CHRISTMAS AT THE JAZZ CORNER DEC 20th!



Come down to Cafe Saint-Ex's Gate 54 Lounge this Wednesday to celebrate the season with a helping of DJ Birdman's patented, homemade Christmas Jazz gravy! Chase it with a bottle of wine from the bar (always 25% off already low prices Wednesdays during the Jazz Corner), or choose from some of the best beer available in DC!

The Jazz Corner Wednesday Night Happy Hour is rapidly approaching it's 3rd year in the mix, and we want to thank everyone at Saint-Ex and all the supporters and friends of the event! This time of year is a great time to reflect on the milestones and achievements of the past year, and 2006 was indeed a great time for the Jes Grew Productions team and we couldn't have done it alone!

So we will see you down at Gate 54 this Wednesday, come prepared to deck some halls, roast some chestnuts, and jingle all the way, baby!

JAZZ CORNER NOW HAS BOTTLED WINE SPECIALS!
25% off bottled wines downstairs at Gate 54 until 10pm every Wednesday
Ahhhh.....yes, after a looooooooong hiatus Mumbo Jumbo has returned! The realities of a full schedule and the demands of the non-cyber world caught up with me and I slipped on the regular blogging routine. I will try and keep up to the best of my ability (assuming anyone is out there reading!).

Anyway, one thing that has not changed is the Wednesday residency of the Jazz Corner at DC's one and only Cafe Saint-Ex. Going strong after 2 years, this weekly event continues to entertain regulars and new clientel alike with a skillful blend of soulful jazz from the distant past to the present. While some people want to narrow the scope of 'Jazz', the Jazz Corner DJs aim to expand and explode the notion, spinning sides by artists from all over the world and from nearly every major style that Jazz has embraced since it's birth. From hard bop to funky fusion, the Jazz Corner has something for every taste. And to quote Bill Cosby, "You might even learn somthin' before it's done. Hey, Hey, Hey!"

And now even more motivation: All available bottled wines are 25% off during the Jazz Corner, from 7pm til 10pm, only downstairs in Gate 54! So all you wine afficianados (and just plain winos, too) will get even more than you bargained for when swinging thru and hanging out with the Jes Grew crew. DC Digga and DJ Birdman are always available to help finish off any vino that you can't quite handle!

So plot out your schedules and make sure you clear off all the Wednesdays....you have a standing date with the Jazz Corner!

This week your DJ is the magic man himself, Mr DCDigga. He continually scours the metro area (and well beyond) in search of the finest in funky, soulful jazz. Don't miss it!
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
"When in doubt, have two guys come through the door with guns."
-Raymond Chandler

JAZZ CORNER of the WORLD w/DJ Birdman
This Wednesday Night, 4/3/06 Saint-Ex
Looking forward to returning to the gig after an extended break from the Jazz Corner! While I was relaxing and recharging my batteries, thankfully I had my partner in crime, the incredible Mr DC Digga, covering the waterfront AND my nights with his superb mixing skills and even better taste in funky jazz. His incredible enthusiasm for this weekly event have made it a pleasure to keep going! And in case any of you out there are keeping score, we are beginning our THIRD summer season since DJ Fatback and I founded this thing back in the Spring of 2004!

So come out this (and every) Wednesday for your weekly dose of great Jazz and related sounds! DC Digga and I go out and get our hands dirty nearly every day scouring the area for all types of great jazz, and once we do we can't wait to share it with you at the Jazz Corner.

We are also working on a mix to provide for our patrons as well, something a little summery to help you get through from one Wednesday to the next! So when you see us, keep hounding us about it so we get things up and running. It's great to be back!

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Hollywood is like being nowhere and talking to nobody about nothing. "
-Michelangelo Antonioni

DJ BIRDMAN IS BACK!
Come on out to a free Grand Opening event this weekend
Hey everyone...I know I have been missing in action this past month! But here's what I am up to this weekend!

From the Community Forklift press release:

Dancing, Deconstruction, and Dollhouses –
Nonprofit aims to reduce waste and make home repair affordable
Contact: Ruthie Mundell, Outreach Director
email: ruthie@CommunityForklift.com
office: 301-985-5180 or cell: 301-904-7579

Home improvement stores use a variety of strategies to attract customers, from how-to clinics to gardening newsletters.

