Avant-garde jazz musicians are a special breed of human beings and Dr. Ana-Isabel Ordonez, co-founder of Ruby Flower Records would be the first to admit it. She endorses, "You have to be spaced and very special anyway to keep up with the avant-garde."

It is because of avant-garde jazz musician's special talent to express emotions and action in chordal form which inspired Ordonez to select such artists to perform music live during the showing of her film documentary, "Shades of Jazz on Noir" in theaters around the world. She recognized that these musicians have a perception for the eclectic plane, which is able to embody the intensity and drama portrayed in noir films. Their improvisations increase the penetration of noir films on audiences. Ordonez brings these two art forms together in her project "Shades of Jazz on Noir" setting a new pedagogical standard in art.

Ordonez discerns, "Images and music can be used as motivational tools to elicit eye contact, cause/effect skills, and peer interaction. For musicians, the access to a repertoire of media resources significantly enhances the abilities to communicate. Expressiveness and receptive language are approached by imbedding the desired response into music as a way of providing a syncopation and breaking in the unexpected."

With this in mind, she set out on a project that would show how film and improvised music can move along parallel lines with the music enhancing the visual images on the screen. She received a grant from the Luxembourg European Cultural Capital 2007 to make her project, which became the documentary-performance piece, "Shades of Jazz on Noir." The documentary displays the femme-fatale figure that was depicted in noir films through the 1940's and 1950's.

"Shades of Jazz on Noir" is a touring performance piece that combines film with a cast of live musicians. The show is being presented in select venues around the world with a group of musicians that vary at each location.

Ordonez addresses, "'Shades of Jazz on Noir' is the second installment of a film noir and jazz series created for the Luxembourg European Cultural Capital 2007. The film presents excerpts from the classic film noir works of the 1940s and 1950s crafted to express the fatality, passion, and danger created by directors who pioneered the lively lighting techniques and psychologically expressive approach to classic noir."

She describes about the genre, "Film noir's aesthetics are deeply influenced by German expressionism, but despite the overwhelming presence of avant-garde jazz at the time, the link between improvisation and film noir is absent, as Hollywood studios imposed traditional romantic scores, which didn't fit the angular depiction of these stylish crime dramas."

She explains, "Since this documentary is a silent film, the improvised music brings another art form and dimension to the experience and adds to it the musical score, which will create the intangible feeling that those film noir represented visually. The history of film and music combined has always existed. The element of original improvised 'jazz' adds the sense of hearing to the visual, to which the audience members can respond as a collective or individually. The audience can interpret this experience as they individually or collectively feel. There is no right or wrong in the interpretations. Every interpretation and experience will be sole and subjective to the participants, performers and observers alike."

Currently, "Shades of Jazz on Noir" is on tour playing in select theaters throughout the United States and Europe, accompanied by a host of musicians that varies from venue to venue. Ordonez expresses about the importance of having live music at the showings, "The effect of this live performance will instantly create a score for the film. The musicians can react to the images on the screen or, if they so desire, they can ignore the images altogether. Any one of the musicians can each become musical directors themselves and give cues and/or cut-offs at any moment. Their aim is to express a new musical approach to classic film noir history, which modifies the disembodiment that existed in the original scores, making a dark and ominous dramatic effect. Everything at these performances is as it is: a unique new experience each and every time it is performed and viewed."

Ordonez's concept for this project was sparked by a moment of divinity. "I tailored 'Shades of Jazz on Noir' thinking of violinist Terry Jenoure. Her artistry and achievements in music, the visual arts, and craft are amazing, as are her strong will-power and sensitivity. I admire Terry, very much indeed." She fathoms, "My deep wish was that Terry Jenoure would lead and perform in it, but unfortunately she will be on the road in April (2008), so Herb Robertson will become the leader."

With trumpeter Herb Robertson at the post of band leader, Ordonez reveals, "Herb Robertson settled in for doing the workshop. The Freak Lip Kill Band will assemble local musicians/improvisers; hence there will be different leaders in every country and venue where the project will be performed."

