Eddie Jefferson

Eddie Jefferson

Dummy George's The return engagement of Roy Brooks' Artistic Truth featuring Eddie Jefferson at Dummy George's comfortable lounge on Detroit's northwest side proves again that there are plenty of folks in the Motor City who appreciate real creative music and support it to the hilt if they know that it's happening and where they can get it.

Jefferson, of course, is the legendary jazz vocalist who fitst started putting words to classic jazz solos, creating what he calls "vocalese" in the process. Until recently he was known here mostly through a long series of records made in the 50's and 60's with sax-flute master James Moody and, more recently, under his own name.

Earlier this year, though, Detroit drummer Roy Brooks brought him in to open his Music Station after-hours club, and the appearance generated a wave of interest soon reflected by frequent requests for his songs on Detroits "Jazzy One,"WJZZ-FM. An interview with Jefferson ran in The Sun's Kulchur section Sept. 3, the same week he opened with Brook's Artistic Truth at Dummy George's for five days. They packed the club so tight that they were asked to come back at their earliest opportunity.

So, after christening the relocated Music Station in its new location at the Midtown Theatre, Jefferson and the Brooks crew went back to Dummy George's place for 10 more days. They will be carrying on there until this Sunday, and you can bet every self-respecting hipster in town will be on the set.

While Eddie Jefferson may be doing to Detroit 's music scene what The Bird did to baseball in this town, he gets a lot more support from his band than Fidrych usually gets from the Tigers. Brooks, of course, is the everwatchful perfectionist, switching off on drums and percussion- and vibes with Lawrence Williams, while the bottom is held totally together by the young wizard of the bass, Ralphe Armstrong (formerly with the Mahavishnu Orchestra). Trumpeter Cass Harris continues to develop a sizable reputation as an expressive soloist, Vince Bowens is a solid tenor ophonist, and the very agile pianist Ken Cox has returned from the executive woodshed to cover the keyboard situation with aplomb.

And anybody might drop in, like Joe Lee Wilson, a creative young singer just back from a tour of England, or Paul Leonard, a master hoofer now based in Detroit who knows how to tapdance the way Jefferson did back in the 30's and 40's.

There isn't space enough to go into all the beautiful music they put together each night- so do yourself a favor, and get on down there!

-Frank Bach