Editor’s Note: Jazz musicians often find it a sacred trust to honor their own who’ve passed away. Vocalist Roz Corral, who died this past September 27, was so memorialized. Over the years she’d become a NY fixture, playing major clubs, including the 55 Bar, where she established a residency. Corral also initiated the North Square Lounge Jazz Brunch at the Washington Square Hotel, playing there about twice a month for some 20 years.
By Andrew Poretz***A jazz memorial for the late jazz singer Roz Corral at Saint Peter’s Church (also known as “the jazz church”) made for a loving, if bittersweet, feast of great jazz, stories and warm reconnections. Corral, who died after a long battle with cancer, was a beloved figure in the New York jazz scene; her career started fairly late in life, but became quickly established. To honor her, singer Ben Cassara, guitarist Roni Ben-Hur, and pianists Amy Begel and Bruce Barth organized the memorial concert at Saint Peter’s (April 25), which has only just been restored after a devastating flood of more than two years ago.
Ari Silverstein, of nycjazztour.com, a longtime friend of Corral’s, served as emcee, with a number of her many jazz-performer friends and several family members lovingly paying tribute to her in song and story.
Pianist Bruce Barth, Ben-Hur and saxophonist Steve Wilson set the mood with the appropriate title, “A Time for Love,” followed by opening remarks by Silverstein and Amy Begel, a jazz pianist who’s also a therapist. An emotional Silverstein read lines from “Flor de Lis,” a Brazilian song Corral often used to close her shows. Begel declared, “Roz was my sister for 35 years,” and did a “show and tell” of a pink robe she had bought for Roz, but which the singer never had the chance to wear. Singer Val Hawk, in “Song on Your Lips,” used lyrics referencing C0rral, including the aforementioned “Flor de Lis.” A terrific quartet of singer Paul Jost, pianist Jim Ridl, guitarist Dave Stryker and bassist Paul Gill delivered a hot, bluesy rendition of “I Love Being Here with You.”
Irrepressible jazz legend Sheila Jordan, still swinging at 94, performed “Autumn in New York” with Ben-Hur and bassist Harvie S, while vocalist Ben Cassara (with a Barry Manilow-esque feel), Harvie S. and pianist 
Josh Richman, performed the sweet jazz waltz “Whistling Away the Dark,” from Darling Lili. Though Corral “hated the movie,” it was a song she loved. A great highlight of the concert was Australian jazz singer Jane Irving, a masterful jazz balladeer, with “So Many Stars.” She was accompanied by Richman, bassist Santi Debriano and guitarist Gilad Hekselman.
Blind singer Frank Senior, whose golden throat has a timbre similar to that of the late Lou Rawls, sang the Billie Holiday classic “You’ve Changed,” accompanied by pianist Dave Berkman, guitarist Peter Bernstein, bassist Jay Leonhart and trombonist John Mosca. The lineup stayed up for an excellent instrumental blues number written for the occasion, “Blue Roz.” Singer Marianne Solivan spoke emotionally off the cuff before singing. She revealed that after she lost a Jazzmobile competition and was feeling quite low, Corral reached out to her and helped her get her first gig. Solivan, with her rich, mesmerizing alto voice and a commanding presence, delivered a powerful rendition of “Throw it Away” (which was the perfect capper to the event).
In a family tribute, Darin Vigil, Corral’s nephew, told lovely anecdotes that made “Aunt 
Roz,” as many referred to her, come alive. Darin’s son Michael was quite close to his “mom away from home,” and had to compose himself. Other speakers at the memorial included Bruce Barth, who co-produced Corral’s only album, Telling Tales (available to all attendees for the taking), and Ben-Hur, who spoke of how Roz always forgave him, even if “she always pointed a finger at me.” He also read a touching piece his daughter, who was Corral’s goddaughter, wrote for the memorial.
It was Corral herself who took us home, thanks to a video of her singing “Yesterday I Heard the Rain” (in Spanish and English), recorded in a studio with Ben-Hur and Harvie S. An after-concert gathering at the nearby Draught 55, saw many of the attendees performing impromptu numbers. Roz Corral was clearly there in spirit.
Photos by Tracey Yarad
