“We’re building a house, it starts with the foundation…” – Melissa Walker
Hardbop was on the scene in Montclair, NJ last weekend as Jazz House Kids celebrated its 9th anniversary in the heat. Arriving late, I was only able to cover the later half of the show which included a powerful performance by a quartet, aptly titled “Fathers and Sons”. It featured instructor Mike Lee (tenor), his son Julian (alto) and instructor Steve Johns (drums) and his son Daryl Johns (bass). They played some originals by the Mike Lee and Steve Johns and an impressive version of the Cannonball & Coltrane tune, “Grand Central“. Other highlights included alto saxophonist Jaleel Shaw sitting in with Christian McBride and the festivals headliner, Monty Alexander. Here are some photos:
Melissa Walker (founder of Jazz House Kids, wife to Christian McBride)
(L to R) Monty Alexander, McBride, Shaw, Owens, Freddie Hendrix
Monty Alexander and Christian McBride
(L to R) Freddie Hendrix, Ulysses Owens, Jaleel Shaw, Melissa Walker, Christian McBride
Christian McBride
(L to R) Jaleel Shaw, Freddie Hendrix, Christian McBride
Hardbop 