Herbie Hancock (left) and Evgeny Pobozhiy at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Guitar Competition on Dec. 4 in Washington, D.C.
Evgeny Pobozhiy, a 30-year-old from Seversk, Russia, took first place at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Guitar Competition on Dec. 3 in Washington, D.C.
Of the three finalists competing at the Kennedy Center, Pobozhiy demonstrated the most expansive range in terms of sonic dexterity and emotional immediacy. Each performer played a pair of compositions alongside a rhythm section consisting of drummer Carl Allen, bassist Yasushi Nakamura and pianist Reggie Thomas. The three also had to play one song with alto saxophonist Bobby Watson added to the combo.
Guitar Competition To Take Place December 2 3 In Washington, D.c.
Pobozhiy rose to the challenge as he began his first song—an adventurous makeover of Jimmy Rowles’ “502 Blues (Drinkin’ And Drivin’), ” which Wayne Shorter rendered on his 1966 LP, Adam’s Apple. The guitarist initiated the tune by stating the alluring melody unaccompanied before gliding across a midtempo waltz. He then unraveled the melodic material with a confident, well-paced improvisational zeal that included ear-grabbing textural manipulations. Toward the end, his passages gradually evolved into a howling testimonial that pushed toward the rock genre. It was a performance that immediately elicited rousing applause from the audience.
“He connected immediately in a way that you could feel his music, ” said Pat Metheny, one of the competition’s judges. John Scofield, Lionel Loueke, Russell Malone, Lee Ritenour, Stanley Jordan and Chico Pinheiro also served on the panel. Metheny mentioned that all of the finalist played well, but what put Pobozhiy above his competitors were communicative skills with both the audience and band.
“It’s one thing to get onstage and play your behind off; that’s all well and good. But that’s not enough, ” Malone added. “You have to communicate with the audience and the band. And [Pobozhiy] did both of those things. The judges also praised Pobozhiy for his deft interaction with the rhythm section and how he intertwined his passages with Watson on an enchanting reading of Steve Swallow’s “Falling Grace.”
Terence Blanchard, American Jazz Trumpeter Weaving Opera History
The second-place winner—27-year-old Max Light, of Bethesda, Maryland—projected the best guitar sound of the three. He wielded a thick, cobalt tone, which he often let linger with single notes during his improvisations, especially on his glowing treatment of Duke Ellington’s “Prelude To A Kiss.” Before that, Light demonstrated rhythmic agility as his fluid lines wended through the harmonic lanes created by Watson and Thomas, and the shifting 6/8 to 4/4 momentum of Victor Lewis’ spry modern-bop composition, “Hey, It’s Me You’re Talking To.” His performances netted him $15, 000 in scholarship funds.
Twenty-five-year-old Cecil Alexander, of Muskegon, Michigan—who won the third-place prize of $10, 000 in scholarship funds—demonstrated the strongest affinity for the blues. Toward the end of his brisk rendition of Herbie Hancock’s “One Finger Snap, ” he engaged Watson in some nifty banter as the rhythm section moved the pace from a blistering up-tempo to a mid-tempo shuffle. Unfortunately, Alexander’s sound got lost in the mix during the beginning of the tune. Once he emerged with a solo, though, his comely sound retained its presence. In addition to the blues, Alexander also showcased a love for deconstructing melodies into itty bits of fragmented notes. That came to the fore toward the beginning of his intriguing reading of Shorter’s “Infant Eyes.”
Given the nature of the electric guitar—and sometimes other accompanying gadgets—the competition’s risks were high, particularly if a performer was confronted with unexpected technical issues. Alexander alluded to some of those challenges during his soundcheck. “They were trying out my amp, and the power just wasn’t working; the speaker was busted, ” he said. “They tried another amp and the same thing happened. But you just have to stay in the moment. I just hoped that the sound coming out would be the one I heard in my head.”
The Herbie Hancock Institute Of Jazz International Guitar Competition
Before the announcement of the winner, the institute paid tribute to award-winning trumpeter, composer and film scorer Terence Blanchard, who was awarded the 2019 Maria Fisher Founder’s Award. Under the direction of pianist John Beasley, the tribute highlighted some cherished moments from Blanchard’s expansive discography. The gala’s core ensemble contained such noteworthy musicians as bassist Alan Hampton, trumpeter Billy Buss, pianist Victor Gould, singer Michael Mayo, drummer Colin Stranahan, and tenor saxophonists Walter Smith III and Dayna Stephens.
Gretchen Parlato’s soft yet piercing voice was electric on the moving rendering of the ballad “Ashe, ” from Blanchard’s score of A Tale Of God’s Will (A Requiem For Katrina). Lizz Wright also gave a majestic performance during “Detour Ahead, ” a song famously recorded by Billie Holiday, which Blanchard interpreted on his 1994 disc, The Billie Holiday Songbook. Cassandra Wilson, too, turned in a fine version of “On The Sunny Side Of The Street, ” which she sang on Blanchard’s 2001 disc, Let’s Get Lost.
