Tyrone Brown Album Salutes Frederick Douglass

4 “Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice embodied in that Declaration of Independence extended to us? Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence bequeathed by your fathers is shared by you, but not by me. The sunlight that brought life and healing to you has brought strife and death to me. This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn. What to the American slave is your Fourth of July?” Those stirring words and others from the 19th century abolitionist Frederick Douglass come to life in a new recording by bassist Tyrone Brown and his Ensemble: A Sky With More Stars. A sideman of considerable note, Brown has performed and recorded with Grover Washington, Jr., Max Roach and Odean Pope. He’s also released several albums as a leader and has performed with his own string ensemble at venues and festivals all over the world. This project integrates spoken word passages of Douglass’s writings and speeches with music composed by Brown and violinist John Blake and performed by an ensemble that also includes Bill Meek (piano), Craig McIver (drums), Melissa Locati, Beth Dzwil, Ron Lipscomb and Germaine Ingram. The narration of Douglass’s words is handled by Paul Burgett. Although the release times nicely with Black History Month, the work has a power and gravitas that should go beyond those 28 days. Among the powerful passages from Douglass are: A protest piece Douglass wrote for an Independence Day event; the text of an Underground Railroad “pass”; and an eloquent speech from 1890 about “The Race Problem.” Sadly, the latter sounds as though it could have been written in this century. Brown said that he first got involved with the project as a result of his work with two previous projects, one on the writings of John A. Williams (Suite for John A. Williams) and another on the paintings of Herbert Gentry(The Magic Within). He had been contacted by Richard Peek, director of special collections and rare books at the University of Rochester to compose music to complement the work of these unheralded African-American artists. “It was really a departure for me,” explained Brown. “All of my other projects were inspired by my own personal experiences or nature. I really did my homework on these. I read the books and learned as much as I could about the subjects to do this right.” Peek recommended Brown to Hal Schuler, the eventual executive producer of the Douglass CD, to compose and record music to accompany text from his writings and speeches. Schuler was familiar with Brown’s work with his string ensemble on the Williams and Gentry CD's, but still wanted to hear a demo of his concept for the Douglass CD. “Once again, I had to do my homework. Fortunately, he approved and offered me the commission.” Brown was somewhat familiar with Douglass’s work, in the general sort of way that most of us might remember the noted abolitionist, so there was plenty to learn. For Brown, the greatest revelation was about the challenges that Douglass faced in his time. “The main thing I came away with was that he survived despite being so outspoken about slavery. That he spoke in front of white audiences and that he had the courage to speak his mind then during that era. So many people lost their lives since his time, saying the same things.” Brown also was deeply affected by how Douglass handled himself in his time. “He was always so elegant in the way that he presented himself and his ideas. It was never a ‘down with America’ thing with him. He was telling people that this [slavery] was an evil that must be changed for this country to be greater. That it was not something that the founding fathers supported.” Presenting the legacy of a 19th century figure using 20th century music would certainly seem to present a challenge. “Actually, when I first learning about Douglass, I immediately thought of [violinist] John Blake and our school appearances in which we’d talk about how jazz sprang from the plantations. John was a co-writer on the project and helped me to do music that complements the speeches.” Blake’s background in African-American history and his instrument helped to give the project a truly 19th century flavor. “We have one song with violin, bass and washboard, so it’s not necessarily all modern music here. We tried to cover a broad spectrum.” The “pass” that Douglass gave to a woman who was making her way through the Underground Railroad had a profound effect on Brown. “I thought about how that person must have felt to receive something like this. We wrote ‘Freedom Dance’ about that woman and this piece of paper that changed her life.” Brown and his musical collaborators had a mandate to make the music accessible to a wide audience. “They really want to reach young people with this, but we tried to make it appealing across all demographic categories.” Brown hopes that one outcome of this project is that people will see the direct connection between men like Douglass and American history. “You know that so much of African-American history was omitted in the writing of the books. I want people to understand his legacy. Even people my age!” Brown is also hoping to perform material from the Douglass project for audiences across the country. “You wouldn’t believe the list of people who are getting copies of the CD—Oprah, President Clinton, President Obama, Tavis Smiley—so I’m hoping we can get some support for shows to share this great material.” true

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2010-02-06T18:45:21-05:00

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2010-02-09T09:00:00-05:00

In A Sky With More Stars, jazz bassist composes and performs suite to accompany speeches and writings from African-American legend

