Jazz in Athens – old and new
«It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing,» according to the legendary Duke Ellington. In «swing,» read rhythm and that authentic jazz sound, be it traditional, classic or contemporary, and even avant-garde. This interchange between the old and the new is the focus this season of the capital city’s two main jazz joints, the Half Note Jazz Club and Guru Bar – Jazz Upstairs. Highlights this season include a series of concerts celebrating the Half Note’s 30th birthday, and a concert at Guru with Lee Konitz, who will celebrate his 80th birthday at the Theatrou Square venue. From the Half Note angle, the jazz club began on Michalakopoulou Street, moved to Strefi Hill for a spell, dropped anchor in Ambelokipi and then moved to its current address in Mets. In the early days, the club started off by inviting local acts, but when the tide turned and they extended their invitations overseas, local jazz fans got some rare treats: Archie Shepp, Lou Donaldson, Carmen Lundy, Jimmy Cobb, Andy Sheppard and many more. Though the Half Note is mainly about jazz, the venue has also presented blues bands and others that flirt with Afro-American musical traditions, world music and even ethnic sounds. For this season, the Half Note presents, among others, local act the Milo Z Band (5-11/10, for funk and hip-hop), the Sonny Fortune Quartet (12-18/10, a master saxophonist continues the traditions of John Coltrane), the Kevin Mahogany quintet (19-25/10, with classic jazz numbers, blues and brushstrokes of soul), and Hubert Sumlin with Buddy Flett and the Bluebirds (2-8/11, electronic blues). Just below Athinas Street, behind the flower stalls and on Theatrou Square, Guru Bar is preparing its cozy loft to host Greek and foreign musicians. Headliner Lee Konitz will be at Jazz Upstairs on December 6, 7 and 8. Konitz is one of the last surviving names of those legendary performers that first appeared in the 1940s and is probably the only saxophone player of that era who was not profoundly influenced by Charlie Parker. He recorded with Claude Thornhill and Lennie Tristano, and later with Miles Davis on the legendary «Birth of Cool.» There are other names appearing on the Guru Bar bill that are also worthy of attention: The Five Corners Quintet (September 27-29), a great Finnish jazz band whose previous appearances include the Lincoln Center in New York; the J.P. Gallis quartet with Coltraine covers (3-6 October); the Benny Lackner Trio (25-27 October) and much, much more. For the complete performance programs, log on to www.halfnote.gr or www.bargurubar.gr.
