The Daily Herald
May 27th, 2004

No limits

BY BARBARA VITELLO
Daily Herald Staff Writer

Posted Thursday, May 27, 2004

Jazz doesn't have much use for the banjo.

In a genre where the tenor saxophone, piano, trumpet and voice dominate, the banjo - an instrument generally associated with bluegrass and folk - registers barely a blip on the musical radar.

That makes Tuey Connell an anomaly. But in his case, "jazz banjo player" is no misnomer.

Since shifting to jazz during the '90s, the bluegrass banjo prodigy turned crooner has carved out a niche for himself that encompasses blues, folk and bluegrass, while still remaining rooted in jazz and American standards.

"I love the sound of good bluegrass played well, whether it's traditional or the more contemporary 'newgrass,' with mandolin players chucking away and the banjos driving," said Connell, who headlines Pops for Champagne today and Saturday.

But, continued Connell, "I sing and play the banjo in an idiom completely outside the norm for the instrument."

Relegating the banjo to a specific musical genre means people don't always recognize its potential.

"If you look at the banjo in its (primary) context, which is folk and bluegrass music, one could say it's kind of simple," said Connell, a Connecticut native and former Chicago resident.

But that ignores the contributors of seminal musicians like renowned banjo player Earl Scruggs, who with guitarist Lester Flatt made up one of the most influential bluegrass ensembles of all time; avant-garde player and teacher Tony Trischka; and Bela Fleck, the premiere player whose music ranges from traditional bluegrass to avant-garde jazz.

Their music demonstrates how far the instrument has evolved beyond simple, three-chord songs, said Connell, whose introduction to banjo music came courtesy of "The Ballad of Jed Clampett," Flatt & Scruggs' theme song from TV's "The Beverly Hillbillies."

"These people are trying to push the banjo into a different setting," said the singer/composer who's doing his part by transcribing some of Scott Joplin's piano rags for the banjo.

His latest CD, "Under the Influence" - underscored by a great sense of swing and Connell's pleasant, unpretentious baritone and featuring a touch of the blues and a breezy, West Coast cool - reflects his determination to combine voice and banjo in a "harmonically and rhythmically challenging setting."

His eclectic tastes date back to his childhood. Music played a big part in the lives of Connell family members, especially young Hugh (named after his father and nicknamed Tuey, as in Hugh, too), who grew up listening to Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, Wes Montgomery, Bill Evans, The Kingston Trio, Flatt & Scruggs, Benny Goodman and others.

He took piano lessons as a child but disliked his teacher so much he nearly gave up music until his folk-loving mother, who sang in church and played guitar at hootenannies, suggested he switch to the banjo.

She never imagined it would become his career.

"After college, when I decided to become a full-time working musician, my parents thought the instrument thing had backfired," Connell said. "Now they're thrilled."

Then as now, Connell spent hours practicing and composing.

"There's so much out there for a musician to learn," said Connell, who still rehearses from two to six hours a day. "Part of it is transcribing, part of it is maintaining the mechanics of playing a stringed instrument."

"The banjo is a very challenging and demanding instrument," he said, and practicing it took a toll on his social life.

"I was definitely a geek in high school and college," laughed Connell, whose sense of humor helped him endure taunts from family and friends.

"I didn't mind getting teased," he said. "The banjo is such an easy target, but I didn't care. I loved playing it."

Once his friends realized how well he played, they changed their tune.

Eager to experience life in the Midwest, Connell enrolled in Lake Forest College. After graduating with degrees in music and English, he took a job as a bartender and began playing in Chicago clubs.

Never a strict traditionalist, Connell counts Fleck, hard-bop guitarist Montgomery, Pat Methany and vocalist Mark Murphy among his influences.

"One of the things I learned from Mark is the vibe," Connell said. "He's all about getting into a vibe and telling your story.

"Mark is a master at setting a tone or mood, regaling you, bringing you down, then picking you up."

But the singer who had the greatest impact was 1950s and '60s balladeer Johnny Hartman.

"He recorded a few great records, but he never got his due," Connell said. "I do a lot of his repertoire out of respect for him and love for his music."

On the advice of a college professor, he applied to the Illinois Arts Council and received an Artist Fellowship Grant for his contemporary banjo compositions.

"The Illinois Arts Council opened the door for me to walk through," said Connell, crediting the organization with jump-starting his career.

He quit his job and used the prize money to record his first CD. Invitations to perform at festivals in the United States and Europe followed, along with requests for him to play on other musicians' CD and on radio and TV jingles.

For his second CD, he turned to engineer David Baker, who also co-produced the record. Unbeknownst to Connell, Baker sent the masters to several labels, including Germany's Minor Music, which released "Is This Love?" four years ago.

He performed regularly in Germany, where he played occasionally with pianist Steve Klink and his Cologne-based trio, with whom he recorded 2003's "Under the Influence."

"I think a record should have a flow," said Connell, who relocated to New York City several years ago. "I always loved the Beatles' concept of throwing different things into their records and not making it all one tempo, one groove or one like-minded set of lyrics."

Why settle for one style of music when you can select from a smorgasbord?

Like Connell says, "cross pollination is a good thing."

He should know.

Tuey Connell

Where:

Pops for Champagne, 2934 N. Sheffield Ave., Chicago

When:

9 p.m. today and Saturday

Tickets:

$10. (773) 472-1000

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