The Herbie Hancock Institute Ensemble also delivered a feisty reading of Blanchard’s “If I Could I Would, ” a modern jazz piece characterized by a stubborn melody and a hard-boiled shuffle that the trumpeter taught students during his tenure as artistic director of the organization’s jazz performance college programs at the University of Southern California and Loyola University. After accepting the Fisher award, Blanchard led the ensemble through a blazing version of his edgy “Soldier.”
Herbie Hancock Institute Competition Spotlights Guitar This December
The gala also paid homage to late jazz and blues singer Joe Williams. With Emmy Award-winning actor and singer Keith David donning Williams’ signature attire (red blazer, white shirt and black trousers), his booming baritone led an ensemble through rip-roaring makeovers of “Every Day I Have The Blues” and “Alright, Okay, You Win.” Between those songs, he portrayed Williams, explaining his arrival to the music profession, as well as his time with Count Basie. DBWashington, DC – The 2019 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Guitar Competition and All-Star Gala Concert came to a thrilling conclusion following the announcement ofEvgeny Pobozhiy, 30, of Seversk, Russia, as first place winner of the Competition.Pobozhiy then joined the evening’s honoree, Terence Blanchard, and a host of jazz guitar legends onstage for a dazzling performance of Wes Montgomery’s “Four On Six.”
Presented by the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, the world’s preeminent jazz education organization, the Competition awarded more than $150, 000 in scholarships and prizes, including a $30, 000 scholarship and a guaranteed recording contract with Concord Records for the first-place winner. Internationally acclaimed guitaristsStanley Jordan, Lionel Loueke, Russell Malone, Pat Metheny, Chico Pinheiro, Lee RitenourandJohn Scofieldserved as the Competition judges.
Event at the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater featured a star-studded Gala Concert with the presentation of the Institute’s Maria Fisher Founder’s Award to multi-GRAMMY Award-winning trumpeter, composer and educatorTerence Blanchard. The evening featured stellar performances by a diverse group of all-stars including Musical DirectorJohn Beasley, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Keith David, Antonio Hart, Jane Monheit, Cassandra Wilsonand Lizz Wright. They were joined onstage by many of Blanchard’s former Institute students, among themBilly Buss, Alan Hampton, Lionel Loueke, Gretchen Parlato, Walter Smith IIIandDayna Stephens. These young artists have become leading names on the international jazz scene.
Evgeny Pobozhiy Tops Herbie Hancock Institute Of Jazz International Guitar Competition
Evgeny Pobozhiy performs during the 2019 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Guitar Competition at the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater on December 3, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Shannon Finney/Getty Images for Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz)
First place winnerPobozhiycaptivated the audience with his performances of “502 Blues” and “Falling Grace.” Second place winnerMax Light, 27, of Bethesda, Marylandperformed“Hey, It’s Me You’re Talking To” and “Prelude To A Kiss, ” and third place winnerCecil Alexander, 25, of Muskegon, Michiganperformed“One Finger Snap” and “Infant Eyes.” They were among the 12 outstanding, young guitarists from seven countries around the world who competed a day earlier in the Competition Semifinals at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian’s Rasmuson Theater. PianistReggie Thomas, bassistYasushi Nakamura, drummerCarl Allenand saxophonistBobby Watsonaccompanied each competitor.
The Gala began by shining a spotlight on emerging musicians. The Institute’s National Peer-to-Peer High School All-Star Jazz Quintet performed the Miles Davis standard “Seven Steps to Heaven” alongside saxophone great Antonio Hart. Among the nation’s most accomplished young jazz musicians, these students train with Institute teaching artists at public performing arts high schools across the country.
Speakers And Participants
The evening also showcased the Herbie Hancock Institute Ensemble, joined by vocalist and Institute graduate Michael Mayo, performing “I Remember You.” These gifted musicians from around the world receive full scholarships to attend the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance, the Institute’s master’s degree program at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music in Los Angeles. The students, who represent the next generation of jazz artists, study for two years with world-renowned jazz musicians, composers and educators.
Dee Dee Bridgewater, Musical Director John Beasley and Diego Urcola, a winner of the Institute’s 1997 Jazz Trumpet Competition, honored Louis Armstrong with their mesmerizing rendition of “What A Wonderful World.” Jane Monheit joined forces with Antonio Hart to pay tribute to Brazilian bossa nova with their performance of the Antonio Carlos Jobim classic, “Chega de Saudade.” Monheit then spoke about one of her musical idols, the late Joe Williams, who served as a judge at the Institute’s 1998 Jazz Vocals Competition that launched
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