She recalls, "For the premiere, I always had in mind this wonderful duo of Matt Darriau and Herb Robertson. Both are great artists and very sensitive human beings. Herb and Matt were born on the same day, both are kind of space cadets, yet their music and characters are crafted in different cultural roots."

She recounts, "We had this idea of duo (with) Herb Robertson and Matt Darriau in mind for more than a year, but we have also worked and have been trying to do something unique with the Danish saxophonist Lotte Anker. Her intensity of playing and glottal punctuation as well as her vast knowledge of improvisation is just amazing. Angelica Sanchez has a radiance about her that everyone can detect. She also plays great classical piano along with her ability as an improviser. I love her work, and we all agreed to invite her as our very special guest for the premiere."

Ordonez tapped into the reservoir of talented musicians whom she has known and met over the years for this project, and comments, "Dave Ballou, besides being such a great instrumentalist, is also very warm and gracious person. David Chevan is a fantastic bass player and jazz pedagogue." She espouses, "Brett Sroka indeed is a very talented trombone instrumentalist who I invited to perform together with Carl Maguire, Herb Robertson and Matt Darriau. Drummer and percussionist Chris Olsen has done wonderful work with his Conceptual Rhythms. I'm very fond of his musical purpose. Besides, Chris Olsen is an accomplished literature editor, a man of many trades. Herb and I love to work with him."

She proclaims, "The music of Serbian violist Szilard Mazai is fabulous and of great impact on Eastern European music. I invited him for his high skills, qualities and sensitivity. Hungarian saxophonist Viktor Tóth as well as bassists Mátyás Szandai and Róbert BenkQ are accomplished artists on the Hungarian and European scene."

She purports, "Anna Zielinska is a talented young Polish violinist; her musical roots are classically oriented yet she possesses a brilliant ability to improvise." Ordonez recalls how she met Anna. "There is a part of the world anchored on the Baltic Sea where I have a friend who loves this music, and overall loves avant-garde art! He requested from me, 'Shades of Jazz on Noir' and promotes violinist Anna Zielinska to accomplish this work. I invited to join with Anna, German percussionist and drummer Ernst Bier. He's been around for a while; his music is unique. He can adapt his sounds to any rhythmic pace, intonation or situation. As this request has come from a friend, I want to give a special touch to this avant-premiere of 'Shades of Jazz on Noir' and I invited the soprano and alto saxophonist from Luxembourg, Roby Glod." She extols, "He is an artist whom I treasure. I have seen Roby in many different musical situations and each time he manages to soar with his ability as a saxophone instrumentalist with his unmatchable dry humor and special grace."

"As I stated before," she emphasizes, "'Shades of Jazz on Noir's' musician choice was based on the need for getting new ways to express our avant-garde style."

The actress Evelin Tóth, who narrates "Shades of Jazz on Noir," was also involved in the selection of musicians. "For European venues with the project, Evelin Tóth and I tailored the femme-fatale and the music performance in a different way. Evelin has worked in the past with Chicago based drummer and percussionist Hamid Drake. His music always mesmerized me for his capacity to transform it into new ethno sounds while keeping the listening melodic structures. When Evelin suggested to me Hamid Drake for the Gyor Film-Jazz Festival I was very pleased and extremely happy to be able to work with a special character such as Hamid."

She endorses, "Working with special people like this makes things run very smoothly and effortlessly. All of the ensemble players are strong in their personal approaches to improvisation and they have unique voices on their instruments that can really sing!" She encourages, "Confidence and a searching ability add distinct personalities in each of these musicians' correspondence with each other."

Ordonez's involvement with avant-garde musicians has its roots in Ruby Flower Records, which she co-owns and co-founded with Herb Robertson. "Ruby Flower Records was founded in 2005. Ever since I met bassist Joe Fonda and trumpeter Herb Robertson, I wanted to be more involved directly with the art form instead of just being a listener and fan. My passion and love of it was too strong for only that, so I asked Herb Robertson to get involved as artistic director and music consultant, and I could do the administrative side since I believe my science background gave me that strength."

