Caton Castle Lounge & Package Goods

     On July 16, 2022, the Caton Castle presented the John Lamkin Favorites Jazz Quintet, featuring John R. Lamkin, II on trumpet and flugelhorn, Michael Hairston on tenor sax, Bob Butta on piano, Michael Graham on acoustic bass and Jesse Moody on drums. It was a homecoming for this group of fan favorites who frequently played the Caton Castle in pre-pandemic days.

     Indeed, the festive  atmosphere reminded me of some lines from “Good Times,” the late Lucille Clifton's 1970s vernacular poem that predated the popular same-name TV sit-com: “My daddy has paid the rent/ and the insurance man is gone/ and the lights is back on/ and my uncle brud has hit/ for one dollar straight/ and they is good times.”

     Nostalgia permeated the playlist, beginning with “The Sportsman,” Lamkin's original tune in tribute to the old “Sportsman's Lounge” in Gwynn Oak. The bygone jazz club was bankrolled by then  Baltimore Colt's NFL football star Lenny Moore, but immortalized by Wilfred “Mickey” Fields (1932-1995), the local tenor sax icon who graced the venue with his legendary jam sessions.

     In his own way, Hairston's hard-tone tenor sax was as bracing as “Mickey's,” loosely defining the melody in a middle-tempo romp that offset Lamkin's probing trumpet ahead of Graham's pronounced bass line. Graham would dominate (not to say “Bogart”) the rhythm section throughout, shades of acoustic bass virtuoso Charles Mingus (1943-1979), notwithstanding spirited responses from Moody's busy drums and Butta's simmering piano.

     This group is a throwback in a couple of ways. The personnel has remained unchanged for years, long before “Transitions,” their 2018 CD release, which has resulted in a shared lyrical fluency-- a distinctive sound. Nowadays, the impromptu assembling of jazz artists per gig is normal, engendering the usual friction of a team of “all stars” in a single spotlight. It's a misfortune that sports fans recognize as the whole being less than the sum of its parts.

     Also, Lamkin devised the “Favorites” tag because of the group's mutual affinity for an old-shoe style of jazz; namely, the post-bop tradition exemplified by the music of pianist/composer Horace Silver (1928-2014). “Favorites” fans resist the fickle finger of fashion.

     With a brassy two-horn introduction framing a mixed rhythmic flow that fluctuated with the whim of the soloist, “Baker's Closet” exemplified the “Favorites” take on Horace Silver's style; abrupt yet fluid, owing to a persistent Latin-tinged variation on a funk beat. On this tune, Butta's piano glistened with brisk ascending keyboard runs in a staggered pace that parried the thrust of Moody's surging drums and cymbals ahead of the relentless downbeat of Graham's Bass. A slurred trumpet break was answered by Hairston's full-toned tenor sax solo excursion, punctuated by trilling high notes and lower register squawks.

     “Baker's Closet” is Lamkin's original composition in honor of “The Closet,” owner Henry Baker's long-ago jazz club in downtown Baltimore, named for its notably cramped quarters. Bob Butta played piano in “The Closet's” house band of the 1980s, which featured Gary Bartz on alto sax, Geoff Harper on acoustic bass and Steve Williams (or Nasar Abadey) on drums. What a lineup!

     As the French say, the more things change, the more things stay the same. Decades later, Bob Butta is still hunched over his keyboard, sporting a stingy-brim fedora, and resembling in silhouette that pint-sized piano-playing demon of the “Peanuts” comic strip, Schroeder.     

     “Hittin' at the Haven” is another Lamkin original in tribute to a bygone local jazz venue, The New Haven Lounge in the Northwood Shopping Center, where everything was razed to make room for the expansion of Morgan State University. Prominently, Graham's bass plucked single frenetic notes, setting a galloping pace for a searching tenor sax solo that sketched the melody with rolling licks and staccato accents in an angular pattern. Butta's piano vamping soared on a linear break, while Lamkin's time-shifting trumpet was blurred in its approach, as the drums rumbled to the point of a solo explosion.   

     Two Lamkin original tunes changed the pace-- “Eartha's Dance” and “Homage”-- both pensive pieces that evoke a wistful mood. A tribute to Lamkin's late wife, “Eartha's Dance” features a bluesy piano swaying to a Cha Cha rhythm, while “Homage” proceeds in an irregular beat with a shifting time-stamp that gained focus in the halting lines of Lamkin's understated flugelhorn solo, releasing broad tones from a deep place.    

