Notes from Girona, London, Guimarães
How the teaching, playing, and writing feel connected.
(This was supposed to be posted on Thanksgiving Day, but the holiday and Billy Hart Birthday Posts consumed me.)
There’s no shortage of challenges and misery in the world, but still much to celebrate, enjoy, and be thankful for right now…..
Last Monday, I got back to NYC from a longish trip, playing shows and teaching in Girona, Spain; London; Los Angeles; and Guimarães, Portugal. Over the course of a few weeks, I understood what now seems obvious: when I’m working, I’m doing in person what I do— or try to do—on this Substack: give back, show respect, widen the circle, and share knowledge of the many things I love.
In Girona, Spain, I played at the Sunset Jazz Club with Bill McHenry and Michael Formanek, a dream trio I assembled. There were some very special moments— I’m going to get us together again. This late-night selfie, taken hours after the gig, shows how much fun we were having:
Then I was hosted by the wonderful pianist Barry Green in London. Barry arranged for me to give a few classes at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and to play a gig at the Parakeet with him and bassist Conor Chaplin. The classes were rewarding, and the gig was a joy. Barry and Conor are important players, I was honored to be on a gig with them.
A few days later, after a quick trip to Los Angeles to play The Look of Love with the Mark Morris Dance Group, I was in Guimares, Portugal with Landline, my collective quartet with tenor saxophonist Chet Doxas, pianist Jacob Sacks, and bassist Zack Lober. Our friend the trumpeter Suzan Veneman joined us, and we were Landline + 1, the Artists In Residence at the 32nd Guimarães Jazz Festival.
This was a great honor, and we were very busy rehearsing the big band, hosting jam sessions, running small combos, and prepping for our own concert.
The Projeto Orquestra de Jazz ESMAE, twenty-three undergrad jazz majors, was the big band for which each member of Landline +1 provided arrangements. I’d never written for a big band, but I discovered a universal musical truth— there is nothing like hearing your music played by a lot of people. Now I get it.
For the curious, I arranged these two pieces of mine:
“People’s History” from Hide Ye Idols (Loyal Label, 2017)
“One Hour”, from Saturday (Fresh Sound, 2023)
There were lots of drum lessons too. I gave as many as I could schedule, sharing what I’ve gotten from the countless teachers and peers who’ve helped me. They were much on my mind for those two weeks… shout outs to Rick Montalbano Jr, Rick Montalbano Sr, John Riley, Horacee Arnold, Bill Goodwin, Dan Weiss, Billy Hart, Rick Compton, my father Vince Sperrazza, and roughly 412,567 others. Thank you all!
Since the students at Guildhall and ESMAE were advanced players, they didn’t need me to give them instruction. They can already play! So what do I do?
I can provide:
Support encouragement in what they’re trying to do.
New ideas to supplement the work they’re already doing.
I would show them “new ideas” on the drumset; that’s when all my teachers and peers were really on my mind, almost present in the room. Then, I would avidly share music with them they hadn’t heard.
In London, for instance, I gave a class on Chick Webb, based on my article about his new biography and my interview with the author, Stephanie Stein Crease. For the class, I talked about his life and milieu, played his records (as well as Ellington, James P. Johnson, Fletcher Henderson), and then led a discussion about what we heard. Pretty straightforward.
But I was nervous— these were precious jewels, and I was in charge of displaying them. It was my first time sharing this music with jazz majors, and these kids— and they really were kids, some only 18 years old— had never heard Chick Webb, or any early Ellington, or the other masters of the Thirties; I’m the first person to expose them to that distant yet present world. Feel that Vin? That’s the weight of big responsibility. It’s your turn now bud!
But the music speaks for itself. When I put on the records, I just enjoyed them, and shared the enjoyment with the students, the way Phil Schaap and Loren Schoenberg would on WKCR. Ultimately, it’s great music, and Chick Webb is a killing drummer we should be checking out. Simple! No explanation needed. The 90-minute class flew by, the kids were great— very serious, with many questions— and I had a blast. Perhaps I was a decent host after all. More importantly: I think the students liked the music.
I did the same in Guimarães, playing a vast array of classic American sounds for the students— Howlin’ Wolf, Steve Reich, Max Roach’s M’Boom, Chick Webb again, The Four Tops, Sly and The Family Stone, and Ahmad Jamal. This was unknown music to them and I felt that responsibility, but once again, the music speaks for itself.
I learned something else: Sixties and Seventies pop music has not lost its power to excite a room. In the language of DJs, “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” really goes off, even in the middle of a master class, in a foreign language, on weekday afternoon.
Quick autobiographical note:
When I first moved to NYC, teaching was a lifeline. I was years away from supporting myself by playing, or even mostly by playing, as I didn’t yet have the skill and focus to be a New York musician. So out of necessity, I became a teacher. I gave drum lessons, ran jazz combos, did beginner piano lessons— I was up for almost anything, teaching-wise. I loved it, and I was making a living. Not bad.
But around the time I turned 30, the interest started to fade. It seemed like I had nothing to share, and I wanted to play. Gradually, I let my regular teaching go, and put all my energy towards playing music….
That’s more than a decade ago. The music led me to writing, and the writing has brought me closer to being the educator I want be, always thought I could be.
Music teachers are some of the least-recognized members of our community. The work they do is essential, but isn’t glamorous and is often taken for granted. Music is humanity, and music teachers are the front line, transferring music culture to the next generation.
We need more respect for each other, but first, we need to know each other. I’m so glad we have jazz clubs, music venues, and music schools. They’re great places to meet and know each other.
Thank you Bill McHenry and Michael Formanek, thank you Alix and Anna at Sunset. Thank you Barry Green and Conor Chaplin, and the brilliant students at Guildhall. Thank you ESMAE musicians, you all were amazing, and thank you to Ivo Martin and all the staff at Guimarães. Bottomless gratitude for Chet Doxas, Jacob Sacks, Zack Lober, and Suzan Veneman, it was a joy.
A huge thank you to the readers of this blog……I’ve learned so much from you, and your support has made things possible…
Music is good.
Yeah Vin, beautiful! Thanks for that
kudos vinnie! beautiful!!