Greg Bufford leads a jazz trio at Ricalton’s on Tuesday nights. Credit: Patrick Hilaire.
Something exciting debuted in South Orange this past August: Jazz Tuesdays at Ricalton’s Village Tavern.
Despite the fact that the event is new, organizer Greg Bufford wants you to know that Jazz Tuesdays represent a grand tradition.
Bufford, the drummer who leads a trio completed by Dave Braham (piano) and Hassan Shakur (bass), says the idea for Jazz Tuesdays started as a way to get jazz lovers, musicians, artists, writers, and dancers into one room. He calls it “a Renaissance.”
“The history is we started at Suzie Q’s in West Orange for one year,” said Bufford. Next Bufford and friends — more than 100 regulars — spread the positive vibe to Highland Place in Maplewood for six months. Now they have set up camp at Ricalton’s in South Orange, NJ.
“The bottom line … is there’s something called a scene,” said Bufford. “[Jazz pianist] Ramsey Lewis told me that jazz music came out of the social side of the African American.” Bufford said folks would come to clubs to “take the edge off, overcome obstacles and be ready to go back to work the next day.”
“When music really swings, a chemical reaction takes place in the body that fights stress and depression. The result or side effect is harmony, happiness and love.”
The other side of the “scene” is bringing creative people together. “We learn from each other,” said Bufford, who recalled one night recently when a special combination took the stage: Nat Adderley Jr., Russell Malone, Rocky Bryant, Kenny Davis and vocalist Ty Stephens.
“We all went to school that night. Call it night school. Call it church,” said Bufford. “For jazz musicians, it’s like the incubator where we refine what we do, and the requirements are different for this audience. They will let you know if you are playing well or if you are not.”
“It was the way I was raised in Philadelphia to play jazz. I’m just trying to recreate that incubator.”
A native of Harrisburg, PA, Bufford moved to Philadelphia after a brief period in Boston at age 19 to study with the legendary Philly Joe Jones, the most recorded drummer in history and one who was closely associated with Miles Davis and John Coltrane.
“He agreed to teach me, so how could I not? I lived in Germantown and could walk to his house. Think about it — all the great musicians that came from Philadelphia. I was around the people they grew up with and some of them were still there, so that’s when I became directly connected to that lineage.”
“It was such a beautiful scene and an environment so I’m thinking because it is the music of my people, jazz needs a nest, an environment to grow properly.”
Bufford recalls a time when he was 19 and playing at The Kings Rook in Philadelphia with Johnny Coles who grew up with John Coltrane, Red Garland and Philly Joe Jones. Eddie Green, who grew up with Bud and Ritchie Powell, was on piano. Victor Bailey, a fifteen-year-old who four years later would replace Jaco Pastorius in the group Weather Report, was on bass.
“Come Monday night, all the working musicians internationally known were coming back from tour.” On this particular Monday night, Bufford said that Bobby Durham, who had been out on road with Oscar Peterson, came in, followed by Philly Joe Jones who had been touring with Bill Evans.
Finally, “all these guys wearing black suits came in and I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’ Turns out they were the Count Basie Orchestra. We played for each other, and everyone played their hearts out. This incredible secret environment was the closest thing to heaven I have ever experienced.”
“And that’s just one example,” added Bufford.
Think such a confluence of greats isn’t possible in South Orange?
Think again.
Bufford can name an impressive list of local residents who are also top jazz musicians and tour with international stars. Bufford calls the Essex County suburbs the “neighborhood of super sideman.”
Just naming drummers, Bufford rattles off Ali Jackson who plays with Wynton Marsalis, Rocky Bryant who has played with Branford Marsalis and David Sanborn, Victor Jones who has worked with Stan Getz, Peyton Crossley who works with Ron Carter, plus Mark Johnson, Rudy Walker, T.S. Monk, and Vince Ector.
Bufford says there are even more if you look south to Union County and north to Montclair.
“They’re my friends; they come out and play. Occasionally we’ll have breakfast and tell stories that writers are never going to hear about.”
“Most of the people in our community don’t know us,” said Bufford, “but we’ve played with just about everyone.”
Bufford says that professional musicians have a chance to connect and exchange ideas, but he also want to “play it forward” as well.
“In my research almost every person — including myself — that became a musician had access to local places like The Kings Rook to stand outside and listen to the older guys or girls inside. Eventually they’d watch you grow up and they would pass it along to you, they would give you a chance.”
