Healdsburg Jazz Festival Features Pianist Ethan Iverson and Saxophonist Mark Turner

The Healdsburg Jazz Festival which is from May 31 - June 9 at the Raven Theater features a variety of styles from spiritual, blues, bebop, Latin, classical and even a Jazz Night at the Movie with archival footage of rare live footage of some of the greatest artists in jazz history.  Last night was a double bill featuring composer/arranger/pianist and NEA Jazz Master Carla Bley, 82 and the contemporary jazz duo pianist Ethan Iverson and tenor saxophonist Mark Turner.  Iverson on keys did all the bantering with the audience and wrote most of their compositions.  My favorite piece nonetheless was one of Turner's compositions which gelled their sinewy rhythms that enhanced each other's unique sounds.   Iverson's piano playing was somewhat reminiscent of Monk's; unpredictable and perfect.  Iverson's arrangement at times seemed to be working too independently and somewhat at odds with each other.  Af first Turner struggled with the reed to his sax.  It took Turner a while to settle in and present the full rich complexities of his tenor sax reminiscent of Coltrane.  Iverson said they were going to play "esoteric contemporary jazz."  The duo, sans drums or bass was intriguing.  The piano & sax duo sufficed to a driving, rich and complex aesthetic.  Their avant-garde style was innovative and exciting.  The type of jazz that embraces a new & rewarding learning curve.  Iverson referred to his mid-western, WI roots, which accounts for his friendly, outgoing demeanor.  The background for the titles to their compositions were clever, especially "Unclaimed Freight."  He was driving in MN with his family in the middle of nowhere when they came upon a gargantuas warehouse with a sign that read "Unclaimed Freight." "I knew this would be the title for my next composition."  Iverson has recorded with Ron Carter and was the musical director for the Mark Morris Dance Co.  Iverson & Turner's original compositions charter new territories that are well worth taking note.  I'm looking forward to hearing the soul jazz duo with Calvin Keys on guitar & Jeff Chambers on bass.