• Blame It On Terell Stafford

    March 14, 2011. Posted by Becca Pulliam.

    Add new comment | Filed under: Great Live Moments, Jazz Alive

    jazzStafford_160x130Terell leans back and plays from his knees - I remember observing on this night in March, 2008, at the Kennedy Center Jazz Club - and paints with the bell of his horn. Bruce Barth is the pianist, Phil Palombi on bass, Dana Hall on drums. Another time I appreciated Terell, he was with the Clayton Brothers quintet and a local orchestra closing  the Detroit Jazz Fest. The piece was John Clayton's dedication to Hank, Thad and Elvin Jones. The audience hung on every note of Terell's solo - fast, brilliant and driving on a cool Labor Day night.

    "Blame It On My Youth" is by Oscar Levant (1906-72), the pianist, film composer, acid-tongued comedian, TV guest and host, and - as  Gary Burton would say when he performed this song - "all-around strange guy." Jack Paar signed off his late night TV shows, "Good night, Oscar Levant, wherever you are."

    Tuesday night, Terell Stafford is at the Village Vanguard.

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