Tyrone Brown Album Salutes Frederick Douglass

2010-02-08T16:39:04-05:00

4 A unique organization dedicated to the memory of the late singer Nina Simone will be erecting a larger than life sized bronze sculpture of the singer in her hometown later this month. The Eunice Waymon-Nina Simone Memorial Project (NSP) was created to commemorate the life and legacy of Simone. The project’s mission statement includes the goals of funding educational scholarships, creating a Trans-World Music Festival and commissioning the sculpture project. The 8-foot figure was created by sculptor Zenos Frudakis and cast at the Laran Bronze Foundry in Chester, Pa. The sculpture will be unveiled on Feb. 21—Simone’s 77th birthday—during a dedication ceremony followed by a concert in Simone’s hometown of Tryon, N.C. The ceremony will be attended by the singer’s daughter, who posed as a life model for Frudakis, and Stephen Marley. The sculpture will serve as the focal point of a public art installation in Tryon’s central downtown district at Nina Simone Plaza. A portion of Nina’s remains, donated by her daughter, will be encased within the sculpture. The Nina Simone Scholarship was launched in 2007 after a $25,000 donation by North Carolina-based plastics recycling firm EcoResin. Since then, Stephen, Damien and Julian Marley’s Ghetto Youths Foundation has partnered with the NSP with a scholarship donation, and in addition Stephen Marley has donated half of the profits from his forthcoming Nina Simone cover CD to the NSP. The NSP sponsors two general scholarships each year, open to applicants worldwide, and the awards may be used for both academic study and cultural enrichment opportunities. In 2009 Erica Wilkins and Andrew Fletcher were selected as the scholarships recipients, and each received a $1,000 stipend. During her lifetime Simone put a focus on charities related to cancer research, arts programming, the prevention of domestic abuse and AIDS research and care. The NSP aims to support these causes in Simone’s name. The final goal the NSP hopes to accomplish is a Trans-World Music Festival. The prototype of the festival—tentatively named NinaFest—is anticipated to launch in September 2010 in tandem with Tryon’s 125th anniversary. The festival will include all musical forms as a nod to Simone who crossed the musical spectrum from classical to gospel to jazz and rock and roll. For more information on the NSP and the sculpture dedication ceremony, visit <a href=http://www.ninasimoneproject.org/index.htm/>Nina Simone Project</a>. true

19299

2010-02-05T12:29:08-05:00

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2010-02-07T08:00:00-05:00

Bronze sculpture stands 8-feet and contains Simone’s remains

Nina Simone Sculpture to be Erected in N.C.

2010-02-07T09:51:45-05:00

4 Feb. 7: Eubie Blake (1883-1983), Ray Crawford (1924-1997), King Curtis (1934-1971) Feb. 8: Lonnie Johnson (1899-1970), Buddy Morrow (1919), Pony Poindexter (1926-1988), Eddie Locke (1930) Feb. 9: Bill Evans (saxophonist; 1958), Joe Maneri (1927-2009), Walter Page (1900-1957) Feb. 10: Chick Webb (1909-1939), Sir Roland Hanna (1932-2002), Walter Perkins (1932-2004), Rufus Reid (1944), Lawrence "Butch" Morris (1947) Feb. 11: Claude Jones (1901-1962), Sergio Mendes (1941), Martin Drew (1944), Didier Lockwood (1956) Feb. 12: Paul Bascomb (1912-1986), Mel Powell (1923-1998) Feb. 13: Wingy Manone (1900-1982), Wardell Gray (1921-1955), Buck Hill (1927) true

