Will Friedwald’s Clip Joint Honors Jon Hendricks and Dave Lambert in Free Presentation on January 16 at Jazz at Lincoln Center

Will Friedwald photo by SL Cashman — Photo by SL Cashman

An upcoming edition of Will Friedwald’s ongoing Clip Joint series presents The Jon Hendricks Memorial & The Dave Lambert Centennial – a Celebration of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. The free presentation is at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Tuesday January 16, at 7 PM. In addition to Friedwald’s commentary, the evening will also feature music samples and a collection of classic and rare footage of the group that Friedwald considers “the greatest vocal group in the history of jazz.”

Lambert, Hendricks and Ross became a revolutionary force in vocal music during the late 1950s and early ’60s. The group applied the concepts of bop harmonies to vocal music, transforming a plethora of jazz instrumentals into songs. Arranger Dave Lambert wrote distantly related vocal lines for each voice, which remarkably came together in the final product. Jon Hendricks (who recently passed away) wrote lyrics to such pieces as “Cottontail,” and “Moanin’,” while the still-performing vocalist Annie Ross penned the words to “Twisted.” The group’s debut LP was released in 1957. The trio was active until 1964 (with Yolanda Bavin replacing Ross in 1962). Lambert died in a tragic traffic accident in 1966.

Will Friedwald has been presenting the Clip Joint series for years in various venues. He has long curated video clips, amassing an extensive vintage collection which illustrate the artistry of the performers and writers of the American Songbook. The series is now resident at The 92nd St. Y as part of the organization’s Continuing Education Series. Friedwald is a feature writer for The Wall Street Journal and Vanity Fair and the author of nine books on popular music. He has written over 600 liner notes for compact discs, received ten Grammy nominations and appears frequently on television and in documentaries.

Jazz at Lincoln Center, Irene Diamond Education Center, Broadway at West 60 St.,212-258-9800, www.jalc.org