Now, a new store in the DC area is trying some unconventional methods, including singles mixers, a potluck dinner, and information on environmentally-friendly building.

Their grand opening celebration is scheduled for April 27-29, 2006. In addition to the potluck, they are planning a “Blessing of the Green Builders” ceremony, a reggae and R&B dance, a “Dollhouses for Little Treehuggers” workshop, and a trade fair showcasing restoration experts and green tradespeople.

But Community Forklift is not your typical home improvement business. Operated by a nonprofit, the store sells surplus, salvaged, and green building materials at very low prices. Almost everything in the store was once destined for the landfill, from the items for sale to the display racks and checkout desk.

President Jim Schulman explains, "Unfortunately, we get a lot of calls from people who want to buy forklifts! But our name explains our mission: we hope to lift up communities by making repairs more affordable for homeowners, small businesses, and community groups. By collecting donations of new and used items, we can reduce waste and provide building materials very inexpensively to folks who need them.

Construction debris makes up over half of America’s solid waste stream. Contractors and manufacturers need to clear out leftovers and excess inventory, and have to throw away items that are still in the original packaging. During renovations, homeowners often toss out perfectly good appliances, cabinets, wood flooring, or bathroom fixtures.

Community Forklift offers an alternative, making it possible to choose to reuse.

Schulman adds, “The re-use of building materials is a winning situation for everyone involved. Half of our inventory comes from deconstruction, in which a building is taken apart carefully by skilled laborers instead of demolished with heavy machinery. This creates jobs, uses less fossil fuel, and costs the same or less than traditional demolition. Instead of paying dumping fees, businesses and property owners earn tax deductions. The unemployed find careers through job training in the deconstruction industry. The materials can be sold cheaply, so homeowners and small businesses can afford repairs - making neighborhoods cleaner and safer. Nonprofits, artists, and theatre groups can find materials at low prices. Renovators can find antique trim and hardware to preserve historic buildings. And everyone benefits because less virgin material is taken from the ground or the forest.”

Outreach Director Ruthie Mundell says, “Our customers and volunteers are a fun group – they come here to poke around the store, but I think they also like meeting other packrats, treehuggers, and bargain-hunters. The singles volunteer mixers are great – they do a lot of work for us while they’re socializing. Right now, I need to find more volunteers to help with the party at the grand opening, and more businesses to participate in the trade fair. It’s free!”

For more information about the grand opening, donation guidelines, or materials in stock, contact Community Forklift at 301-985-5180. Their website is www.communityforklift.com, and the store is located at 4671 Tanglewood Drive, Edmonston, MD 20681. It is five minutes from the DC line, and easily accessible from the DC Beltway, I-295, Kenilworth Avenue, Route One, or Rhode Island Avenue.

Rest In Peace GORDON PARKS 1912-2006

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"The subject matter is so much more important than the photographer."
-Gordon Parks

Jazz Corner This Wed-COME EARLY 6PM!
Come out Wednesday night (3/8/06) for a wonderful night of sonic liberation in the form of the best weekly Jazz night in DC! Jes Grew Productions' DJ Birdman is back this week with a heaping helping of the best jazz you will hear, and as usual it's taking place at the local U Street watering hole and lounge, Cafe Saint-Ex/Gate 54.

This week The Jazz Corner will be starting an hour early, and the good folks of the Cricklewood Massive bring you iPod Night at 9pm, following our program. We will see ya there, oh.... and I promise more blog entries on a regular basis!

Excelsior!

Quote of the Day
"I wanted to legitimize the profession, but nobody gave a f**k. The DJs didn't want health insurance. They just wanted records."
-Bob Casey (from the book "Love Saves The Day:A History of American Dance Music Culture 1970-'79" by Tim Lawrence)

JAZZ CORNER PLAYLIST - FEBRUARY 22, 2006
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers-Free For All
Chet Baker & Gerry Mulligan-Funhouse
Charles Mingus-No Private Income Blues
Woody Shaw-Obsequious
Sonny Rollins-A Night In Tunisia
Sun Ra-Ankh
Horace Silver-How Long Has This Been Going On
Sonny Clark-Sippin' at Bells
Sergio Mendes-Comin' Home Baby
Latin Jazz Quintet-Rip a Dip
Ramsey Lewis-Spanish Grease
Dorothy Ashby-Bohemia After Dark
Mal Waldron-Status Seeking
Booker Ervin-Mour
Horace Silver-Cape Verdean Blues
Charles Kynard-Professor Soul
Roberta Flack-Compared To What
Milt Jackson-Braddock Breakdown
Eric Kloss-It's Too Late
Doug Carn-Higher Ground
Lou Donaldson-The Catepillar
Tom Scott & The LA Express-Sneakin' In The Back
Gil Scott-Heron-Lady Day and John Coltrane
Donald Byrd-Lansana's Priestess

