Thursday, May 28, 1998
Jazz duet to harmonize melodies with flying colors
MUSIC: Duo unites both cultures, genre’s history to create
magical show
By Michelle Baran
Daily Bruin Contributor
As if coordinating complex jazz chords and scales isn’t enough
of a challenge, try leaping through a U.S. embargo in between
notes. That is exactly what Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba had to
do in order to get his sound across the United States border and
into the album "Flying Colors".
Alongside saxophonist Joe Lovano, Rubalcaba expresses many of
the triumphs and tribulations of his past through the collaborative
improvisations. Their performance at Royce Hall on Saturday will
feature selections from "Flying Colors". The album resulted from
Lovano’s and Rubalcaba’s cultural networking, introducing new
concepts onto the jazz platform.
"Jazz is a very magical music, you can’t really know where it’s
going to take you. If you really rely on your knowledge and wisdom,
and somehow let the inspiration of the moment come through, things
happen," Lovano says.
In 1985, Rublacaba was discovered by Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie
Haden at the annual Havana jazz festival. Finding an immediate
mentor in Gillespie, Rubalcaba’s support was continued by
Gillespie’s widow, Lorraine, who helped him overcome the barriers
between the United States and Cuba. She lobbied, on his behalf, for
the U.S. State Department to temporarily allow Rubalcaba into the
United States to perform at New York’s Lincoln Center.
Despite his struggle with U.S. foreign policy against Cuban
immigration, Rubalcaba managed to break down the political
barriers. With the help of his fellow musicians, who petitioned for
his cause, Rubalcaba received a visa based on his status as a
cultural performer. Now, Rubalcaba has the opportunity to enhance
his jazz experience alongside jazz greats such as Lovano.
According to the Jazz Times, "Rubalcaba often achieves near
perfect balances of technique with musicality, tradition with
adventure."
Having both worked with and been inspired by such jazz legends
as Frank Sinatra and Gillespie, Lovano and Rubalcaba have a good
grasp on the staples of jazz music, giving them the freedom to
explore their own realms.
Joe Lovano found a role model in Sinatra, as Rubalcaba found
with Gillespie. In January of last year, Lovano released an album
titled "Celebrating Sinatra," covering a collection of Sinatra’s
songs and using orchestration by musical arranger Manny Album.
Lovano’s "cool jazz" interpretation of Sinatra tunes combines the
old and the new.
"(Sinatra) had such an amazing illustrious career that spanned
so many generations. His influences will always be there. For me,
it was the inspiration of having someone have so much personality."
Lovano says.
"Flying Colors" presents aspects of Lovano and Rubalcaba’s own
histories, as well as the history of jazz itself, to the audience.
With spur-of-the-moment motivation, reinforced and structured by
well-evolved pasts, the performance strays away from any potential
predictability.
"Our jazz audience will have one of those peak experiences in a
live performance where electricity generates a real spirit,"
predicts UCLA Center For the Performing Arts director Michael
Blachly.
The formula for this saxophone and piano duets’ musical results
is simple. The melody of their compositions weaves in and out of
complete spontaneity and moods of the moment.
"You play something, something happens from that, and then a
third thing can emerge," Lovano says. "And that’s a magical
place."
For Lovano and Rubalcaba, the musical dialogue of jazz shouldn’t
be too difficult. The Italian American saxophonist, Lovano, and the
Cuban pianist, Rubalcaba, take an entirely global approach to jazz
composition.
It is their mutual effort to achieve a common goal that allows
Lovano and Rubalcaba to compliment each other so universally. With
each artist gently folding their individual musical backgrounds
into the thickening batter of their jazz, the outcome is a rising
evolution in the ideas and strategies approached.
"We’re going to try to create the music we play," Lovano says,
"rather than recreate a rehearsal."
MUSIC: UCLA Center for the Performing Arts at Royce Hall on
Saturday, May 30, at 8 p.m., with a CenterStage Lecture featuring
the artists preceding the concert at 7 p.m. Tickets are $40, $37,
$33 and $13 with UCLA ID. For more information, call (310)
825-2101.
Blue Note
Joe Lovano (left) and Gonzalo Rubalcaba will perform their own
brand of jazz in Royce Hall Saturday.