photo credit NEA

Congratulations to the latest “class” of NEA Jazz Masters for 2022, Stanley Clarke, Donald Harrison, Jr., Billy Hart and Cassandra Wilson. I will not attempt to go into the bio’s of each of these legendary jazz artists, as that has been chronicled in these fine articles by the NEA and WBGO. Click on the links to read those.

Instead I’ll briefly recount how these great jazz artists have graced the stages of the Greater Hartford scene over many years, and my personal memories of seeing these Masters here.

I vividly recall seeing Stanley Clarke leading his band way back in 2003 at Manchester’s Cheeney Hall. As that was nearly 20 years ago, I can’t recall for sure who was in that band, but I do recall the jaw dropping playing he exhibited that night. His technique on electric and upright bass included percussive “drumming”, strumming, picking and bowing, the likes I had never heard on bass before.

I caught Billy Hart at the Polish National Home when he performed as part of Andres Chaparro’s Pork Pie Hat series in 2012. I got the chance to speak with him about the shooting death of Lee Morgan for a radio special I was doing. While he was not present at that gig where the shooting occured, he had a lot of third party information from his fellow musicians and friends that were there. It was fascinating hearing him recount stories of that era in jazz. Besides his prolific drumming, he is known as a great story-teller as well.

Donald Harrison Jr., has played in the Hartford area, too many times to recount. Harrison’s close relationship with the Curtis Brothers and their family has brought him to the stages of Hartford, Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival and The Side Door (Old Lyme). Donald always brought that New Orleans influence into his shows while performing as a leader or sideman. Known as “The Big Chief”, he often would go into full Indian Mardi Gras dress and dance among the audience during his performance.

I can’t recall the fourth Jazz Master Cassandra Wilson performing live in Hartford. Doing some research, I was unable to find evidence of that either. Perhaps a reader can recount a Hartford performance in the comment section below. I do recall hearing her 1999 album Traveling Miles and being very moved by her voice and style. Also a picture on that album of Ms. Wilson mimicking a famous Miles Davis album cover is a classic jazz photo.

So, at least I can claim that 3 out of 4 of these great NEA Jazz Masters are familiar to Hartford audiences. I’d love to hear from other Hartford Jazz fans about their experiences seeing Clarke, Harrison, Hart and Wilson.

For more information on the 2022 Jazz Masters, please visit these websites listed below.