Oldies But Goodies At Monterey

Friday Night: Sonny Rollins is still leaping octaves with an agility that defies his 75 years on earth. I say “on earth” slightly tongue-in-cheek, because he is one of the most spiritual guys I’ve ever met, with a warmth and wisdom that belies many lifetimes. I read a story recently about his relationship with the weather gods and how a storm abated just long enough for his photo shoot on the bridge, and then resumed. I believe it, just as I believe that his phone call to me in the hospital when I had cancer — the prayers and the energy he sent my way — was part of the cure. Whether speaking in words or with his horn, Sonny Rollins’ energy is, well, colossal.

A little trivia note: During his set he played a tune that stumped the experts; “what’s the name of that tune?” they asked one another, assuming they knew it but could not call to mind its title. Sonny’s long-time bassist, Bob Cranshaw, didn’t know the title either, but Bob told me it was an Italian folk song that Sonny had heard.

Saturday Afternoon: From the beginning of her career in 1950 with The Staples Singers, to her first solo recordings for the Stax label in 1969 and 1970, to her work in films and television shows that include The Last Waltz, Graffiti Bridge, Wattstax, New York Undercover, Soul Train, and The Cosby Show, to current performances and her latest recording Have A Little Faith , Mavis Staples remains a consummate entertainer. About the recent recording, her website says: “a stirring collection of uplifting, gospel-rooted songs deeply seated in her faith and spirituality. Produced by Jim Tullio and Staples, the album features the strongest collection of material – both originals and interpretations – Mavis has ever assembled.” John and I caught her early show on the Arena stage. While mentioning her new CD, Mavis noted the industry’s preference for young artists — “I used to be a Beyoncé,” Mavis said. “Been there, done that. And if Beyoncé keeps living, she’ll be a Mavis someday.” Too true.

A little historical note: The Staple Singers were part of the Soul to Soul package that went to Ghana in 1971 along with Wilson Pickett, Santana, Ike and Tina Turner, and Eddie Harris. In his role as manager, John was also on that trip with his clients Les McCann, Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. They were all going to participate in the filming of a feature-length musical documentary, directed by Dennis Sanders, celebrating the 14th anniversary of Ghana’s independence from British rule. Filmed entirely in Ghana, the documentary included traditional African music and local footage, and was released by Warner Vision Entertainment the following year. A year or so ago, the film was restored and released on DVD , the packaging for which includes several photos that John shot. Unfortunately, Roberta Flack would not agree to the favored nations payment and so forced the producers to remove her footage from the product.

Saturday Night: Tony Bennett was so high on life and music that I thought he might levitate right off the stage. He actually did twirl a few times, and he literally skipped off the stage. I don’t know if I have every seen a happier man. Happiness like that is infectious, and I saw people in the audience with tears in their eyes. I will admit that I’ve always been partial to Frank Sinatra and Joe Williams — but Tony’s show was positively irresistible. I heard someone ask, “but is it jazz?” And the response was perfect: “It’s music, doesn’t matter what else you call it.”