Black/Note

In 1990, bassist Mark Shelby heard about a performance space in Los Angeles called the World Stage that was funded by drummer <a href="spotify:artist:6FmHMrX0jETx6WNGzyZKRs">Billy Higgins</a> and often featured open jam sessions. In August of that year, Shelby met trumpeter <a href="spotify:artist:3UWIJPLCM2sqqM1XUksAVw">Richard Grant</a> at the World Stage, and a couple months later they were joined by drummer <a href="spotify:artist:06zKa5bEBIn8j0iUdCR6cX">Willie Jones III</a> and altoist James Mahone. Jamming each night at the World Stage from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. gave the musicians an opportunity to form and solidify a group sound. They played their first gigs in January 1991 and among their first pianists were <a href="spotify:artist:6aIBBSprVv4xXTT6vzONXU">Eric Reed</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1qqT84M9p2fsXbfdxWnbCk">Kenneth Crouch</a>. However, by the time the group recorded its first set, 43rd and Degnan (for the World Stage label), <a href="spotify:artist:6WIsxwh72N5XtpOZirs3T4">Ark Sano</a> was Black/Note's regular pianist. When Grant received a scholarship to Rutgers in February 1992, he left the band. After a period as a quartet, <a href="spotify:artist:3AjNPP9Ip3hi81HMbTaJkp">Gilbert Castellanos</a> became the group's new trumpeter.

Along with the B Sharp Quartet, Black/Note gained some recognition in the mid-'90s as a fine hard bop and post-bop group comprised of young black players in Los Angeles who wanted to explore acoustic jazz. Black/Note has since recorded for Columbia (Jungle Music) and Impulse (Nothin' but the Swing), but lost some of its personality when <a href="spotify:artist:3AjNPP9Ip3hi81HMbTaJkp">Castellanos</a> left the band, which made it a less-distinctive (and part-time) quartet. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi