Warren, Ohio-born trumpet maestro Sean Jones is 30 years old, but his command of jazz and its history belies his age. Jones has released five albums – his most recent being last year’s The Search Within – each abundant of tradition and steeped in history. Jones is a self-described “there and back Clevelander,” who has worked as a bandleader with a venerable who’s who of musical talent. As a sideman, Jones has bared his soulful embouchure for Grammy winners including vocalist Nancy Wilson and ultimately became the lead trumpeter in jazz great Wynton Marsalis’ Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
Now Jones has returned to Cleveland to helm the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra as artistic director, and giving a much needed lift to the 25-year-old group, while giving his manic, “wherever I lay my head, true citizen of the world” musical schedule a rest.
OhioAuthority recently caught up with Jones in Pittsburgh (where he splits his time as a performer and educator) to talk about his return to northeast Ohio and the CJO’s upcoming Valentine’s Day-inspired program, “It’s All Love” at the Hanna Theater.
OA: What brought you back to Cleveland, and to the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra?
SJ: Two words: I care. I have performed in a lot of different places, and I think it’s important for there to be other cultural centers in the country outside of New York for high quality jazz. We need more resident programs that we can be proud of in the jazz tradition. We have the annual Tri-C JazzFest in Cleveland, which provides a lot for us as residents. But the idea of presenting solid, accessible programming – preserving the big band orchestral format all year long – really seemed appealing to me.
OA: You have a history with former CJO Artistic Director Jack Schantz and local sax great Ernie Krivda. What role if any did the two of them play in your return to Cleveland?
SJ: They gave so much to me as an up-and-coming artist, opportunities that had a big impact on me. I know they’re both at a point that, while they’re not exactly retired, they both want to devote more time to their families. Yet, they’re both still working tirelessly to get jazz music to the masses. Working as hard as they do, sometimes the people outside the core audience you’re trying to reach simply tunes out. Their early influence helped me decide that sometimes a new voice is needed to revive the dialogue and help people listen in a different way.
Jazz is a vital and significant part of why America is the way it is now. It’s the sonic thread of American society.
OA: Are there any “best practices” you’ve gleaned in your time with Wynton and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra that have become part of your artistic quiver with the CJO?
SJ: Definitely. That group thinks out of the box, especially in terms of programming. Wynton understands that the general public does not necessarily understand the significance of a name like Count Basie. They may not understand the importance of [jazz pianist and bandleader] Tad Dameron. But put on a concert of nursery rhymes in concert, and you’ll have parents say, “Hey, I can get into that.” It’s the same thing with love songs, which we’re doing with the CJO. You know, “Hey baby, let’s get out and get in the mood.” The idea is to present jazz in a format not specific to jazz, offer a more universal experience through the medium of jazz.
Another thing I gleaned is that relentless pursuit of preserving jazz music in a real way. Jazz is a vital and significant part of why America is the way it is now. It’s the sonic thread of American society. I really truly believe it is our voice, and if we want to be heard around the world, we’ll continue to use our own voice. Today, people are using money to try to talk and look what that’s gotten us! It’s the culture. People love America because of its culture. Think about jazz like you do gumbo – people love it because it has chicken, sausage and shrimp all in the same pot. Every bite is a little different, but it’s all good… When people talk about Vienna, they talk about the Waltz. When they talk about Brazil, they’re talking about the Samba. And with Mongolia, the talk is all about the Gamelan… It’s the same with jazz music.
OA: Talk about goals for the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra as it celebrates its 25th anniversary season.
SJ: I want to give the organization back to city of Cleveland. For whatever reason, over last few years, it fell into a state where they were catering to small group of people. I think that funding has a lot to do with that… but offering a universal approach can allow the CJO to find its way back into the hearts and minds of all Clevelanders in a meaningful way. I think that another immediate goal is to diversify how we exist, which means expanding our means of raising funds, so that our core constituency is not the only group that wants to donate to us. All nonprofit organizations are struggling these days; this means business models have to change in order to survive.
This is not a Cleveland thing, this is worldwide. In 2010, you need to figure out how to brand the product in a way to appeal to a larger audience. The big band aesthetic is versatile and we’re making it current again. Jazz musicians are a diverse group with a unique skill set. To that end, people have to care about our product enough to invest in it. We live in a buy/sell society, so if it doesn’t mean anything to the people, you’re gonna be out of business.
OA: How’s your leadership with the CJO impacting your career as a recording artist and educator?
SJ: I think it is forcing me to realize what is truly important in life. Over the past two years, I’ve realized that the road is not a glamorous as I once thought it was. It’s nice to rehearse downtown, then go home and sleep in my own bed at night. It’s nice to see the same faces on the stage and in the audience, and create sustainable relationships. This speaks to me and how I was raised, with a focus on community, on family.
OA: Your experience certainly ups the ante for the CJO, which already was performing at a consistently high level. What will concertgoers – some of whom have seen the CJO in the past – experience with this “turning the page” as your marketing collateral suggests?
SJ: I think they’re going to experience a wide range of emotions, a broader experience of jazz tradition in a single concert. With our “It’s All Love” program, you’re going to hear portions of John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme, along with some Frank Foster, [Duke] Ellington, and one of my original pieces. Sure, you’re getting “love songs,” but all at once, you’re getting a historical span of music and diversity of styles from the ‘30s up through 2010 all at once as well, which will always be the goal. We’re aiming for listeners to come away with an understanding that the concert had a specific theme, and spoke to their sense of humanity through jazz as well.
The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra continues its 25th Anniversary Season at the Hanna Theater Saturday, February 13. Visit www.clevelandjazz.org for details and ticket information.
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