‘92 Year In Review : Golden Feathers for Those Who Flew High in ’92

Jazz has flourished in 1992.

The impact of rap, the hype about hip-hop, the refusal of rock to move over--all had no effect on the durability of an art form that closes in on its first century. The media may continue to ignore or downplay it but the music prevails: in concert halls and clubs, in videos and, most notably, on recordings.

Roughly 1,250 jazz CDs have been released since Jan. 1--an unprecedented figure, and one that will probably be surpassed in 1993.

Reissues played a valuable role as the trend toward multi-disc anthology packages grew stronger. The Modern Jazz Quartet’s 40th anniversary was celebrated with “MJQ 40,” on Atlantic Records; B. B. King had “King of the Blues” on MCA Records; both are 4-CD sets. On three CDs apiece are a Duke Ellington set on the Hindsight label and “Dizzy’s Diamonds,” a fine Gillespie cross-section. Mosaic Records continued its admirable policy of making box sets out of gems leased from other companies, among them an 18-CD set by the Nat King Cole Trio.

Among those who distinguished themselves in person as well as on records are the following recipients of the 28th annual Golden Feather Awards:

MAN OF THE YEAR: Branford Marsalis. True, his moments of prominence as bandleader on the “Tonight Show” have not edged out the guests plugging their books and movies; still, during his tenure, and no doubt through his influence, the likes of Joe Henderson, Shirley Horn, Walter Norris, Marcus Roberts, Toots Thielemans, Terence Blanchard, Russell Malone and the entire Miles Davis reunion band all gained national exposure. Aside from which Marsalis was ubiquitous on other TV or video shows, on records as leader and sideman, exercising a powerful influence for good in the dissemination of jazz.

WOMAN OF THE YEAR: Pianist Dorothy Donegan. An unlikely choice, but so was her sudden leap from obscurity that has led from jazz cruises to a belated revival on records and a forthcoming documentary film. As she put it, during the year, life began for her at 70.

JAZZ GROUP OF THE YEAR: T. S. Monk. The 42-year-old drummer, son of the be-bop pioneer, surprised even himself by switching from a failed romance with R&B; to a highly charged, splendidly organized sextet, heard on tour and in a Blue Note album.

ORCHESTRA OF THE YEAR: The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Its concert at the Hollywood Bowl, with David Berger as conductor and Wynton Marsalis as musical director, displayed an admirable sense of unity; but to progress from there it must do more than re-create old Duke Ellington arrangements. To hear this band in person is a joy; to buy its recording is a waste of money when the Ellington originals are still available.

YOUNG MAN OF THE YEAR: Wallace Roney. Just a year ago I predicted that this 32-year-old trumpeter would be the new star to watch during 1992. He justified the prediction during a triumphant international tour, for which he played the Miles Davis parts in a reunion of Davis’ 1960s combo.

COMBACK OF THE YEAR: Joe Henderson. The 55-year-old tenor saxophonist, whose career, though not in limbo, had virtually stalled in recent years, suddenly leaped to the forefront with “Lush Life,” his album of compositions by Billy Strayhorn.

TV SERIES OF THE YEAR: The “Birdland” shows on Bravo. Five of the seven have been shown, offering a useful chance to meet both American and young British soloists (the programs are co-produced by BBC).

RECORDS OF THE YEAR: The following 10-Best list is alphabetical, though by chance the first is also arguably the best: Toshiko Akiyoshi, “Carnegie Hall Concert” (Columbia); Count Basie, “Complete Decca Recordings” (Decca); “History of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers” (Blue Note); Stan Getz & Kenny Barron, “People Time” (Verve); Benny Green, “Testifyin’ ” (Blue Note); Joe Henderson, “Lush Life” (Verve); Shirley Horn, “Here’s to Life” (Verve); Helen Merrill, “Clear Out of This World” (EmArcy); Arturo Sandoval, “I Remember Clifford” (GRP); Artie Shaw “The Last Recordings” (MusicMasters).

BLUE NOTES OF THE YEAR: The toll was heavy as ever. We lost trumpeters Andy Blakeney, Louis Burke, Cappy Lewis and Joe Newman; saxmen Charlie Ventura, Junior Cook and Bill Hood; pianist Jack Dupree, Nat Pierce and Sammy Price; guitarists Mary Osborne, Tony Rizzi and Howard Roberts; bassists Monty Budwig, Red Callender, Sherwood Manngiapane and Red Mitchell; drummers Ed Blackwell and Jeff Porcaro; historian Bill Russell; and singers Big Miller, Mavis Rivers and Sylvia Syms.

A source of major concern from early in the year was the condition of Dizzy Gillespie. Canceling a world tour that was booked a year in advance, the trumpet genius underwent major surgery in early March for an intestinal obstruction. Since then there have been recoveries and setbacks, three brief non-playing appearances, a cruise in his honor (held during the week of his 75th birthday), which the doctors forbade him to attend, and continuing rumors about his condition. The jazz world unites in wishing him total recovery and a resumption of his vitally influential 55-year career. Meanwhile, the photo book “Dizzy,” compiled by Lee Tanner, offers fascinating glimpses of him as seen between 1940 and 1992.

The New Year will begin with a gathering that has long symbolized the progress made in the propagation of jazz: the annual convention of the International Assn. of Jazz Educators will be held Jan. 7-10 in San Antonio, attended by hundreds of musicians and pedants. A highlight will be the presentation of the winners of this year’s “American Jazz Masters” awards, a $20,000 prize given by the National Endowment for the Arts. The victors are Joe Williams, Jon Hendricks and Milt Hinton, all deserving recipients, whose decades of creativity typify the timeless values of great music.