- Description
Tap Dance America is a reference work of bibliographic information and does not point to digitized versions of the items described. The Library of Congress may or may not own a copy of a particular film or video. To request additional information Ask a Librarian.
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Jazz Tap Ensemble at Jacob's Pillow 1993 / Lynn Dally [concert]
- Title
- Jazz Tap Ensemble at Jacob's Pillow 1993 [Concert]
- Performers
- Dally, Lynn
- Weber, Sam
- Grant, Derick K.
- Manning, Lainie
- Sumbry, Dormeshia
- Published/Created
- 1993-06-29
- Genre
- Concert
- Venue
- Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival
- Abstract
- June 29-July 3, 1993
Jazz Tap Ensemble
Lynn Dally, art. dir., with Sam Weber, Derick Grant, Lainie Manning, and Dormeshia Sumbry; with Doug Walter (piano), Eric Ajaye (bass), and Jerry Kalaf (musical director and drums).
A group of eight percussive artists, all virtuosos in their own right, mix and fuse their rhythms into a satisfying whole.
Sam Weber in "Samba" opened with a ripple of paddle and rolls and Jazz Tap Ensemble artistic director Dally added hips and drops heels, creating rhythms that Derick Grant syncopates, Lainie Manning accents slightly and Dormeshia Sumbry punctuates with the bold strokes of a conductor. Add a whish of brushes by Jerry Kalaf on snare drum, deep-toned plucks on the bass by Eric Ajaye and tinkles of the piano by Doug Walter, and they've created a rich-textured percussion orchestra.
Dizzy Gillespie's "Tin Tin Deo" had Weber, Manning and Grant tapping out sounds as delicate as a silver spoon rapping against porcelain. Unlike old-time hoofers who dance mostly in place, these dancers use the space. Three dancers who line up on the diagonal give way to two dancers who retreat.
At the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, the company, with the addition of Lainie Manning, presented a program that included their signature "Doxy" (choreographed by Eddie Brown, to the music of Sonny Rollins). "Tin Tin Deo" (choreographed by Dally to the music of Dizzy Gillespie), "Together Again" (choreography and improvisation by Grant and Sumbry), "Oleo" (performed by Weber and company to the music of Sonny Rollins), "Con Alma" (chor. by Dally and Weber to the music of Gillespie), "Tribute" (a valentine to dance in the movies conceived and directed by Dally with reconstructions by Weber and Sumbry), "Sweet Blues" (chor. Dally), "Standard Time" (chor and performed by Weber to music by Kaalif); and "Allo Blues" chor. by Dally for the ensemble to the music of Miles Davis.
These are dancers--and not just from the ankles down. Weber's attitude turns are as precise as his cramp rolls, Manning's pirouettes are done with quick brushes of the feet and Grant slides backwards--one leg in arabesque while the other types out sounds on the floor.
Amazing.
"Together Again" takes the tempo up in a slip-sliding duet for the bright-eyed Grant and 17 year old Sumbry that's executed with smooth-strutting assuredness and quick-fired timing, while Dally cools it down with "Another Summer" a wistful soft-shoe that moseys around the stage with nowhere to go.
There's breathing space in this concert for musicians to play alone. And there's flexibility too, as Weber joins the musicians' African drumming orchestra as Grant-- his mane of dreads flying-- laps arms and circles round to propel himself into high-flying barrel turns. The effect? Afro-tap.
Because the jazz music is best experienced in an intimate setting with musicians turning inward to explore and improvise, Jazz Tap Ensemble on the concert stage loses some of its intimacy. Preferring to listen to the sounds of heir own feet, their public explorations often get replaced with big I-want-to-please-you smiles.
"Tribute" a tap take-off on tap dancers in the movies, presented the smiling mask of the Hollywood tap dancer and was the most presentational offering of the evening and the weakest. Weber's rendition of Fred Astaire's solo from "Top Hat" feigned the outward charm of Astaire but failed to capture the subtle brilliance of his technique. Sumbry and Grant delivered an all-too fast and overly-grinning version of Coles and Atkins "Taking a Chance On Love" known to be the slowest soft-shoe by the smoothest class act team in the business. Only Weber's improvised solo "Autumn Leaves" looked natural, unpushed.
(Constance Valis Hill, "Jazz Tap Ensemble Pops Out Rhythms" Albany Times Union 7/1/1993.)
Last Updated: 12-16-2015