     “Da Market” is from the aforementioned “Transitions” CD and is described by Lamkin in the liner notes as follows: “a 24 bar funk blues, dedicated to the Lexington Market clientele, was written to please listeners, dancers and musicians alike.”  Another number on the playlist, “The Avenue,” was composed by Lamkin along similar lines in recognition of the jazz scene that once defined Pennsylvania Avenue, a stop on the bygone Chitlin' Circuit of racially segregated music venues.

     On both tunes, the blues was jumping, while Moody's extended drum solo featuring mallets on cymbals provided an exquisite coda to “The Avenue.” Tenor saxophonist Houston Person's “Why Not?” was also in the mix; it's a bluesy post-bop number that swings. Person and Lamkin are kindred spirits. 

     The John Lamkin Favorites Jazz Quintet has a forthcoming CD featuring a lot of the music discussed above. For a preview, catch this dynamic group as it plays concert venues around town, including freebies at the Baltimore Museum of Industry, near Federal Hill, on July 24 & September 25, 2022.

Gregory L. Lewis

      On May 28, 2022, the Caton Castle presented the Anthony Wonsey Ensemble, featuring Anthony Wonsey on piano, Deborah Newallo on vocals, Obasi Akoto on acoustic bass, Ephraim Dorsey on tenor sax, John R. Lamkin, III on drums and Dr. Flura Luyondo on a poetic interlude. Live performances can be full of surprises, and this one took the cake.

     For starters, advertised saxophonist Stacy Dillard was a scratch, with teen sensation Ephraim Dorsey filling in. Then the first set's repertoire featured an unusual (for this venue) pastiche of jazz-flavored pop tunes, including Luther Vandross' “Never Too Much,” Stevie Wonder's “Higher Ground” and Angela Bofill's “I Try”-- all to the warm applause of a sizable audience. Obviously, surprises can be good.

   However, things got interesting when Anthony announced an arrangement of “Impressions” which aimed to, he said, combine the sound of Mary J. Blige (the “Queen of Hip Hop Soul,” according to Wikipedia) with tenor sax icon John Coltrane's (1926-1967) familiar rendering. In a pace that went from a crawl to a sprint without walking in between, Ephraim played a ton of notes all over the musical scale, channeling Coltrane's pyrotechnic style. The Mary J. Blige component was not so apparent.

   After Anthony repeatedly stumbled over the pronunciation of Ephraim's name-- “He From” was a lame joke-- a show-stopping event subsequently interrupted Deborah's soulful (resembling Angela Bofill) rendition of an original vocal tune. Anthony shouted instructions to Ephraim in an abusive manner, provoking a response in kind and contretemps before Ephraim abruptly exited the stage.

   As a stunned audience looked on, Anthony kept mouthing something about “old school,” which suggests that their relative ages played a part in the dust-up: Anthony is 50, whereas Ephraim is 19. When the show resumed, Deborah apologized for the group's breach of decorum before joining in a spoken-word presentation involving Dr. Flura Luyondo. Mercifully, intermission soon followed.

     What Charles Dickens said in the opening line of his famous novel about dramatic episodes of  personal tumult surrounding the French Revolution-- “A Tale of Two Cities” (1859)-- also applies to this show: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.” Like a mature pro, Ephraim returned for the second set showing fine tenor sax form on “Maiden Voyage,” pianist/composer Herbie Hancock's middle-tempo jazz standard.

      Likewise, Anthony's piano solo reminded us of why the New York-based artist is among the top keyboardist on the jazz scene today. With a spacious framing of the melody, Anthony's tinkling counterpoint sketched whimsical harmonic impressions that floated on the herky-jerky rhythmic pulse of John's drums like a sailboat on a swaying sea, anchored by the steadying interjections of Obasi's imperious bass.

      Indeed, Anthony's versatile piano shifted gears on “All The Things You Are” to a linear romp featuring uptempo bebop lines at a blistering speed in the style pioneered by pianist Bud Powell (1924-1966), ahead of the relentless push of John's busy cymbals and bass drum pounding. Obasi's bass work was pronounced, with an extended solo that was intricate in its plucky rhythmic variations. In turn, John's energetic solo climaxed in a drum roll leading to smashing cymbals.