The Jump Off! This Saturday! 2/18/06
Come on out this saturday night to this month's installment of The Jump Off! DJ Birdman brings the classic club grooves, dancehall and hip hop from every era to create the kind of party you'll wanna tell your friends about! Come early and get your table, maybe grab a bite to eat upstairs before heading into Gate 54. After 11pm the joint gets jumpin', so come early or look for a line at the door. We'll see ya there!

DJ BIRDMAN'S JAZZ CORNER PLAYLIST 02/08/06
Gerry Mulligan-Sweet and Lovely
Teddy Charles and Shorty Rodgers-Variations on a Motive by Bud
Sonny Clark-Royal Flush
JFK Quintet-Hominy Grits
Thelonious Monk-Straight, No Chaser
Ray Charles & Milt Jackson-Soul Brothers
Cal Tjader-Soul Sauce
Wes Montgomery-Cariba
Bobby Timmons-Moanin'
Sonny Stitt & Bennie Green-Double Dip
Charles Mingus-Jump Monk
Kenny Burrell-Chuckin'
John Coltrane-Blue Train
Art Blakey-Little Hughie
Andrew Hill-Smokestack
Jackie McClean-Cool Green
Fats Theus-Stone Flower
Dorothy Ashby-Soul Vibration
Jimmy Smith-I'm Gonna Love you Just a Little Bit More Babe
Yusef Lateef-Nubian Lady
Groove Holmes-Onsaya Joy
Cal Tjader-mama Aguela
Milt Jackson-The Metal Melter
Phil Upchurch-Washin' Machine
Gemini Brass-The Time is Right
Blue Mitchell-Funky Walk
Ramsey Lewis-Them Changes
Weldon Irvine-Walk that Walk, Talk that Talk
Gil Scott Heron-The Bottle(live version)
Lonnie Liston Smith-Expansions

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"What we call reality is an agreement that people have arrived at to make life more livable. "
-Louise Nevelson

JAZZ CORNER THIS WEDNESDAY 2/8/06 7pm

This week I am in a quiet mood, a reflective mood. So no grand promises of good times and grooves and good vibes never before experienced in the history of mankind. Just come down and listen. 'Nuff said. 7pm-10pm, Cafe Saint-Ex, Gate 54 Lounge(downstairs).

Followed by this month's installment of Peppermint w/DJ Milk.

Quote of the Day
"There just isn't any pleasing some people. The trick is to stop trying."
-Robert Mitchum

DJ Birdman's Jazz Corner Playlist for 01/25/06Les McCann - Bucket 'o Grease
Gigi Gryce and the Jazz Lab Quintet - Wake Up!
Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders- I Found A New Baby
Charles Mingus - Better Git It In Your Soul
Lee Morgan - Cornbread
John Jenkins, Cliff Jordan & Bobby Timmons - Cliff's Edge
Herbie Nichols - The Third World
Chet Baker - Something For Liza
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross - Gimme That Wine
Les Spann - Q's Dues Blues
Wes Montgomery - Freddie the Freeloader
Big Bill Broonzy - Get Back
Gerald Wilson Orchestra - I Got You (I Feel Good)
Herbie Mann - St. Thomas
Randy Weston Tribute
Fire Down There
Berkshire Blues
Under Blunder
Kucheza Blues
Chessman's Delight
Niger Mambo
Little Niles
African Cookbook
Blues To Africa
Marrakech Blues
Hi Fly
Ifrane
In Memory Of Eddie Gale - Black Rhythym Happening
James Moody - Unchained
Clare Fischer - Bachi
Pharoah Sanders - Gotta Have Freedom
Michael White - Go With The Flow
Ramsey Lewis - Sun Goddess
Johnny Hammond - Los Conquistadores Chocolates
Bobbi Humphrey - Ain't No Sunshine
Herbie Hancock - Watermelon Man
Candido - Candido's Funk

Jazz Corner's Throughout History : December 2005

The illustrious Minneapolis crew: Tom, Bruce and Ce!