Assembling the film documentary "Shades of Jazz on Noir" was a labor of love for Ordonez who used the resources of cultural animator and fellow admirer of film noir, François Olivieri. She declares, "Film noir is one of my favorite cinematographic genres, so to assemble the films I first dug in and enlarged my own collection. We also used material from François Olivieri's personal collection and from local film forums."

She and Olivieri were given a grant from the Luxembourg European Cultural Capital 2007 to fund their projects, Ordonez's "Shades of Jazz on Noir" and Olivier's "A Touch of Noir." She applauds the organization for making these projects possible. "I have been living in Luxembourg for nine years, so when the Luxembourg European Capital 2007 was going to be launched, I had the idea to do a project which combined my passion for film noir and jazz. The project was entirely in my hands. Through our local non-profit association La Belle Usine a.s.b.l., I contacted François Olivieri, cultural animator at Dudelange town hall, and invited him to join me in the adventure."

"Together," she confides, "we built up the first film noir installment called 'A Touch of Noir.'" She evaluates, "'A Touch of Noir' depicts the best moments of film noir as viewed from the wounded male perspective, à la James Dean, and has been performed with great success in Europe (Luxembourg, Netherlands). This new addition, 'Shades of Jazz on Noir,' shows the antagonistic character of film noir, which is the femme-fatale. 'Shades of Jazz on Noir' is like the isomer of 'A Touch of Noir.'"

She provides about the documentaries, "The excerpts used for both film projects come from film noir that are now in the public domain. The film is a documentary not a commercial project. It is used as a tool for improvisers and aimed to be shown in schools, festivals, jazz clubs, which occurred in Luxembourg and Bimhuis, Amsterdam."

"A Touch of Noir" was successful as a pedagogic tool, making way for "Shades of Jazz on Noir" to take shape. She admits, "This is my first experience in this field. It is an amazingly blessed opportunity that I treasure and hope to share with many artists." She notes, "We searched for more venues, particularly universities because of the pedagogic aim of the project."

"Shades of Jazz on Noir" compels both film enthusiasts and aficionados of avant-garde music alike. The themes of the documentaries reflect on the intense images depicted in noir films. The emotional flux that these figures endure on film offers stimulation to avant-garde musicians to embody feelings in an aural form. Ana-Isabel Ordonez's desire is to show this intrinsic relationship between these two art forms, as avant-garde jazz musicians provide an intuitive backdrop for film noir concepts. Ordonez hopes that by showing her film documentary alongside live improvised music, it will move audiences deeper into their own emotional recesses while projecting the symbiotic relationship that these two art cultures share. Her project sets a new pedagogical standard in artistic performances.

Ana-Isabel Ordonez will have another film coming out soon, which she is filming in the cities of Warsaw, Krakow, and Auschwitz in Poland, following by Budapest, Luxembourg, New York and ending in the holy land of Jerusalem.
The film is called “Order From Chaos.” It is a documentary centered around the compelling themes of faith and love, and will have music composed by contemporary artists.

For further information please visit Ruby Flower Records at http://www.rubyflower-records.com
and La Belle Usine at http://labelleusine.com

Upcoming Shows:

Galapagos Art Space
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 @ 8pm
"Shades of Jazz on Noir," music performed by Alexis Cuadrado Freak Lip Kill Trio with Bard Shepik and Adam Niewood

=============

Douglas Street Music Collective, Brooklyn, NY
Thursday, April 30, 2009 @ 9 pm
"Shades of Jazz On Noir," music performed by Bad City Band with Tanya Kalmanovich, Angelica Sanchez, Herb Robertson, Elliot Levin & David Chevan & guests

=============

Bowery Poetry Club
Saturday, May 16, 2009 @ 2pm
"Shades of Jazz on Noir," music performed Herb Robertson Freak Lip Kill Band with Angelica Sanchez, Tony Malaby , Jay Rosen & guests

=============

Luxembourg House, Consulate General of Luxembourg NY
Monday November 9, 2009 @ 6pm
"Shades of Jazz on Noir," music performed by Ernie Hammes Freak Lip Kill Trio with Jay Anderson & Nasheet Waits.