   On “All The Things You Are” and Herbie Hancock's “Driftin',” Ephraim delivered extended solos that demonstrated harmonic agility, using elongated middle to high register notes with staccato accents on the former tune and wailing in a swinging yet angular attack reminiscent of tenor sax great Dexter Gordon (1923-1990) on the latter tune. Correspondingly, Anthony's piano solo on each tune was intense, with a more bluesy and understated approach on “Driftin'.”              

     Instead of using pistols at ten paces, these two gifted jazz artists dueled musically in the second set. It wasn't a classic “cutting contest” because they play different instruments. But given the circumstances, their contrasted performances were necessarily competitive. It seemed personal. Who won? The audience. At least, that part of the audience which remained for the second set.

    Also, Deborah gave a spirited rendition of prolific jazz composer Tadd Dameron's (1917-1965) enduring ballad, “If You Could See Me Now.” In a recent Caton Castle appearance, Vanessa Rubin sang several songs from her new CD dedicated to Dameron's music, “The Dream is You.” Deborah demonstrated again why renewed interest in this music is justified, pleading in a lilting moan for romantic reconciliation (“You would be mine if you could see me now”) with crystal clear diction in her lower range, almost guttural voice.

      With brush strokes on drums and a bass downbeat that seemed to hang in the air, Ephraim's tenor sax refrains teased Dameron's melody with a sweet tone like local tenor sax legend “Mickey” Fields (1932-1995) used to lay on a ballad at the old Sportsman's Lounge, when he felt like it.

     One of the tunes that closed this show was “My Shining Hour,” a John Coltrane staple. That title is ironic given the first set's discord. Perhaps one lesson to be learned is that the music of John Coltrane and Mary J. Blige do not mix. In any event, all's well that ends well.

     I, for one, look forward to a Caton Castle encore featuring Anthony Wonsey and Ephraim Dorsey.

Gregory L. Lewis               

     On April 30, 2022, the Caton Castle presented the Paul Carr Quintet, featuring vocalist Vanessa Rubin. The personnel included Paul Carr on tenor and soprano sax, Allyn Johnson on piano, Michael Bowie on acoustic bass and Chris Latona on drums. Vanessa's reputation as a top-notch jazz vocalist preceded her, and the winsome lady did not disappoint.

     Of course, Washington, D.C.-based impresario Paul Carr assembled the players for this date from his vast list of music industry contacts developed over more than a decade of shepherding the annual Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, and an even longer stint of teaching and performing America's only indigenous art form in and around the nation's capitol.

     Over the years, Paul has been a pipeline for exceptional musical performances at the Caton Castle, in the same way that saxophonist/composer Jimmy Heath (1926-2020) was once the New York connection for the bygone Left Bank Jazz Society, supplying the biggest names in jazz for local shows at the old Famous Ballroom, back in the day (1960s to 1980s); see, “I Walked With Giants: The Autobiography of Jimmy Heath” with Joseph McLaren (2010).

     Several instrumental tunes set the stage for Vanessa's vocals. On “Invitation,” Paul displayed his seasoned tenor sax chops, twisting the simple melody of this old movie theme inside-out with long, searching lines of middle-tempo angular notes in a full and unruffled tone that shifted abruptly in pace and intensity, offsetting high notes with lower register dissonance. Paul also used repeated riffs-- “arpeggio”-- to create an ascending straight-ahead vibe with punctuating licks that fluttered, spurted and ultimately resolved in a long-held high note.

     Slowing down the pace, Paul brought this same sensibility to a John Coltrane (1926-1967)  signature ballad, “I Hear A Rhapsody,” shading the melody in different tones against the bluesy vamping of Allyn's piano. Indeed, Allyn's bouncy piano break was reminiscent of Erroll Garner (1921-1977) with its swinging rhythm that shifted in pace to allow for intervals of spacious tinkling against a recurring sort of boogie woogie refrain.

     Chris' laid-back drum work was solid throughout, keeping steady time when not soloing brilliantly, as on “Invitation.” And Michael's bass was imperturbable, the north star in relation to a rhythmic compass, with remarkable solos on “I Hear A Rhapsody” and pianist Mulgrew Miller's ( 1955-2013) “Soul-Leo.”

