Roosevelt wins at jazz festival

MOSCOW, Idaho — Glittering streamers and confetti floated down from the rafters of the University of Idaho's Kibbe Activity Center Saturday, as the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival celebrated the centennial birthday of its late namesake to a sold-out house of 5,000 fans.

This was one of many thrills in the 41-year-old, extravaganza Wednesday through Saturday, with student competitions and clinics at day, and concerts at night.

Seattle's Roosevelt High School won the big band award, beating perennial rival Garfield. Eckstein Middle School's big band and combo both prevailed. (See the accompanying list of winners.)

New features — some successful, some not — reflected the fest's first year under the artistic direction of bassist and band leader John Clayton. His most obvious success was the integration on the main stage of new faces with veterans.

Young vocalists Sara Gazarek and Sachal Vasandani, trombonists Ryan Porter and Ismael Cuevas, vibraphonist Warren Wolf, Hammond B-3 organist Atsuko Hashimoto, and pianists Taylor Eigsti and Gerald Clayton (John's son) performed with stars such as pianist Hank Jones; singers Kevin Mahogany, Dee Daniels and Jon Hendricks; and the great trombonist Curtis Fuller.

Veterans also included a house rhythm section of bassist Peter Washington, drummer Jeff Hamilton, pianist Bill Charlap and guitarist Graham Dechter. Vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson canceled due to illness.

As always, the concerts were cameo affairs, with performers mixing and matching in swift succession.

Some of the best moments Friday (also nearly sold-out) included Wolf's whiplash alacrity and the always elegant Hank Jones, brilliantly reharmonizing Duke Ellington's "Satin Doll." Young Clayton joined Jones for a svelte, two-piano duet on "It Could Happen to You."

It was also a treat to hear soulful tenor saxophonist Red Holloway wail on "Love For Sale" at a breakneck tempo, as Hashimoto ran smart bass lines with the foot pedals of her B-3. Roosevelt High School alum Gazarek, more mature and crisp than ever, noted she never won at the Hampton competition.

"If you love it, keep doing it," she encouraged the largely student crowd.

Festival regular Daniels delivered an appealing swing-time version of the Aretha Franklin hit, "Respect," but the rest of her set was spoiled with over-the-top gospel embellishments. Fuller showcased his unusual, French-horn like trombone sound with a barn-burning "Caravan," then joined Cuevas and Porter on a battling blues.

The ebullient Hendricks closed the show, bopping and scatting, first alone then with his daughter, Aria, and Vasandani, whose crooning was distinctive but oddly unexpressive.

Unfortunately, because the concert dragged on until 12:45 a.m., Hendricks sang for about 300 people. Worse, "Hamp's Club," a roped-off area of the arena meant to showcase winning student soloists after the concerts, was a disaster. Crowds were small and students were kept up far too late (especially if they had to compete the next day).

"The winners were the losers, in this case," said an angry Garfield band director Clarence Acox.

In the past, soloist winners were showcased on the big stage before the main concert.

"None of the soloists got to perform on the stage," complained Aleta Kennedy, whose daughter, Jennifer Hoyt, won a vocal soloist award. "At one point, I counted 31 people" at Hamp's Club.

Clayton, acknowledging the mishaps, said, "You plan your party on paper, but you never know exactly how people are going to breathe life into it."

Saturday afternoon, vocalist Roberta Gambarini's clinic was one of the major delights of the weekend. Gambarini, Aria Hendricks and a visiting Boston College student, Cara Campanelli, traded choruses on "How High the Moon" and its Charlie Parker remake, "Ornithology," in a riveting demonstration of what jazz singing — and true mentoring — are all about.

The afternoon high school big band competition was also vastly improved by being relocated to a 1,300-seat megachurch that could accommodate huge crowds. Saturday night's concert nodded to the "battle of the bands" of Harlem's Savoy Ballroom, featuring the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (CHJO) and the Lionel Hampton Big Band on stage together. Dance areas were roped off, and jitterbuggers lined up 50-100 strong on both sides.

Later, singer Kevin Mahogany, who should be heard more often in these parts, dipped his rich baritone low, Joe Williams-style. The festival closed with "Happy Birthday" (to Hamp) and a toe-tapping version of Hampton's hit, "Flyin' Home."

Paul de Barros: 206-464-3247 or pdebarros@seattletimes.com