261

2010-02-07T10:40:35-05:00

false

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2010-02-07T00:00:00-05:00

Rufus Reid, Sergio Mendes among those celebrating this week

Jazz Birthdays Feb. 7-13

2010-02-07T10:40:35-05:00

4 Hearing about The Reunion: Miles, Bird and Trane, a play now running at the 45th Street Theater in NYC, the description caught our eye. “The play details a fantasy reunion concert where these jazz icons explore the nature of their creativity as they confront their own and each other's demons.” The premise is an interesting one, if a bit contrived. Despite their early association during the birth of bebop, these three giants in jazz died decades apart, with Parker going first in nearly apocryphal fashion in Nica’s apartment in 1955, Coltrane dying of liver disease in 1967 and Miles succumbing to pneumonia in 1991. This isn’t some sort of jazz heaven play, is it? “No, no, but it’s not exactly clear when they’re meeting,” explained the playwright, Jim Marentic. “If you’re looking for a coherent time line, you won’t find it. But you’ll find lots of factual things in there about the musicians and their music.” It seems that there are two large challenges that the actors must meet to make a play like this work. First, they must be believable as these larger-than-life personalities. Second, the actors must somehow get across their special musical gifts that are more appropriate heard than described. I guess that’s why they call it acting. But for every Ray or Walk The Line or even Bird, there are so many noble failures in the field of musical biopics. Marentic was not unaware of those failures. He particularly felt that jazz has gotten short shrift from the theater world. “I felt like nobody has portrayed jazz musicians as philosophical, educated and well-thinking individuals,” said the Minneapolis-based Marentic. “I wanted to get away from clichés. And I wanted to fill that void for plays about jazz.” Did the actors study up and try to do literal portrayals? Did they transform themselves into the characters physically? “Well, each role is different. Michael Wright, the actor playing Miles Davis, really got into it. He knew a lot about Miles because he had been preparing to play him for a movie. He looks a lot like him and he got that voice [Miles’ distinctive rasp] down. The other actors [Stacey Dotson and Marcus Naylor] are great too. They play them in character, with Bird as this colorful but troubled guy and Trane as this very quiet and spiritual man. You know, I was talking with Benny Golson about Trane and he told me that John didn’t have much to say. And Benny was crying when he told me this. Forty years later, can you imagine? That’s how powerful Trane’s impact was.” Musical greatness aside, substance abuse figured large in each of their lives. Do we see a Coltrane pre- or post-recovery? And how did you handle Miles who was constantly reinventing himself? Do we see Bird’s young acolyte of the 40s, the serious and ambitious musician of the 50s, the cocky and dapper bandleader of the 60s, the freaky fro-ed iconoclast of the 70s or the vainglorious entertainer of the 80s, replete with his puffy and silky outfits and hair of unknown origin? Marentic explained that the structure of the play and the dynamics of the relationships between the musicians formed the basis for their characters. He then proceeded to go through the play— acting out the parts, recalling key lines, and describing the set and lighting—for the better part of 20 minutes. His retelling could well have been a one man performance art piece itself. But the crux of the story is that Bird finds a funkified Miles (possibly of the ‘70s variety) still addicted to dope and the two bicker over issues, personal and professional. For the record, the play is not set at a specific time, but the three perform a reunion concert (a very jazz thing) and the last act shows them after that concert. One thing for sure, the specter of drug abuse hangs over all the men, with Coltrane in the role as the philosophical and spiritual healer. The other two are still grappling with their demons, with Davis’ psychic pain traced to issues with his mother and with racism. In addition, there’s a role of “The Apparition” a female who is sort of a combination Greek Chorus as well as representation of the women in their lives. That role is played by Ellen Martin, a jazz singer who has collaborated with Marentic with this production and other performances. The characters are seen with their instruments, but do not play any live music. Recorded music from all three men, including “Blue in Green” and “Ascension,” is used as a dramatic device throughout the play. The audience thus far for the play seems to be split between jazz heads and theater buffs, with a smattering of both. But Marentic doesn’t think the play requires in-depth knowledge of jazz or the lives of these musicians in order to appreciate the production. “It’s the interaction, not the chords or scales. It’s not a listing of musical terms. I didn’t want to just put on a concert with this thing.” This is Marentic’s first play. He said it took him about three years, off and on, to write. He revised it at least eight times. One aspect that took him a long time was the research. “I had to read a lot of biographical material,” he said, sighing. “I wanted the detail to be right.” Although they did lots of readings and workshops with the play, Martin said that Marentic “wrote from what he knew and he loved.” For him the play was also a chance to get across his own philosophical ideas about creativity. “There’s a lot of talk about breaking through. There’s a philosophical aspect to creativity that I wanted to show. Where does it come from? Where does it go?” Marentic called the current staging of the play a showcase of sorts for future presentation. “I’m hoping to find a backer and get some support to put this play on again.” Written by Marentic and directed by Chuck Patterson, The Reunion features Michael Wright, Marcus Naylor, Stacey Dotson and Ellen Martin, at The 45th Street Theater, 354 West 45th Street, NYC, through February 14th. Tickets are $15 and are available at the box office or at the <A HREF=http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/96698> local theater site</a>. true

