Joe Magnarelli Returns to the SAJB
When a jazz band in Barcelona consisting of mostly teen and pre-teen musicians attracts many of today’s finest American jazz pros, you know there is something special going on — as it has been for nearly two decades.
Trumpeter Joe Magnarelli is one of those top-tier American musicians who has become a significant part of the Sant Andreu Jazz Band’s history. He first played as a guest in 2017. “I was working with a bass player from Spain named Ignasi Gonzalez,” he recalls. “We did a tour about every year and a half, and around 2016 he hooked me up with Joan Chamorro, and we did this video and recording…and that was the start of the relationship with Joan.”
During that first visit, he accompanied the band in concert on numbers including “Blues Generation,” “What’s New,” “Doralice”, “Lover Come Back to Me, and the Duke Ellington classic, “Mood Indigo”:
Like other jazz pros who have been invited to play with the SAJB, Magnarelli was pleasantly surprised by the level of musicianship he saw and heard in the young players. “I was very impressed, of course, especially with the brass players, how for a young age, how well they played, because a brass instrument takes a long time to learn, at least into your twenties, but I knew Andrea when she was 16, 17 — I heard her play, and she could really play. And I also heard Joan Mar Sauqué play when he was very young.”
On his first visit, he recorded several memorable numbers with the band at the Taller de Music’s studio, including “Autumn in New York,” “Misty” for Elia Bastida’s presenta album, “Groove Merchant,” “Whisper Not,” and “Spaceman Twist.”
“Spaceman Twist” stands out not only for the tight precision ensemble work of the 8-piece sax section that day, but because all of the solos, except for Magnarelli’s, were taken by the girls in the band — Alba Armengou (trumpet), Alba Esteban (baritone sax), Rita Payes (trombone), Carla Motis (guitar), and Abril Sauri (drums).
“They all deserve to play,” he says. “They played so well and knew the music, I mean really knew the music.”
“And of course,” he added, “I’ve known Victor Carrascosa since he was about six years old.” Victor is the son of accomplished musician, composer, and arranger Alfons Carrascosa, teacher at Taller de Músics and arranger for many SAJB selections.
Magnarelli recalls with a laugh, “I kicked Victor out of his bedroom one time ’cause I had to take a nap before a gig. I was on tour with his father. So I kicked him out of his room so I could sleep, and that’s how we met! I’ve known him ever since, and I can’t wait to hear him more and more as he gets older.”
He knows very well that the SAJB has maintained high level of quality through the years, even with its changing personnel. He says he isn’t usually fond of the term “jazz educator,” but praises Chamorro in that role.
“Look at the kids he’s turned out. I don’t know anybody else anywhere that had that many — obviously they have talent, but at such a young age I’m sure they couldn’t play, and they turn into potentially really great jazz musicians. So that record, to me, puts him on top. I don’t work with kid musicians ever, so this is very unique and special thing. And it’s heavy, too, man! It’s not like I’m playing with a bunch of kids. I go and it’s like, I make sure I’m horned up and ready to go, ’cause they play so good.”
He returned in 2019, shortly before the Covid pandemic would shut down a great part of the western world. During that visit, he recorded with the band at The Jazz House, the Jamboree, and at Jazzing Fest.
“I knew there was some young talent there, but that day when I got to the Jazz House, that was the first time I was really blown away by everybody, just incredible.”
The Jazz House videos were recorded when he was quite jet-lagged and had little sleep. “That day is the day I got into town, and I didn’t sleep on the plane. Joan said, ‘just come over, we’ll have a little rehearsal,’ and I got there and there was a video session set up, and if I look like I’m kind of out of it, that’s why (laughs). It was cool, but I wish he would have told me!”
The rest of us would be hard-pressed to detect any drop in the quality of his playing on selections including “Dexterity,” “Donna Lee,” “Anthropology” with a rare clarinet solo by Nil Galgo, “Foolin’ Myself” showcasing Alba Armengou’s superb vocals, and a few numbers for Joana Casanova’s presenta CD, including “Walking Shoes” and “My Romance.”
At the Jamboree, he added his talents to several numbers for the presenta albums by Joana, and Marcal Perramon.
On the Jazzing stage, highlights featuring Magnarelli and his horn included “Makin’ Whoopie,” “Land’s End,” “I Remember Clifford,” and a sizzling duet with Andrea Motis on “Hymn of the Orient,” allowing the two virtuosos to give it their all, side by side:
And, not least of all, Jazzing attendees were treated to both Magnarelli and fellow American guest Scott Hamilton. “Yeah, that was very nice. It’s really good for the kids because Scott’s such a master, he’s an unbelievable tenor player, so it’s really good for them to be playing with him.”
[Just a reminder — all of the musical performances mentioned in this article, but without their accompanying videos here, can be enjoyed on YouTube].
Magnarelli lives in Brooklyn, New York, and works mostly in New York tri-state area, so it’s not surprising that he knows recent Jazzing guests The EarRegulars, including Jon-Erik Kellso and Scott Robinson. “I haven’t played much with Kellso,” he says, “I love Kellso and we’ve worked together maybe once or twice, but I was on the road with Scott Robinson for years.”
He was in Switzerland when we spoke by phone the first week of October. “I’m going to be [in Europe] until December 1st,” he said. “I have a lot of stuff going on, I’ve made a lot of connections over the years. This particular period, about four different people who wanted to do something, and everything just kind of came together all at once. I have some days off, too, so it’s not like I’m working every day.”
As for what he has planned with Joan Chamorro for the October 30 gig, “I have no idea! All I know is I’m making a record at the Jamboree with these very talented kids he’s got. I’m sure it’ll be cool. Whatever it is, I’m sure it’ll be good.”
Chamorro referred to the mystery by teasing, “It’s always a surprise!” before detailing what he has in store. As it has been for his past visits, Magnarelli’s musical contributions at the Jamboree and Jazz House will be dispersed among several future SAJB releases.
“We will do a session at the Jazz House, and another live at the Jamboree,” Chamorro explains. “The idea is to record for 4 new CDs from the Joan Chamorro presenta collections: Lola Peñaranda, Claudia Rostey, Pau Garcia, and Elsa Armengou.”
The line-up of musicians will consist of Pau Garcia, piano; Arnau Julia, drums; Joan Chamorro, double-bass; Lola Peñaranda, tenor and clarinet; Claudia Rostey, trombone; Gerard Peñaranda and Elsa Armengou trompets; Sander Theuns, alto sax; Koldo Munné, baritone and clarinet; and Èlia Bastida, violin.
The set list break-down: Lola Peñaranda will be featured on “Star Eyes” (arranged by John Fedchock), “Open Sesame” (arranged by Joan Marti), and Joan Monné’s arrangements for “Early Autumn,” “In the Wee Small Hours” and “These Are Soulful Days.”
For Claudia Rostey, the band will play “A Child is Born,” “Waltz for Debby,” and “As Time Goes By,” all arranged by Joan Monné.
For Pau Garcia, they’ll play Monné’s arrangements for “Driftin’” and “The Nearness of You.”
And for Elsa Armengou, “Elsa’s Minor Blues” and “Elsa’s Major Blues.”
There won’t be much rehearsal time for Magnarelli, but he’s not concerned, considering his experience of stepping up for an improvised solo on cue, or providing back-up with a few well-placed touches for a tune on his trumpet or flugelhorn. “I just want to bring a good vibe and have fun playing music with the kids.”
If his past visits to the SAJB have been any indication, that’s just what will happen again.
Until next time…
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