     That is, Michael's bass solo work takes on a melodic quality, almost guitar-like with its pronounced plucking in a staggered rhythm that incorporates countervailing high/low note inflections. Plus, he  characteristically interpolates harmonious themes, like inserting the melody from the churchy “Down By The Riverside” into the middle of his “Soul-Leo” solo.                       

     Also, “Musically Yours” was Paul's up-tempo original composition in tribute to saxophone great Joe Henderson (1937-2001). Such straight-ahead instrumental tunes set the stage for Vanessa's jazzy vocal styling, typified by the mid-range (Soprano?) elasticity of her be-bop inflected phrasing of the lyrics on “Senor Blues,” pianist/composer Horace Silver's (1928-2014) Latin-tinged “jump blues” classic.

     A veteran performer on the national scene, Vanessa has recorded multiple albums over her long career, including her latest, “The Dream is You,” a tribute to fellow Cleveland, Ohio native and prolific jazz composer, Tadd Dameron (1917-1965). From her newest CD, Vanessa sang “Next Time Around,” a melancholy ballad framed by Allyn's voluptuous piano vamping over the hesitating downbeat of Michael's bass and the soulful brush strokes on Chris' drums, while Paul's tenor sax accompaniment faintly hugged the melody. “On A Misty Night” was another torch song rendering from the newest CD. Incidentally, the CD also features Tadd Dameron's calling card: “If You Could See Me Now.”

     Her repertoire placed Vanessa squarely in the tradition of acclaimed jazz divas, a fact she acknowledged with regard to “Now Baby Or Never,” taken from a Billie Holiday recording with Count Basie, wherein Vanessa credited her “scat line” as coming from “Sassy's Blues” by Sarah Vaughn (1924-1990). Moreover, Vanessa sang “Save Your Love For Me,” a tune popularized by Nancy Wilson (1937-2018) and “You've Changed,” a lover's lament recorded by Billie Holiday (1915-1959) and later by her protege, Etta Jones (1928-2001): Check out the CD entitled “Etta Jones Sings Lady Day.”

     Vanessa's grandmother must have told her what my grandmother told me: “You're classed by the company that you keep.” In this regard, Vanessa's sonority resembled that of Carmen McRae (1920-1994) on Duke Ellington's  (1899-1974) “I Love You Madly” and she lilted ever...so...slowly, like Washington, D.C. native Shirley Horn (1934-2005), on “Never Let Me Go.”

     For good measure, a handful of other tunes were thrown in, including “What'll I do,” composed by Irving Berlin (1888-1989), “Are You Ready For Me?,” a naughty blues number, “Moonglow,” a Big Band-era staple, and “Down Here On The Ground,” the theme song from Paul Newman's movie, “Cool Hand Luke.”   

     A consummate performer, Vanessa charmed the audience by teasingly referring to pianist Allyn Johnson as her uncle, when he's clearly a generation younger than she is. Showmanship point well taken: You're only as old as you feel. In full-throated form, Vanessa Rubin is still the belle of the ball.

     Kudos to Paul Carr for engineering another sensational Caton Castle performance.

Gregory L. Lewis

     On April 23, 2022, the Caton Castle presented the Sean Jones Quartet, featuring Sean Jones on trumpet, Pat Bianchi on electric organ, Robert Gilliam on tenor sax and Eric Kennedy on drums. Following a two-year layoff due to pandemic restrictions, the Caton Castle audience has delighted in a banquet of improvisational jazz for the past three Saturday evening in a row. With the addition of the Hammond B-3 organ sound, this group cooked up something spicy.

     The playlist opened with a nod to Woody Shaw (1944-1989), whose trumpet virtuosity helped define the East Coast jazz scene in the 1970s. A two-horn chorus introduced Shaw's uptempo staple, “The Moontrane.” From there, Pat's organ broke into bluesy riffs at a staggered pace that countered Eric's insistent drums, pushing the tempo with briskly accenting cymbals in the busy style of drum legend “Philly” Joe Jones (1923-1985).                    

     As a top performer and chair of the jazz studies department at the Peabody Institute, Sean's role as a mentor to upcoming musicians makes him, at age 44, an heir to the legacy of  Woody Shaw's generation of trumpet masters, including Freddie Hubbard (1938-2008) and Lee Morgan (1938-1972). You could hear all of those influences in Sean's trumpet solo on “The Moontrane,” with its brooding approach building in intensity and adding fluttering pauses in an ascending pattern that adjusted in tone from slurred to piercing.

