Review: Freyre still star of Flint Jazz Festival
Monday, August 20, 2001
By Timothy Flynn
FLINT JOURNAL CONTRIBUTING WRITER
For 20 years, local music lovers have come together at the Flint Jazz Festival to celebrate with drummer and organizer Joe Freyre.
But with its ailing founder stuck on the sidelines, this year's festival appropriately became a celebration of Freyre.
As local, regional and national musicians took the stage at the Riverbank Park Amphitheater for the festival's 20th year, many took the time to thank the man who started it all. "We love you, Joe," became the heartfelt mantra of the show.
Freyre, who suffered a severe stroke last February, was unable to organize this year's show.
But he refused to miss it. Aided by a wheelchair, the 68-year-old jazz veteran played spectator for much of the festival, which included appearances by headliners Ronnie Laws and Kenny Garrett.
But Freyre still managed to steal the show. Sunday officially was proclaimed "Joe Freyre Day," which new organizer Clyde Lee said was backed by both the Flint City Council and state Legislature. Freyre accepted the tribute with his usual modesty.
"It was a surprise and an honor both," Freyre said as he watched the final evening of the festival. "I wasn't expecting anything like this."
The drummer added that he'd like to take the reigns once again, health permitting.
"I'm striving to get better," he said, "and if I can, I want to get active running it again. I'll bet the people running it this year found out it's not an easy trick."
It may not have been easy, but Lee said the transition was relatively smooth.
"I would call it a success," he said, "because the people came, and they had a good time. Joe said he was glad we could continue and he said we did a good job."
Although Lee was in charge, producing this year's show was far from a one-man job. Lee repeatedly thanked the other members of the Greater Flint Arts Council, who helped him organize the show. He was also assisted by local musicians.
"It has been great," Lee said. "I've had a lot of support from the people who worked on the festival in the past, as well as a lot of new people."
He also maintained that despite its recent troubles, the Flint Jazz Festival is far from over.
"We will be back next year," he said. "Bigger and better."
In the capable hands of Lee, the annual show once again featured a fine lineup. Sunday's Freyre tribute was followed by a set from the Jimmy Cook/Gene Parker Quintet. The band kept the show swinging with some very tasty flute work by Parker.
Next up was Detroit's Ed Nuccilli, who in the spirit of this year's festival, noted that many of his song arrangements were inspired by Freyre.
Nuccilli's 16-piece band, Plural Circle, brought a nice big band feel to the show with covers of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.
Around 250 fans still were on hand as New Orleans' Los Hombres Calientes rounded out the festival.
With four horns and two percussionists, the nine-piece band brought a funky, Latin feel to the stage, providing the dancing crowd with one last hour of musical bliss.
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Copyright 2001 Michigan Live Inc. |