Tulsa World: This year's Jazz Fest tribute to Wayman Tisdale

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This year's Jazz Fest tribute to Wayman Tisdale

By JAMES D. WATTS JR. World Scene Writer
Published: 6/11/2009 2:24 AM
Last Modified: 6/11/2009 6:34 AM

The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame's Jazz Fest for 2009 will pay tribute to the late Wayman Tisdale, featuring performers whose careers benefited from their association with the basketball star-turned-jazz musician.

The hall is also dedicating its upcoming Summer Concert Series, which will feature the "Wild Women of Oklahoma Jazz," to Tisdale's memory.

Jazz Fest, which will be June 27 at the Jazz Depot, 111 E. First St., will be headlined by saxophonist Eldredge Jackson and his group, Listening Pleasure.

Tisdale produced, performed on and wrote songs for Jackson's debut album, "Listening Pleasure," in 2006, and the two often shared stages around Tulsa.

Jackson and Listening Pleasure were also finalists in "Wayman's Challenge," a contest to select the opening act for a series of performances in 2008. The winners of that competition, WallStreet, will perform as part of Jazz Fest.

"WallStreet also were a part of Wayman's last tour, performing on a jazz cruise around the Bahamas last spring," said Chuck Cissel, Jazz Hall of Fame CEO.

Cissel added that Jazz Fest, a free event, will be inside the Jazz Depot rather than outdoors, as in years past.

"We're going to make this truly a cool jazz event, by having it take place inside this very cool hall," Cissel said.

Rounding out the lineup will be the J3 Jazz and Blues Band, led by Tulsa guitarist Rick Gill, which will also open the Summer Concert Series on Sunday.

David Teegarden, legendary drummer who has worked with Bob Seger, J.J. Cale, Eric Clapton and a host of other talents, makes his Jazz Hall of Fame debut June 21, and the Timothy Paul Trio, led by a former Tulsan now living and working in Arkansas, performs June 28.

Jazz series

The “Wild Women of Oklahoma Jazz” will fill the subsequent seven weeks with a wide variety of music.

July 12: University of tulsa graduate Olivia Duhon will perform with a trio led by TU music professor Vernon Howard.

July 19: Juanita ellington, an Oklahoma City resident and cousin of Duke ellington, will join former tulsan Thesa Loving, now a mainstay of the New York City cabaret scene, in concert.

July 26: Starr Fisher, who has been the lead singer with Earl Clark and Spectrum and WallStreet, performs with her quartet.

Aug. 9: Janet Rutland will pay tribute to legendary songwriter Johnny Mercer, whose centennial is this year.

Aug. 16: Brenda Johnson and her trio perform.

Aug. 23: Composer-pianist Amy Cottingham will be accompanied a number of friends in a show that will blend jazz, classical and pop influences.

Aug. 30: Annie ellicott, accompanied by guitarist Frank Brown and Rod ellicott on bass, will close out the Summer Series.

The Summer Concert Series will take place at 5 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $15 adults, $10 seniors and college students, $5 for students high school age and younger. tables for eight may be reserved at $20 per person.

James D. Watts Jr. 581-8478
james.watts@tulsaworld.com By JAMES D. WATTS JR. World Scene Writer

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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Jazz Fest to be a tribute to Wayman Tisdale," which was published on 6/10/2009.

	Report Comment Bill Paddock, (6/10/2009 1:20:24 PM) Glad to see this happening. The Jazz Hall of Fame and Jazz Depot are a real jewel downtown. Obviously Wayman stood tall for Tulsa and Oklahoma in so many ways. And Eldredge Jackson is just the guy to play this tribute. Hats off to Chuck Cissel for making all this happen.
	Report Comment Arbythree, Tulsa (6/10/2009 1:35:46 PM) This will be very successful.
	Report Comment my view, Sand Springs (6/10/2009 1:35:48 PM) We have so few role models for children today, Wayman Tisdale was just that, it's a shame we lost him at such a young age. The Jazz Fest should be renamed the Wayman Tisdale Jazz Festival in his honor.
	Report Comment M_Conners, Tulsa (6/10/2009 1:36:06 PM) Cool...I like it.
	Report Comment Moses, Jenks (6/10/2009 1:43:00 PM) Great idea. I agree with my view.
	Report Comment abru, Tulsa (6/10/2009 2:00:14 PM) Very nice. Poor headline however. Tribute isn't a verb.
	Report Comment abru, Tulsa (6/10/2009 4:11:10 PM) Good. They fixed the headline.

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