I have been re-discovering live jazz over the past few months after a brief vacation and am thrilled that I have, because I’m seeing performers of the ilk of Lenny White! Part of what made this night special was that it was the inaugural concert in a new series that Berklee is staging at Scullers Jazz Club.

Lenny White

Lenny has been performing for more than forty years – in fact, the first time I saw Return to Forever in 1974 (where I sat on the floor right next to Chick Corea) Lenny was the drummer – and he is a master. Sometimes when I go to hear jazz, all I want is relatively traditional jazz and that’s what I got this night. At the beginning of the show, Lenny said he felt like going back to his roots and he did that beautifully.

Lenny

The other members of his trio are the fabulous Larry Willis on piano and Buster Williams on double bass.  Larry and Buster are both legends.  As a trio with Lenny, they all soar.

Buster Williams (impossible to get a good picture of him this night)

Larry Willis

Lenny spoke a bit, introducing the numbers they played and even telling a joke, after telling us he usually doesn’t talk much, letting the music speak for him. The music certainly does speak for him, but it’s nice to hear him talk.

Lenny

They played numbers written by all three of them. At times I closed my eyes and let my mind wander; I love it when the music moves me to do that.

Opening for Lenny was Bill Banfield and Jazz Urbane.  Bill is a professor at Berklee and founder of the Africana Studies, Music and Society program there.

Bill Banfield

If I was a Berklee student, I’d want to take a class from Bill – there’s something about him that made me sense that he’s an incredible teacher. He has assembled Jazz Urbane a group that performs more contemporary jazz. They played a short set that was very good!

Annette Philip of Jazz Urbane

Carlos Averhoff Jr. of Jazz Urbane

Jonathan Singleton of Jazz Urbane

Unfortunately I got no usable photos of either Lenny Stalworthy, the bass player, or the drummer who is from New Orleans nor do I remember his name (apologies to him for that).

Carlos and Bill

The show was introduced by Bonnie Jackson, a host at WICN 90.5, an NPR radio station in Worcester, Massachusetts, and also by Roger Brown, the president of Berklee.

This was a most enjoyable show! Thanks to everyone who participated.