Tribute to bassist Milt Hinton -- and friend Wendy Fraser
Bassist Milt Hinton
probably appeared on more records than any other musician in the world,
and he remained a vital figure in jazz even into his 80s. He grew up in
Chicago and worked with many legendary figures from the late '20s to
the mid-'30s, including Freddie Keppard, Jabbo Smith, Tiny Parham (with whom he made his recording debut in 1930), Eddie South, Fate Marable, and Zutty Singleton.
He was with Cab Calloway's orchestra and his later small group during
1936-1951. Considered the best bassist before the rise of Jimmy Blanton in 1939, Hinton was featured on "Pluckin' the Bass" (1939) and was an ally of Dizzy Gillespie in modernizing Calloway's music.
Read complete bio at allmjusic.com.
COMMENT:
"I had the great pleasure of studying and playing jazz with the great Milt Hinton. What a kind and amazing man he was. He was also a brilliant photographer!! I loved being around him. This world is a little less bright since his passing!!!" -- Wendy Fraser
ARTIST PROFILE:
Spotlight on solo jazz artist and writer Wendy Fraser:
Her latest CD: "It's a Woman Thing"
Original Jazz Band:
-Andy Suzuki - sax and flute
-Jimmy Mahlis- acoustic guitar
-Kendall Kay- drums
-Carlitos Del Puerto- upright bass
PRODUCTION DESCRIPTION:
Born in Cleveland Ohio, Wendy began her career when she left her jazz and music studies at Hunter College in New York. She left to sing on the hit single "She’s like the Wind” with Patrick Swayze, from the Dirty Dancing Soundtrack. Prior to this, she started singing Jazz at Michael’s Pub with many jazz greats: Milt Hinton, Bucky Pizzarelli, Dick Hyman and Jon Faddis to name a few.
She came to LA in pursuit of a career in pop. This led Wendy to sing and tour with many great artists as well as on countless films, TV shows and commercials. During these years Wendy continued to sing and write her passion… Jazz.
Wendy has a very distinctively rich deep vocal sound. Her sound is hauntingly beautiful and emotionally touches your soul. You cannot hear her, and not be moved.
Her band consists of some of the best jazz musicians in L.A.: Andy Suzuki on sax, Kendall Kay on drums, Carlitos Del Puerto on bass and Jimmy Mahlis on acoustic guitar. They have been consistently playing in clubs like The Baked Potato, La VE Lee and the Jazz Bakery for the last few years.
Jazz producer Jeff Weber heard Wendy’s music and was so blown away that he demanded to produce some of Wendy’s original songs, “It’s a Woman Thing” and “Mystery Men."
Her CD was just recently released on Weberworks Entertainment. Currently the CD is in Rotation on Kjazz 88.1. The record is a straight-ahead approach to jazz, but with very contemporary lyrics that deal with the issues that affect women today.
Jeff says “ Besides being a great singer, Wendy’s songs have a unique view of women in relationships. All “guys” need to listen to what she has to say. They can learn a lot. She has a wicked sense of humor, and her universal sense of truth comes through in spades.”
Wendy lives in LA with her son, her jack Russell Terrorist (tee-he) and her very large 18 lb. cat named Spike.
Q: What messages do you try to convey through your music:
A: I tend to write about my relationships with men.The lyrics tend to be humorous, yet poignant at the same time. On this CD especially, I feel that I have a lot to say to women. My song, "It's a Woman Thing" which inspired the title, is a great reminder to women and to men about the wonderment and magic that women bring to the world. I feel that it is important for women to keep a little bit of themselves for themselves. As women we are taught to do for everyone else first. I say, that is why many of us are depleted and running on empty.
Women would fare better if they checked within to make sure that they are letting in the right person. I have a stanza in my song "Mystery Men" that tells women exactly what to do to protect themselves from guys (Mystery Men) who really have no intention of making a commitment. The stanza is:
"if you wanna find out
if your man is for real
then close those pretty legs and smile.
you'll find out quickly that he's truly mysterious...
cause you won't see him walking down the aisle".
If you are a man I would love my male fans to come away with a better understanding of what it is like to be a woman in the world!!
If you are a woman- I would love my female fans to never forget who they are and the amazing things they contribute to the world.
Also, I do hope that the emotional quality of my voice and how I connect with lyrics can be a transformative experience.
Q: How will the record be distributed:
A: I have a record and distribution deal through my producer Jeff Weber's record company Weberworks Music Inc.
Q:Where will you be playing next?
A: I will be playing at Vitello's in Sherman Oaks, Calif., in March (date TBD) and am in the process of getting booked at The Dakota in Minnesota, and Nightown in Cleveland, Ohio. Will let you know when dates are firm.
FYI- My latest CD "It's a Woman Thing" is in rotation on KJAZZ 88.1 on DJ
Bubba Jackson's show "Breakfast with Bubba" from 6:00am to 9:00am (PST)
Mon-Fridays. We are about to add KCRW to our rotation list!
You can personally contact her at: sweetie4u@earthlink.net
Order Wendy’s CD: At Amazon.com and at cdbaby
“Wendy Fraser, jazz singer-songwriter is a diamond in the rough. A combination of Cassandra Wilson, Phyllis Hyman, Sarah Vaughan and contemporary artist, Rachael Yamagata all rolled into one… she is one of a kind. Her vocal style and song writing seamlessly blend the old with the new. As great as she is recorded, she is even better live. Do not underestimate her depth of talent. She is a musical force to be reckoned with. A force that will be around for many years to come!”
-LA Jazz Scene
Posted by Pete McConnell at 1/28/2010 5:07 PM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: milt hinton jazz blog wendy fraser
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: milt hinton jazz blog wendy fraser
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