This is just an excuse to finally getting around to posting this pic. It is always a pleasure to catch up with Tom and Ce, and Tom always has music knowledge to spare, and an unquenching thirst for something that may have eluded him over the years. I am pleased to say I stumped him with Ada Moore's haunting vocal LP on Debut Records. This does not often happen so I had to make a special mention. Good to see you guys! Come back soon.

Quote of the Day
"Art is either plagiarism or revolution."
-Paul Gauguin

Randy Weston Tribute Tonite at the Jazz Corner

Tonight The Jazz Corner of the World pays homage to one of the last remaining giants of Modern Jazz, Mr. Randy Weston. In Randy Weston's case, that description is literal as well as historically accurate.
One of the earliest jazz musicians to incorporate African instrumentation as well as African song structure and rhythym, Weston has been a guiding light to American musicians abroad as well, having run a music club in Morocco at one point. In compositions like "Congolese Children" and "African Lady" he fuses African style and imagery into his adventurous songs, often bordering on what would later become Free Jazz, and certainly crafting the foundation of 70s Spiritual Jazz. All the while his compositions retains their grounding in the most ancient rhythyms but are played with a modern master's technique and flair.

His most obvious influences are Art Tatum and Thelonious Monk, but I once heard him talk about how he considered Nat King Cole to be one of the great pianists of the 20th Century, and an abiding influence on his playing. And like Monk(an instructor of his as a young man), Weston has never stopped being adventurous and experimental in his work. He maintains a body of work that he returns to re-craft regularly(also like Monk) but continues to push his ouvre into unexpected corners of the musical sphere as he ages. Wether it's leading large ensembles with the Master Musicians of Morocco, experimenting alongside Pharoah Sanders with ancient Asian motifs and instruments, or crafting elaborate and winning musical portraits of Duke Ellington or Art Tatum, Weston's style and depth often belie his fearless creativity. While other artists return to the safe environment of past successes and easy marketibility, Randy Weston's body of work demonstrates how easily he approaches the unknown, often re-arranging his compositions in new landscapes or creating new ones out of whole cloth, pushing his limitations and challenging his audience to do the same.
His friend and longtime collaborator/arranger, Melba Liston, was cast in a similar mold as Weston. Musically restless and forward moving, but with a master musician's chops and foundation in big band arrangement. Her collaborations with Weston date back to 1959 and span almost 40 years to include Weston's 1998 CD Khepera. Sadly, she passed in 1999, leaving a resume many could only envy, having arranged for greats including Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Mary Lou Williams, Weston and many others, including a stint as an arranger at Motown Records. As a pioneer in the field of female Jazz musicians, she is eclipsed only by the great Mary Lou Williams, and Liston's particular brilliance had a longevity that few musicians of either gender can match. Her collaborations with Randy Weston, in my opinion, are her crowning achievements.

Honoring Randy Weston's 80th birthday as well as his visit to Washington DC this Saturday, January 28th at the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theatre, tonight at The Jazz Corner of the World I will be focusing on the Giant of the Piano from 8pm til at least 9pm. I know, that's a small amount of time to give such an enourmous talent, but it will have to do. Truth be told I tout the greatness and kindness of this great musician whenever someone will listen. I was fortunate enough to have met Mr. Weston shortly after Khepara was released, and a good friend who grew up with him as a member of her family introduced me after a performance. I am forever in her debt for introducing me to his music first, and then to the man at the heart of it. Having seen him in recent years in performance has been a blessing, and I recommend his performances with no reservation. With nothing left to prove, Randy Weston ventures to the heart of African Rhythym and presents his audience with a musical treasure.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
“You have to practice improvisation, let no one kid you about it!”
-Art Tatum

JES GREW PRODUCTIONS ON THE (WEB) RADIO
Tonight marks the first time for me doing LIVE internet radio. The wiley fellas over at www.beattactics.com have put together an impressive situation over on 9th Street in NW DC. So to follow in the footsteps of such alumnus as HEAT! miser DJ Nitekrawler and my Jazz Corner partner-in-crime DCDigga, I will be bringing the ruckus and my own oddball perspective to the 24 hour worldwide web radio with what I hope will add up to 3 sets.

