Hartford Sound Alliance Plus

Hartt School of Music

Hartford, CT

It is always good to meet new friends.

This past Wednesday, my duo partner Todd Merrell and I spent an afternoon with Matt Sargent, Lief Ellis and Bill Solomon, otherwise known as the Hartford Sound Alliance. Three laptops, keyboard, a table of percussion, microphones and my cornet. Matt sampled my output, Lief did the same with Bill. Todd did his own wonderful dance.

What a delight! The music was anything but tentative, and the connection between the five of us was immediate and powerful. A special synchronicity. We meet again next week, and have agreed to visit Outpost 186 in Cambridge, Massachusetts for a small concert in October. What we need is several more opportunities to perform locally and in New York city. Stay tuned as the work unfolds.

Worth noting was the presence of the delightful Nat Reeves, bassist and faculty member at Hartt's Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz. Nat grabbed me for a quick visit to his studio, sharing his excitement about recent developments at the school.

Photo by Nat Reeves

Death of a Down to Earth Diva

I will never forget the day that JD Parran brought me to meet Betty Allen. JD was doing his best to get me onto the faculty at the Harlem School for the Arts. Even though Betty had been nudged out of her upstairs office by the young HSA Director of the moment, she maintained a deep cellular connection with the school and it's community. After all, it was her passion that birthed and raised up HSA from modest beginnings in a church basement.

"So, you want to teach here?" Even sitting in the corner of the music library that she had taken over, Betty was nothing if not regal. We talked for a half hour about music and what we loved, what was important to share with children. Betty gave me her blessing.

I used to stay at school late some evenings to watch Betty teach her weekly opera workshop. She was so dynamic, so generous with her time and spirit. Betty may have been a diva, but Betty was always real.

I shall miss you Miss Allen. Truely.

Portrait of Betty Allen, 1958 by Carl van Vechten

CT Improvising Composers Project

Real Art Ways
Hartford, CT

The first of four statewide concerts of the new Connecticut Improvising Composers Project took place week before last at Real Art Ways. Plenty of friends turned out for the music. Local music witness Maurice Robertson was there, and these are a few of his images of the ensemble at work. The local press was supportive, with a preview from the stalwart scribe Owen McNally, and reviews from Chuck Obuchowski and Dan Barry.


Satoshi Takeishi joined us with very little rehearsal time and did what he always does, fitting the music like a glove and swinging with aplomb.


We will be back in Hartford September 12. Soon after that we will take the group into the studio to record. This project would not have been possible without the generous support of the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism through their Special Initiative Grant Program and the deep partnership of Music for People.