     Robert's tenor sax break was complementary, almost deferential to Sean, his teacher at the Peabody Institute, with its gently rolling introduction that picked up the pace in response to Eric's driving drumbeat, a propulsive force that Robert countered with quirky accents within the melody-- alternating high and low notes-- punctuated by high-pitched trilling licks. In his understated approach to the tenor sax, Robert reminds me of how jazz critic Leonard Feathers once characterized a kindred spirit, Hank Mobley (1930-1986): “the middleweight champion of the tenor sax.”

     Eric's energetic drum work was a defining presence, including a solo on “The Moontrane” that began with measured rim-tapping-- like one might tap on a glass before making a toast-- then proceeded to belabor the snares at a quickening pace, accented by restless cymbals and an active bass drum pedal that peaked in a crescendo. In introducing Eric, Sean noted that whatever its other shortcomings, Baltimore's stock of jazz drummers represents “an embarrassment of riches.”

     The same holds true for acoustic bass players. Whereas the past two shows featured extraordinary performances by bassist Michael Bowie, the bass work in this group fell to Pat's organ. This dual function is a peculiarity of the instrument. It's not a matter of a programmed time-stamp, like a self-playing piano, but requires keyboard/foot pedal coordination that can be mysterious to the listener. The guy at the next table was probably not the only one in the audience to wonder out loud: Where is the bass?

     “No Blues,” from Miles Davis' (1926-1991) recording “Live at The Blackhawk,” showed Pat's dexterity in manipulating the bass line as he comped and soloed. Beginning with a slow-paced blues pattern, organ notes rolled in an ascending sequence with staccato embellishments-- shades of jazz organ pioneer Jimmy Smith (1925-2005)-- in an irregular rhythm, hypnotic in the repetition. There is a reserved quality in Pat's approach, the polar opposite of the great organ extrovert, Charles “The Mighty Burner” Earland (1941-1999).

     Freddie Hubbard's “D-Minor Mint” was an uptempo vehicle (a race car!) with both Sean and Robert fortunate that there are no speed cameras in the Caton Castle. Of course, Eric's drums were to blame, pushing a relentless pace before soloing seismically, while Pat's organ riffs maintained a rhythmic frame. Lee Morgan's “Speedball” continued in this vein, with organ chords that reached a boil. Wayne Shorter's “United” also falls into this category. And Joe Henderson's (1937-2001) “In 'N Out” picked up the “hard bop” focus in the second set.

     While he has appeared as a sideman at the Caton Castle on many occasions, Sean noted that this was his first appearance as the leader. Calling the tunes, Sean leaned heavily on his forte: Ballads. He performed two original ballads-- “Sharon” and “Gretchen”--dedicated to special women. Both tunes had an ebb and flow which teased a sultry trumpet tone that might be described in many ways-- all a variation on a single word, “sexy.” However, Jimmy Van Heusen's enduring ballad, “Darn That Dream,” showed Sean at his finest. With an unruffled tone as clear as a bell, his horn's articulation of the melody recalled jazz diva Billie Holiday's (1915-1959) take on the lyrics, filled with pathos. On a particular high note, Sean's intonation channeled the progenitor of the jazz trumpet: Louis Armstrong (1901-1971).

     In another original composition, “Liberty Avenue Stroll,” Sean pays a foot-tapping tribute to his Pittsburgh, PA musical connection; namely, its native son Roger Humphries, the drummer on Horace Silver's (1928-2014) classic recording, “Song For My Father.” Finally, the show also featured sit-in performances on “Speedball” and “On The Trail” by some young musicians associated with the Peabody Institute; that is, tenor saxophonist Ephraim Dorsey, alto saxophonist Ebban Dorsey and trombonist Christian Hizon. All passed the test. You could see that reflected in Sean's professorial smile.

     Yes, jazz at the Caton Castle is back. Come and hear for yourself.

Gregory L. Lewis  

     On April 2, 2022, the Caton Castle presented the John R. Lamkin, III Sextet, featuring Sean Jones on trumpet, Tim Green on alto sax, Robert Gilliam on tenor sax, Allyn Johnson on piano, Michael Bowie on acoustic bass and John R. Lamkin, III on drums. This group of regional all-stars relaunched the Caton Castle's regularly scheduled jazz shows after a two year hiatus due to pandemic restrictions. The pent-up desire to play and to hear the music was palpable, with the full capacity audience enthusiastically applauding John's opening exclamation: “It's been two years!” Then the volcano erupted.

