David “Fathead” Newman
St. James Episcopal Church
Friday, November 7
“I’m on tour about six months a year, but I don’t keep a rigid touring schedule these days — I try to stay out of the nightclubs as much as possible. I don’t drink anymore and I don’t smoke — the smoke mostly is what bothers me. I try to play concerts and festivals, because the venues are different and usually I don’t encounter so much smoke.”
In this, saxophonist David “Fathead” Newman, now in his seventies and blowing strong as ever, is not alone. Though many think of jazz as something confined to dingy, smoky basements and noisy nightclubs, the music as an art form has cultivated an audience that prefers more tranquil and lung-friendly settings. With pristine acoustics and divinely pure air, St. James Episcopal Church may be the perfect alternative venue.
Anchored by the legendary Texas tenorman’s appearance, St. James’ third annual jazz concert series promises to be divine as well. Starting Friday with Newman’s featured gig (7-9pm), the series continues the next day with the tenorman’s jazz education session (10am), and then later that night with Kyle Turner & Tunisa as well as the Fred Sanders Quartet. Sunday wraps things up with two services (10am, 7pm), featuring the supremely gifted Hope Morgan along with Sanders and Boyd Vance performing “The Sacred Jazz of Duke Ellington.”
Even with such bountiful gifts, however, “Fathead” Newman is clearly the series’ revelation. Among the Lone Star class of Arnett Cobb, King Curtis, and Don Wilkerson — and having shared stage time with Ray Charles, Ornette Coleman, T-Bone Walker, and Big Joe Turner — Newman’s credits are about as big as the sound of his horn. Better yet, the St. James show will see him reunited with fellow Ray Charles Big Band alumni James Polk and Martin Banks. And no smoke, only nice clean air. Not many gigs like that, huh?
“I’m leaving tomorrow, gonna be on the S.S. Norway on a Caribbean cruise for a couple weeks,” replies Newman. “Going to St. Thomas, St. Martin, St. Croix, and the Bahamas. Nice cruise. This will be my third time. It’s relaxing, it’s fun. It’s a paid vacation, really.”
Ah, the down and dirty life of a jazzman. — Christopher Hess
This article appears in November 7 • 1997 and November 7 • 1997 (Cover).