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2010-02-05T18:47:05-05:00

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2010-02-06T07:00:00-05:00

The Reunion: Miles, Bird and Trane now playing at 45th Street Theatre in NYC

New Play in NYC Brings Together Miles, Bird and Trane

2010-02-08T14:59:34-05:00

4 Apparently the folks at the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia didn’t get the memo that the jazz audience is dying off. Or then again, maybe they did. And that’s why they’re devoted the month of February to the Junior Jazz Festival, a series of workshops and performances specifically geared to young children. Francis Coates, the music coordinator at the museum, confirmed that the series has been going on for a long time. It’s now in its 18th year of presenting kid-friendly jazz shows on site at the museum. But he and the museum didn’t seem to have an agenda beyond engaging kids in a fun learning experience. Coates explained that jazz is just part of the mix there at the museum, located at Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park. “We present classical, Latin, country and other genres. Jazz is the first genre of the year,” explained Coates. “Philadelphia has a rich jazz tradition, with so many great musicians coming from here, including John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie and Ethel Waters. So jazz is a great way to kick off the year for us.” The museum is known for its hands-on approach to learning (hence its name) and Coates said that the reaction to the jazz performances has always been good. “The kids love it. They stand up and dance and clap,” he said. The series even ends with a swing band dance party. He said that not all jazz artists are cut out for performances for kids, but that the successful performers include lots of audience participation to produce the maximum engagement with the kids. “There are some groups that kids now come to see specifically because they saw them the year before,” noted Coates. He pointed to Warren Oree’s Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble and guitarist Louie Miranda as the real stars of the Junior Jazz Festival. “They know how to get the kids involved. We don’t want performers who just stand on stage and play. The best ones make sure that it’s interactive.” And relatively short. Coates noted that performances are all less than 30 minutes, and optimally are about 20 minutes long. “You know, kids don’t have that long an attention-span.” Yes, I’ve heard something about that. But he said that when a jazz performer does well, the kids stick around and ask questions about the instruments or the music or whatever it is that pops into their developing little minds. Beyond the special guest performances, the Festival also includes an ongoing stage show called “Scat Cats Junior Jazz Jamboree,” which includes puppets as fictionalized jazz characters such as Piggy Lee, Bunny Goodman and Stingray Charles. That show runs Monday through Friday at 11am, 1pm and 3pm. For a complete list of performances that run until February 28, go to the <A HREF=http://www.pleasetouchmuseum.org/exhibits/Junior_Jazz/>Please Touch Museum’s web site</a>. true

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2010-02-04T13:59:26-05:00

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2010-02-05T08:00:00-05:00

The Please Touch Museum presents extensive jazz program aimed at children

Junior Jazz Festival Attracts Kids to Museum in Philadelphia

2010-02-06T08:24:26-05:00

4 Details for the New York Jazz Festival were announced recently, along with dates for the venerable Newport Jazz Festival. Presented by leading global medical device company CareFusion and jazz impresario George Wein, the two formerly failing festivals have been revived and are sure to bring excitement to this summer’s jazz scene. After the New York Jazz Festival was cancelled last year for the first time in its 37 year history due to economic difficulties of The Festival Network, George Wein—the founder and original presenter of the festival going back to the days of Newport and Kool—stepped in with the sponsorship of CareFusion, and vowed to restore the festival in 2010. The Newport festival was also slated to be canceled in 2009, but with the support of his longtime staffers and allies, Wein, under the aegis of his new company New Festival Productions, managed to resurrect the Newport event. The New York Jazz Festival, produced by Wein, begins on June 17 and continues through June 26, blanketing the city with concerts. Venues include: Carnegie Hall, City Parks Foundation’s Central Park SummerStage, Crotona Park in the Bronx, City Winery, Harlem Stage Gatehouse, The Jazz Gallery, Jazz Standard, Le Poisson Rouge, Louis Armstrong House Museum, Music Hall of Williamsburg, Peter Norton Symphony Space, Prospect Park Bandshell: Celebrate Brooklyn, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Studio Museum in Harlem and The Town Hall. Most shows will be priced between $15 and $20, and updates on participating artists will be announced at a later date. More information can be found at <a href=http://www.carefusionjazz.com/>CareFusion</a> or <a href=http://www.nycjazzfestival.com/>NYC Jazz</a>. Returning to Rhode Island, the CareFusion Newport Jazz Festival, which drew 13,000 attendees last year, is slated for August 6 - 8. The first Newport Jazz Festival, produced by Wein in 1954, began what has come to be called the “festival era” and advanced the concept of live music. Wein, 84, continues to perform with his band, the Newport Jazz Festival All-Stars. “CareFusion’s continued sponsorship of jazz, including the long-standing event in Newport and now bringing back the festival in New York, is nothing short of a miracle,” said Wein in a recent press release. “Since 1972, fans have been enjoying this celebration of artistic excellence. With CareFusion’s exemplary support for the arts, it reinforces how companies are tying education and community engagement into their business practices.” true

