Arts Alive San Antonio

By BETT BUTLER, Contributor

Dr. Katchie Cartwright’s new EP Rainy Afternoon might have been tailor-made for the COVID-19 era. Recorded in Austin shortly before the pandemic hit, it’s both soothing and energizing. Catchy melodies and Brazilian rhythms provide a perfect soundtrack for sequestering at home.

The title cut opens with cascading musical lines evoking rivulets of flowing water. Flutist Cartwright trades counterpoint with accordionist Jan Flemming over the effervescent percussion of drummer Fabio Augustinis. Next is the well-known “Tico-Tico no Fubá (Sparrow in the Cornmeal),” popularized by artists from the Andrews Sisters to the Grateful Dead. Both tracks are examples of choro, a musical genre born in 19th-century Rio de Janeiro which––like its slightly younger American cousins, ragtime and jazz––sprang from an amalgam of European influences, popular dance forms, and African rhythms.

Guitarist Marco Antonio Santos’ facile finger work shines in “Caminho de Casa,” and the trio of drums, guitar, and flute pay tribute to Cannonball Adderley in “Groovy Samba,” written by Sèrgio Mendes for the iconic saxophonist’s 1962 bossa nova album.

Cartwright and her husband/musical partner, saxophonist Richard Oppenheim, have contributed greatly to the San Antonio jazz scene since moving here fifteen years ago. She directs the A-JAM jazz mentorship program at Northwest Vista College, teaches jazz studies and ethnomusicology, and hosts Caminhos do Jazz Saturday mornings on KRTU 91.7 FM. He serves as president of the American Federation of Musicians Local 23. Together, they care for Cartwright’s 96-year old mother, a former Broadway actress/singer/dancer.

Just as the busy spring semester was getting underway, I was delighted for the opportunity to interview Cartwright––socially distanced, of course––for ARTS ALIVE SA.

Congratulations on the album, Katchie. It’s lovely, with a cool, relaxed vibe; slightly retro, reminiscent of the sixties, another tumultuous time in our history. What drew you to focus on Brazilian music here and now?

I’ve been loving and playing Brazilian music for many years. My grandparents brought back recordings from a two-year trip down the Amazon, and I was drawn in by the voices of Jobim and João Gilberto. My band had been playing this music for quite a while before we recorded these tracks.

Prior recordings and performances––many with Richard Oppenheim on sax––featured you singing jazz standards, originals, and songs in multiple languages; vocal music by John Cage; and improvising with Indian musicians on Ferlinghetti’s poetry. After years of singing, what led you to now focus on the flute?

Some life-changing things happened. I had cancer, which got me thinking how short life is. I felt I would have more longevity with the flute––that there would be things I could do with the flute that I couldn’t do with singing, especially as the voice gets older and loses flexibility. So, I returned to the instrument I had studied the most, where I felt I had the strongest technique.

Most folks probably recognize “Tico-Tico.” Was there a memorable version that inspired you to cover that tune?

There are so many great versions of that song. I love Carmen Miranda’s version, but my favorite is Bird’s (Charlie Parker’s) version with Machito. The feel has nothing to do with the original––I don’t think he even plays the form right––but I love it because he sounds like Bird, and Machito sounds like Machito.

I love the EP cover art, which alludes to “Tico-Tico:” a perky little sparrow perched in a puddle. It’s like a little inside joke.

Yes, isn’t it sweet? Barbara McMahon did the artwork.

Your flute solo on “Groovy Samba,” just by note choices and phrasing, hints at a big, bluesy sax sound. Having heard Rich play, I would imagine that Cannonball Adderley gets a lot of airtime around your house.

Well, here’s the thing. Before I married Rich, I studied sax. I’ve always been drawn to saxophone: Phil Woods, Lee Konitz, Yusef Lateef. So, my husband had nothing to do with that. But we both love Cannonball Adderley, and we both love all kinds of saxophonists. As a singer, saxophonists were my model, and I listened very carefully to many of them, including Cannonball Adderley.

What have you observed about the state of jazz in San Antonio? What kind of changes would you like to see?

Well, first of all, I don’t think it’s my place to call for changes in a scene that’s been around for as long as it has.

Yes, I think most folks don’t realize there’s been a strong jazz presence here since day one. San Antonio was the historical layover for musicians traveling from New Orleans to the West Coast, and many of them settled here.

But I’ve seen that certain inequities exist. It’s an uphill struggle for women in jazz everywhere, and San Antonio is no exception. When I first moved here, I was surprised at how few women jazz instrumentalists were out and about. But there are a lot of great players here, a lot of great people. That’s the main thing.

You’ve mentored many young musicians over the years. How does studying jazz benefit young people?

Jazz as a profession is not for everybody. It’s tough, like the arts in general. But art is important, and jazz is no exception. Training to be an improvising jazz musician prepares you for playing many different kinds of music. All over the world, jazz musicians play with musicians of other cultures. Jazz helps you develop a language you can all speak together, the language of improvisation. It allows you to interact with musicians of other cultures in ways that other genres don’t.

Why do you think it’s important to keep jazz alive and vibrant, and how can we support it and build an audience?

Jazz is the great American musical art form, the great artistic gift that the United States keeps on giving. But it’s tough to talk about building an audience during a pandemic. Great jazz clubs everywhere are closing their doors. Brent Watkins has done a great job here with Jazz TX, as Paula Sullivan has with Carmen’s de la Calle. But right now, we just have to do what we can to stay alive, and then support those venues when we’re able to go out again. What we don’t want is to have people performing when it’s not safe, or performing for less money.

Do you have any gigs coming up?

Like everybody else, I’m on hold right now. There’s a release party in the works, as soon as we’re all able to go out.

Besides being excellent musicians, you and Rich have a reputation for culinary competence and originality. What’s your food philosophy?

My food philosophy is that I like good food! But since the pandemic, I’ve been working full-time, and Rich has been doing a lot of the cooking. We use the New York Times cooking app a lot, and we both choose the menus, but he’s usually the chef.

Do you have a favorite recipe or technique you’d like to share? Because musicians gotta eat….

My signature recipe is probably chicken soup, but I don’t use a recipe. Just fill a big pot with water and some bouillon or stock, add some chicken (skinned), onions, bay leaf, a few peppercorns, red pepper flakes or a couple of fresh serranos, lots of carrots, celery, sage, thyme, and let it cook for a while. Add fresh dill when it’s all done and pour over noodles or rice.

(Download Rainy Afternoon from Amazon or Apple Music. Listen on Spotify.)

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