Jazz, American's original art form, is the chronicle of inventive characters.
Over more than a century, generations of players have been seduced by the freedom of expression that has marked the music, adding new flavors from the revolving plate of American pop culture.
Seven internationally recognized jazz performers will arrive here Saturday to present selections from this rich history in the 11th annual Jazz Legends in Concert Live, played poolside at the Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Resort.
Pianist Shelly Berg is the designated leader, joined by trumpeter Scotty Barnhart, tenor saxophonist Houston Person, trombonist John Allred, bassist Chuck Berghofer, drummer Frank Capp and vocalist Barbara Morrison. The concert theme is "From Ellington to Ella . . ."
"For this concert, we'll go back to the basics with great blues and jazz standards," Berg said on the phone from his office running the music school at the University of Miami. "Jazz is always evolving, but that doesn't mean you have to leave anything behind."
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This is Berg's fourth year with the UM Hurricanes. Before that, he was a professor of jazz studies at the University of Southern California for 16 years.
Berg also continues his career as a coast-to-coast performer, recently logging gigs at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
"I'm playing somewhere a couple of times a month. It's in my contract with the school," he said. Ever the educator, Berg added that "to fully appreciate this music, you have to hear it performed live."
"It is important to tend the roots, so the leaves can grow," Scotty Barnhart affirmed metaphorically. Also an educator and player, Barnhart has been a professor of trumpet at Florida State University in Tallahassee for almost a decade. He is best known, though, for his trumpet work as part of the Count Basie orchestra for nearly two decades - a chair he continues to hold.
"The number of weeks I spend teaching every year and the number of weeks playing with the Basie band are about the same," said Barnhart, talking in his car while driving from San Francisco to Los Angeles. "For me, it works out fine. I love the traveling. Every day is a new adventure."
The trumpeter believes the music of Count Basie stays popular because Basie "knew exactly what to play and how to play it. He was a master psychologist, and his songs have such relaxed rhythms. They make you want to dance.
"The jazz of Miles Davis was very cerebral, but you could always dance to that, too," Barnhart said. "The best jazz can always be danced to, even if it is just tapping your foot."
Some serious shoe leather is sure to get worn away in this concert and jam session. All the players are veterans with decades of experience in groups that are household names among jazz fans. The lineup of former employers ranges from Basie and Benny Goodman to Woody Herman, Stan Kenton and Frank Sinatra, Shelly Manne, Peggy Lee and, of course, Ella Fitzgerald.
As educators, these players in the Jazz Legends concert will also be taking care of business.
On that same Saturday afternoon, they will conduct a master class for local music students wanting to improve their performance skills, offered in cooperation with the University of Arizona.
IF YOU GO
Jazz Legends in Concert Live.
• Presented by: Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance, as a benefit event for arts education in local schools.
• Featuring: Shelly Berg, piano; Scotty Barnhart, trumpet; Houston Person, sax; John Allred, trombone; Chuck Berghofer, bass; Frank Capp, drums; and Barbara Morrison, vocals.
• When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday
• Where: Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Resort, 10000 N. Oracle Road
• Cost: $25 for lawn seats; $50 for poolside reserved seats; $85 for dinner and poolside reserved seats.
• Reservations and information: www.saaca.org or 797-3959, Ext. 2.
Chuck Graham has written about the Tucson arts scene for more than 35 years. Read more of his arts coverage at "Let the Show Begin," www.tucsonstage.com
