THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 10, 1995 TAG: 9502080216
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 162 lines
ROBERT JOSPE SAID IT all started with the slaves from West Africa.
The rhythms they brought to the New World when they were kidnapped by slave traders formed the foundation of blues, gospel and jazz in North America and the basis for sambas, mambos, bossa novas and calypso in the Caribbean, Central and South America.
``That's what Africa gave to the whole world - its wonderful rhythms,'' Jospe said.
The nationally known jazz drummer/composer/session musician/music educator will be at the Chesapeake Central Library this Sunday as the main attraction in the Black History Month celebration sponsored by the Chesapeake Parks and Recreation Department and the Chesapeake Public Library.
Jospe (pronounced joss-PAY) will bring along longtime friend and colleague Kevin Davis on percussion to present another of his very popular ``World Beat Rhythm Workshops'' at 4 p.m.
Reached by phone at his Greene County home at the base of High Top Mountain, 20 miles northeast of Charlottesville, Jospe said his workshop has been a popular way to teach the origins of popular music in the Americas.
``We're going to explore the influence of African drumming and rhythms on the dance and popular music of North, Central and South America,'' Jospe said. ``And in looking at these rhythms and where they took hold, we'll explore the roots of jazz, R & B and gospel and how they influenced rock 'n' roll . . . and even rap and hip-hop rhythms.''
Jospe said he'll play a standard jazz drum kit along with a few more ethnic instruments.
``I'll bring with me a unique array of African log drums,'' he said. ``Kevin will play several classic examples of Afro-Latin percussion including congas, bongos, timbales and the shakere.''
Jospe promises this session will be more than just a music lesson with a beat. He said he and Davis will play all of their instruments with verve and vigor, discuss some of the history and origins of African rhythms and then involve and engage the audience.
He said he and his partner will perform African rhythms as well as percussive patterns from the United States, Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Brazil to show off the rhythmic structures of swing, jazz, rock, salsa, reggae, calypso, bossa nova and many more.
``When we play for school groups, the students just love it,'' he said. ``We have a good show. Basically we show the different beats, how they sound and how they feel. We offer a little history, a little geography and lots of drumming.
``The students get to see and hear two killer drummers. And all kids just love drums. We're just two drummers up there but we do fill up a show and get the audience to participate. Our program is for anyone in the family, for any age. We're just glad it works so well.''
Along with his ``Worldbeat Workshop,'' Jospe teaches jazz drumming at the University of Virginia and gives private jazz lessons to about 15 students a week at the Tandem School in Charlottesville.
The New York City native studied under jazz great/well-known Miles Davis drummer Tony Williams. Jospe has released his own solo album, ``Inner Rhythm,'' featuring an all-star cast of jazz greats and is also an in-demand session musician having played with the Brecker Brothers, John Abercrombie, Joe Henderson and Dave Liebman.
He has played with such diverse groups as the acoustic jazz/folk outfit Trapezoid, his own world beat group Inner Rhythms (which appears March 24 at the Chrysler Museum Theatre) and is currently involved with the progressive rock/R & B group TR3.
``We cut a new album last April and will play in New York on Feb. 24,'' Jospe said. ``I'm very excited about the group. And you never know what's going to happen with it.''
Jospe's catholic interest in all popular music forms came about during his formative years growing up in Connecticut and soaking up the multirhythms of nearby New York City. From Motown to the Beatles, he was attuned to it all.
``Most of my musical training came about just being on the scene in New York during the progressive '60s,'' he said. ``There was such a vibrant scene, it was great to be a student. I listened to as many people, groups and musical styles as I could.''
He said he got into drumming while in his teens and has been producing rhythms ever since.
``I really took to the drums. It was fun,'' Jospe said.
A meeting with now longtime friend and jazz trumpeter John Dearth in New York led Jospe to the rich and vibrant world of jazz.
``John knew about all the great black musicians and the Blue Note jazz artists,'' he said. ``I really took to it. John's influence was really profound.''
Nowadays Jospe said he really enjoys modern hip-hop and funk rhythms and loves to play dance back beats. In fact, he aspires to successfully meld jazz with modern pop rhythms.
``My dream is to create a popular dance instrumental hit,'' he said. ``I'm going to keep trying for that. I just love dance music and all aspects of jazz.''
He said he'll show off his profound love of rhythms this Sunday at the Central Library and show where it all came from.
``It all goes back to Africa,'' he said. ``It always goes back to Africa.'' MEMO: BALCK HISTORY PHOTO QUIZ
The Clipper's cover for ``Black History Month'' features the faces of
a number of prominent African Americans from the history of our country
and our city - politicians, scientists, educators, writers, social
reformers and entertainers.
Can you identify them and the accomplishments for which they are
remembered?
Turn to page 12 for the identifications.
[Answers appear on page 12.]
BLACK HISTORY PHOTO QUIZ ANSWERS
The Clipper's cover for ``Black History Month'' features the faces of
a number of prominent African Americans from the history of our country
and our city - politicians, scientists, educators, writers, social
reformers and entertainers.
See how well you did at identifying them and their accomplishments.
Photo quiz appears on page 11.
1. Hugo Owens - One of the first African Americans elected to
Chesapeake City Council.
2. Harriet Tubman - Abolitionist leader and organizer of the
``underground railroad, which aided slaves fleeing to free states or to
Canada.
3. Mahalia Jackson - internationally acclaimed gospel singer
4. Lionell Spruill - the first African American to represent the city
of Chesapeake in the Virginia General Assembly
5. Duke Ellington - jazz composer, bandleader and pianist
6. William E. Ward - The first African-American mayor of Chesapeake
7. Martin Luther King Jr. - Minister, civil rights leader, winner of
the Nobel Peace Prize.
8. Louis Armstrong - trumpet player, jazz singer
9. Booker T. Washington - educator, founder of Tuskegee Institute, a
vocational school for blacks in Tuskegee, Ala.
10. Willa Bazemore - The first African-American woman elected to
Chesapeake City Council.
11. W.E. Clark - One of the first African Americans elected to
Chesapeake City Council
12. Frederick Douglass - Author, orator, editor of the abolitionist
weekly, The North Star; U.S. minister and consul general to Haiti.
13. Malcolm X - Black Muslim leader and black nationalist whose ideas
and oratory contributed to the black pride and black power movements of
the 1960s.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo by LYNN BRUBAKER
Jazz drummer Robert Jospe will be at Central Library Sunday to
present his ``World Beat Rhythm Workshop.''
FOR THE RECORD
Here's Robert Jospe's most recent discography as bandleader,
group member or session musician:
1991 - ``Inner Rhythm'' (Tundra Records), Jospe's solo album;
``Shifting Currents'' with the jazz-fusion band TR3; ``Wisdom of the
Wood'' (Narada Records) by Paul Reisler; and ``Hawk'' (Narada
Records) by Trapezoid.
1993 - ``Blue Apples'' by Vicky Pratt Keating; and ``Family
Garden'' (Rounder Records) by John McCutcheon.
1994 - ``Pursuit of Happiness'' (Silver Wave Records) by Peter
Kater; ``Remembered Ways'' by Trapezoid; and ``Between the Eclipse''
(Rounder Records) by John McCutcheon.
CALENDAR
[For a list of activities planned in Chesapeake during February in
observance of Black History Month, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB