Herbie Mann
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Herbie Mann, credited as being one of the seminal jazz flutists, is probably best known for the musical odyssey that has taken him around the world. Long before the concept "worldmusic" was coined, he was exploring the rhythms and harmonies of Africa, India, Cuba, Jamaica, the Middle East and Japan. But the country whose music has most influenced his playing and most touched his heart is Brazil - more about this later.

Herbie Mann was born in Brooklyn, New York, on April l6, l930, as Herbert Jay Solomon. He expressed his love of music by using the only resources available -- pots and pans. In an attempt to pacify disgruntled neighbors, his mother tried to re-channel his musical interests by taking him to a Benny Goodman concert at the Paramount when he was nine years old. It worked and two weeks later he had a clarinet. Though the academics of music were never appealing to Herbie Mann, his love of playing and music were what turned his focus eventually to the tenor saxophone and later to the that instrument with which he's been so identified, the flute. By fourteen he was playing tenor at gigs in the Catskills and in l948 he entered the US Army where he spent nearly four years in Trieste, Italy, playing with the 98th Army Band.

Once he was out of the Army and back on the New York music scene, he worked hard at carving out a place for himself. However, like so many other tenor saxophone players of that time, Herbie Mann's style was derivative of Lester Young's so it was difficult to stand out from the rest. When the Dutch accordionist, Mat Matthews, told him he was looking for a jazz flute player for the first album by the then unknown Carmen McRae, Herbie Mann immediately jumped at the opportunity and spent days "woodshedding" before going into the studio. With this opportunity he was able to distinguish himself from other players as a jazz flutist, of which there were only a handful.

Herbie Mann's reputation as a flutist took a distinctive turn in l958, when he followed legendary jazz DJ Symphony Sid Torin's suggestion that he add a conga player to his group. This added rhythmic element boosted Herbie Mann's popularity and the list of Latin percussionists who played with him in the late 50's and 60's reads like a Who's Who of the genre: Candido, Ray Barretto, Olatunji, Potato Valdes, Willie Bobo and others. Audiences around the world loved this sound. It was during this period that he recorded the legendary HERBIE MANN AT THE VILLAGE GATE album and did a month long tour of Africa for the State Department.

Despite his increased popularity, Herbie Mann felt frustrated by the simplicity of the Latin and African melodies and the monotony of their rhythms. So, in l961 when he heard about a tour of American players going to Brazil, he convinced his manager, Monty Kay, that he had to go, too. This experience changed his musical life more than any other experience before or since. At last here were complex, beautiful melodies supported by compelling rhythms!

One trip wasn't enough so soon after his return he convinced his record company, Atlantic, to sponsor an extended visit to Brazil to record his next album. On this trip he met many of Brazil's then emerging musical talents including Sergio Mendes, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and Baden Powell.

Contact Grabow for more information or to book Herbie Mann for your next corporate or private event.

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