     “All Blues,” the modal masterpiece from Miles Davis' classic album, “Kind of Blue,” led off the first set with a distinctive bass introduction that morphed into a three-horn statement of the melodic theme. Sean's muted trumpet then riffed in varying tones, shading the melody against the powerful rhythmic framing of John's pace-setting drums and the spacious comping of Allyn's piano, all anchored by the relentless downbeat of Michael's bass. Sean's extended solo recalled the exuberance of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard more than the “cool” of trumpeter Miles Davis, but both influences were apparent.

     Robert is the only relative newcomer in this group, having appeared at the Caton Castle on one previous occasion in a band that included Sean, his teacher at the Peabody Conservatory. At age 22, Robert now flexes a grown man's voice on tenor sax, with a hard tone on “All Blues” that flittered  harmonically in a yawning range. Tim Green, on the other hand, has been a Caton Castle regular for more than a decade. It was “long time, no see,” with Tim's alto sax chops dazzling the audience-- his intonation is masterful-- with the musical fruits of his sojourn in academia; his day job is on the same Peabody faculty with Sean.                  

     Thelonious Monk's “Evidence” featured Tim's alto sax in Bird-like (Charlie Parker) flight, rolling notes in the frenetic manner of the bebop master, while Robert's tenor sax articulated the melody in repeated middle-register riffs, with insistent embellishments. Sean's trumpet break was slurred in tone, suggesting the swagger of trumpet icon Lee Morgan. Allyn's piano excursion channeled the off-beat Monk with an element of rhythmic hesitation, building ascending tension that gave way to Michael's bass solo, thematically busy in its restatement of the rhythm. Through it all, the intricate refrains of John's pulsating drums and restless cymbals resounded. 

     It didn't take long for many of us to realize what we had missed during the extended live music drought. The explosive presence of this group was not just heard, but also felt. Even a few bars of “Happy Birthday” addressed to a lovely lady named Brittany drew an animated audience response.

     Sean's trumpet shined on two jazz standards by trumpet masters. “Up Jumped Spring,” Freddie Hubbard's waltz-like impression of breezes and flowers and birds aborning (or so it seems to me), showed Sean's trumpet in a dexterous mode, tone shifting from crisp to blurred to screeching in a sing-song pattern as whimsical as the weather in March. And Lee Morgan's “Ceora” introduced a Latin flavor to the proceedings, with Sean sifting the melody in a lilting solo that contrasted with Tim's harmonically trenchant alto sax and Robert's melody-stretching tenor sax, with its bracing tone peppered by blunted accents.

     On “Ceora,” Allyn's piano was typically expansive, with an airy phrasing that included abstract tinkling within the melody and the terse interjection of harmonious themes that were vaguely recognizable. This pattern was repeated on “Straight Ahead,” a galloping Horace Silver-type swing number that included a powerful drum solo.               

     For those who are partial to ballads, the group delivered two gems. “We'll Be Together Again” showcased the mellow tone of Tim's alto sax, located somewhere on the silky alto sax ballad continuum of “Cannonball” Adderley, “Sonny” Stitt and Jackie McLean. Secondly, “Body and Soul” featured Sean's bravura trumpet performance, captivating from its misty introduction which hinted at the melody of “Stardust Memories” before bursting into clear outlines of “Body and Soul.” Alternating between prolonged notes and brief ejaculations, Sean's lofty trumpet defined the classic ballad, adding flashes of staccato accents. Along the way, there was shadowing of familiar tunes and other melodic conceits that were ultimately resolved in a climactic flourish of the blustery horn. Indeed, the audience was treated to something special, and responded with a standing ovation.

     Jazz standards have a reflexive appeal to the predominantly gray-haired Caton Castle audience. They take us back down memory lane. Trumpeter John R. Lamkin, II, the father of this group's drummer, sat-in on a spirited rendition of “Bye Bye Blackbird,” a signature tune for Miles Davis in the 1950s. In this same vein, “Moanin',” pianist Bobby Timmons' swinging classic that was popularized by Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, closed out the show in a rousing fashion.   

     We know not what tomorrow may bring, but on this night jazz at the Caton Castle returned in all of its glory.

Gregory L. Lewis