and his sense of time and swing was quite astounding!

Azzedin Weston—The first time I ever heard Randy Weston perform live was at the East in Bed-Stuyvesant Brooklyn circa early 1970’s. His band was a duo with his son Azzedin. Their communication and symmetry were beyond belief and the rhythmic pulsating groove remained ever present. I later performed with a group in Jamaica, NY and we opened for T.S. Monk’s band, which featured Azzedin on percussion. He was a natural genius who also spoke several languages fluently and his artwork could rival Picasso’s!!! We were like brothers and I was very sad at his passing.

Yassir Chadly—genbri and karkaba. Yassir was part of the Gnawa musical tradition from Morocco and he resided on the west coast. Randy’s original plan was six Gnawa musicians from Morocco but they were not allowed visas at the last minute. Yassir did a wonderful job as their replacement.

Producer: Jean Philippe Allard and Brian Bacchus
Photos: Ching Ming
Ehgineer: Jay Newland
Talib Kibwe—music director

This was the first time I was designated as Randy’s musical director. It was physically difficult for Melba to direct so I was called to the task. I also had to solo after Dizzy on African Sunrise, which was a daunting endeavor.

I will always remember this date and the unbelievable bond established among all participants. Melba wrote some immensely memorable arrangements capturing the spirit of our ancestors. Please check out the three tenor saxophones in battle on The African Cookbook!!!

My last visit to Randy’s place in Brooklyn was on Sat August 18th. He was so happy and energetic. Coincidentally when I walked in the room he was listening to a CD of his solo improvisatory piano incursions of the highest level. With each note and phrase both of us were in a profound state of excitement. I asked “Hey Chief, where’s this from?” He candidly replied “The Spirit Of Our Ancestors” T.K. Blue (Talib Kibwe) Sept 16, 2018.

Subsequently I went on to record the following projects with Dr. Weston:
–Volcano Blues
–Saga
—Khepera
—Spirit, The Power Of Music
—The Storyteller (I was an associate producer)
—The African Nubian Suite (I was an associate producer)

I was very fortunate to spend 38 years performing, recording, and touring the world with Dr. Randy Weston, an African Griot of the highest magnitude, who embodied the spirit of his ancestors.

Jazz is an American art form born out of the creativity of African-Americans during the early part of the 20th century, and their desire to adjust and cope with often, adverse conditions in the United States during the post-slavery era. The unique blending of European and African musical sensibilities gave birth to a new music that would emancipate the spirit of the practitioner and thus elevate the status of a people often relegated to the lowest level in the hierarchy of a dignified society.

We can never underestimate the importance of Africa’s contribution to the inception of an improvisational art form born in America that has endured the test of time and disseminated its wings across the globe.

From the early evidence of slave work songs, field hollers, call and response, early “Negro” spirituals, ring shouts, and the blues, we have a substantial trove of musical offerings that laid the groundwork to an early form of jazz expression. Congo Square in New Orleans served as an incubator mixing European and African auditory flavors.

It is a well-documented fact that the inception of the “Blues” gave rise to jazz in the USA. The connections between early blues practitioners in the Mississippi Delta and the African Griot or Jali are quite astounding. The Griot is the oral historian of any particular region or society in Africa. They are master musicians who play specified, traditional African instruments and can resonate a vocal style very reminiscent of the early blues singers in the American south.

The Motherland Connections explore these correlations between jazz musicians in America and traditional African musicians from the “Motherland” In addition we will explore the music of the African diaspora, which also carries the torch and cultural aesthetic of a continent rich in ethnic diversity. Jazz has evolved into a very broad term that can be reflected in a variety of surroundings, which are continually manifested throughout the world’s global musical community.

Sincerely T.K. Blue