Home Field Advantage

BRASS STAR: A young John Swana came home from a Mummer's Day Parade blasting a plastic horn. The trumpet has been his passion ever since.
Photo By: Michael T. Regan

Trumpeter John Swana serves up Gumbo at the new-look Chris' Jazz Cafe.

by Shaun Brady

You can't get much more Philly than John Swana's new CD. The cover alone contains two references to our fair city, in the band's name (The Philadelphians) and the album title (Philly Gumbo Vol. 2). Then there's the tune named for Ortlieb's Jazzhaus, the Northern Liberties club where Swana is a regular.

And if that's not enough local cred for you, there's the story of how the Norristown native came to pick up the trumpet in the first place: As a kid, "I went to a Mummer's Day Parade, and you know how they give those plastic trumpets out? I got one of those and I blasted it around the house. I was digging it, and I realized that that's the same thing you do for trumpet, so I wanted to play."

But more important than any of that is the sextet of local jazz luminaries assembled for this recording. As Swana recalls, Criss Cross Jazz label head Gerry Teekens was initially reluctant about releasing the first Philadelphians CD. "When I came in and said I think we should do this, [Teekens] was like, "Well, you know, these guys aren't really New York cats.' ... But he's open with me if I'm confident in what I want to do. So I had to push him a little bit, but then he was completely happy."

Released in 2001, Philly Gumbo sold so well that Teekens approached Swana about recording a follow-up. The original featured pianist Sid Simmons, bassist Mike Boone, drummer Byron Landham and local landmark Bootsie Barnes on tenor. But for the sequel, Swana decided to go one better with the addition of second tenor Larry McKenna. Despite their mutual longevity on the local scene, Barnes and McKenna had never recorded together. Larry and Bootsie "have been playing together for years," explains Swana. "They play well off each other because they're different, but they complement each other. And I felt that they should be documented."

Rehearsals were held at the home of Rachel Bliss (who also shot the CD cover photo), a local artist and mother of Swana's daughter. The tune "127 W. Wilt Street" commemorates the experience. Swana says Rachel "would make this great spread, and we'd eat and hang, and then we'd rehearse some more. I had the most fun doing the rehearsals, in a way."

The Philadelphia influence dictated a straight-ahead, hard-bop style. "The traditions in Philadelphia kind of hold that that's the way to play to the audience," according to Swana. "It partially defines the way I play, because I do a lot of other things. You wouldn't know it; everybody thinks I'm just a straight-aheader. But generally I know the vibe that I feel comfortable with in clubs. Maybe because I've been doing it so long, but I feel like it's the stuff that can go over and that can still be creative. But there's definitely some boundaries to it."

The sextet, with Rodney Green replacing Landham on drums, will celebrate the CD release at Chris' this weekend. Although generous with praise for his fellow musicians, Swana has a harder time defining his own sound. "I'm not an extreme individual. I feel like, if I listen to myself, I hear influences like Freddie Hubbard, Tom Harrell, Miles Davis and some Kenny Dorham.

"I just hope it's honest. I just try to play as honest as I can play."

Chris' Jazz Cafe will also be celebrating. The club is renovating, with the performance space moved from a cramped corner near the bar to a larger area in the back of the room, where a stage and lighting will soon be installed. A new sound system should be in place by this weekend. "It feels like a jazz club now," according to owner Mark DeNinno. "Before, it felt like a restaurant/bar that had jazz going on up front." John Swana recalls the drawbacks of the old set-up: "I was playing there one night and some guy literally ran into me when I was taking a trumpet solo." DeNinno says audiences have responded enthusiastically. "Now when you're charged $25 to see Pat Martino, you can actually see Pat Martino." He worked in partnership with artistic director Glenn Gerber (who DeNinno refers to as the "vibe director") to maintain intimacy while opening up the space. "It's the same comfortable feel. It's just not shabby."

John Swana and The Philadelphians
Philly Gumbo Vol. 2
(Criss Cross Jazz) With a three-horn frontline, you might expect John Swana's second Philly Gumbo CD to devolve quickly into a hard-blowing display of pyrotechnics. But the trumpeter has assembled a sextet that shares his own innate musicality and control. The pairing of Bootsie Barnes and Larry McKenna pays off immediately on "Sid's Dilemma" as the two veteran tenors trade licks in a lovely melodic conversation. Highlights include "Quasimodo's Uncle," with a loping gait over which Swana navigates some knotty turns, and bassist Mike Boone's "Mingus and Jaco," a midtempo piece that leaves the soloists plenty of space to breathe.

John Swana featuring Bootsie Barnes and Larry McKenna, Fri.-Sat., April 22-23, 9 p.m., $12-$15, Chris' Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom St., 215-568-3131.