Set one, will be a Jazz Corner set (rife with goodies spanning several decades of the finest recorded music ever put to wax), set two will be a little visit to Soul Street (a set of various soul and r&b) and finally a tribute to my way of thinking and the spirit of this blog, Mumbo Jumbo...a little bit of everything, and whatever feels good.

So check it out, TONIGHT, January 21, from 6pm to 9pm LIVE at www.beattactics.com

And hey, in case you forgot it's THE JUMP OFF! from 10pm til close and the cozy Gate 54 downstairs at Cafe Saint-Ex! It should be off the proverbial meat rack! Hip Hop, Dancehall, Disco and Club tracks all battle for pole position while the people get busy doing their thing. What that is, well that's up to you.
See ya there!

Quote of the Day
"It is good taste, and good taste alone, that possesses the power to sterilize and is always the first handicap to any creative functioning."
-Salvador Dali

DCDigga runnin' things TONITE at
THE JAZZ CORNER OF THE WORLD!
The best weekly Jazz Night in DC is in full effect tonight! Come on down from 7pm-10pm at Cafe Saint-Ex's Gate 54 lounge, DCDigga will be carefully calibrating his selections for optimum soul and groove feeling. There is never a cover, and a glance through some old playlists of ours will show you where we are coming from. Trust us, it's a place you wanna go.
Your master of ceremonies for tonite's Jazz Corner, selecting that good stuff

Quote of the Day
“Jazz is music made by and for people who have chosen to feel good in spite of conditions.”-
Johnny Griffin

UPCOMING JES GREW EVENT: The JUMP OFF!

Coming to Saint-Ex this Saturday, January 21st, is the monthly dance night brought to you by DJ Birdman! Hip Hop of the past & present, Dancehall and classic club hits will keep the most discerning dancers dancing long into the evening. The grooves begin at 10pm, but I always like to pop in a wee bit early and warm up the room with some buttery 70s/80s Soul sides. There is never a cover, but there is almost always a line after 11:30pm, so come early and beat the rush!
How can all this fun be free? And yet it is. Scenes from the last installment of The Jump Off!

If all goes as planned, Jes Grew Productions will be back on www.beattactics.com just before the Jump Off begins. While DCDigga has repped the cause with his stellar funk jazz and Gospel(!) sets on the mighty DC 24-hour internet radio station, I have yet to get my feet wet and deliver a live set or 2. Hopefully this Saturday night will be the date for some jazz, soul and everything-under-the-sun sets. I am hoping to do it late in the afternoon until the early evening, so once we nail down the times I will post it here. That's a bet.

And speaking of DCDigga, he has some surprises up his sleeve that he is currently working on, and as soon as those start shaping up, you'll read about them here first. And don't forget to check him out on this Wednesday night at the weekly Jazz Corner of the World, also at Cafe Saint-Ex's Gate 54 lounge. Tell him Birdman sent ya!

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them."
-Bruce Lee

Birdman's JAZZ CORNER PLAYLIST 01/11/06 The Gary McFarland Orchestra- Reflections In the Park
Herbie Mann-When the Sun Comes Out
Les McCann Ltd.-Someone Stole My Chitlins
Bud Shank-Brasambra
Tal Farlow-I Remember You
Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis-Afro-Jaws
Grant Green-Django Mal Waldron-Loser's Lament
Shorty Rogers Quintet-Prevaliling on the Westerlies
Kenny Dorham-Afrodesia
Charles Mingus-Original Faubus Fables Benny Carter-One Morning In May
Jackie McClean-Moonscape
Thad Jones & Mel Lewis-Mach II
Eddie Jefferson-Things are Getting Better
Jon Hendricks-Saturday Night Fish Fry
Jean-Luc Ponty and George Duke-Cantaloup Island Horace Silver-The Jody Grind
Ramsey Lewis Trio-Bold and Black
Harold Land-Our Home
Blue Mitchell-HNIC
Lionel Hampton-The Price of Jazz
John Patton-Spirit
Ahmad Jamal-Superstitious
Deodato-Do It Again Ramsey Lewis-Serene Funk
The Crusaders-Scratch
Cannonball Adderley-New Orleans Strut
Rahsaan Roland Kirk-What's Going On/Mercy Mercy Me
Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson-Johannesburg
Billy Brooks-Fourty Days

Quote of the Day
“When you’re creating your own shit, man, even the sky ain’t the limit.”
-Miles Davis