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2010-02-02T10:28:06-05:00

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2010-02-02T12:00:00-05:00

Newport and NYC festivals revived for summer 2010

Venues Announced for 2010 New York Jazz Festival

2010-02-03T09:36:22-05:00

4 The prestigious Spoleto Festival USA, has announced its programming for the 2010 event and included in the eclectic lineup of progressive classical, opera and theater offerings will be the Wachovia Jazz Series. Appearing this year at Spoleto will be singers Lizz Wright, Norma Winstone and Fabiana Cozza, as well as instrumentalists Julian Lage, Leszek Możdżer and Nailor “Proveta” Azevedo. In addition, jazz cellist Erik Friedlander will present his one-man show about family road trips—“Block Ice & Propane.” The jazz performances will take place at various venues throughout downtown Charleston, South Carolina. Now in its 34th year, the festival runs from May 28 through June 13. The man responsible for booking the talent for the jazz segment of the festival, Michael Grofsorean, makes no apologies for booking artists who may be neither household names nor pure jazz artists. “I know that much of the music we present falls between categories, but categories are clumsy, as they should be. I’ve found that the artists don’t have much regard for categories. It’s all just music to them.” Grofsorean has been booking the jazz portion of the festival since 1980. This year’s event marks his 30th year as programmer of the jazz series. He started working with the festival just as it was resolving a creative conflict of sorts between the previous jazz booker and the festival’s founder Gian Carlo Menotti. Stepping into the programming breech, the first show Grofsorean booked was a double bill with Sarah Vaughan and Mary Lou Williams. Quite an auspicious start for his association with the festival. Grofsorean laughed. “To be truthful, I don’t think I appreciated at the time just how great a booking that was.” He remembered being a bit nervous about Vaughan’s purported diva tendencies. “You do the soundchecks in reverse order so that the headliner is done first and then the opening act. Well, Vaughan was not there on time for her soundcheck and we’re waiting around. I’m getting anxious and worried. It’s my first big show with the festival. And Mary Lou says calmly, ‘Let’s just go ahead.’ And the sound guys go, ‘Yea, we can wing it. No problem.’ Then sure enough, just as Mary Lou is playing for her soundcheck, Vaughan walks into the hall. She doesn’t say a word and I’m getting worried, expecting an explosion or something. Then she sits down and listens quietly to Mary Lou play. I didn’t know that when Sarah was young, she would go to Mary Lou’s apartment to hear Monk and other legends. I had booked Mary Lou as an opening act because I thought she would be great. I didn’t know their history.” The jazz series was off to a fast start. Over time, the number of jazz artists within the festival grew along with the audience. “We found that with the jazz programming, the more choices you can give the audience, the more opportunities there were to bring people in. So though it used to be just four jazz artists, it’s grown to way more than that.” Grofsorean came to the festival as someone who had booked jazz in his hometown of Ann Arbor during the ‘70s. “I worked with a jazz series called Eclipse Jazz, presenting artists that the school [University of Michigan] wasn’t. What I brought to Spoleto was the idea to bring in musical geniuses who weren’t being presented, but who were in the peak of their powers. It worked.” Grofsorean said that he was, and still is inspired, by a passage by writer Albert Murray. from several of the pieces published in the book From the Briarpatch File -- On Context, Procedure, and American Identity. Grofsorean cited this passage specifically: "The universally appealing in art, which is to say aesthetic statement, is always achieved through the extension, elaboration, and refinement of the local details and idiomatic particulars that impinge most intimately on one's everyday existence." Grofsorean explained that, "This theme occurs and recurs though the many pieces in this book, with constant meaning but in slightly different contexts that ensured that I understood what he meant. One valuable aspect to this thought, for me, is the link it draws between the local of a musician's life, and the universality of that same musician's statement. We feel and hear both, and it is miraculous for me. And it clarifies why you won't hear a pianist like Tord Gustavsen in Brazil, or one like André Mehmari in Norway, but can be deeply in love with them both. I think the musicians feel this clearly." Grofsorean said that he looks for three basic things when he’s booking talent for the festival. “First, I have to hear lyricism. I need to hear the music to sing to me. Second, depth. I want the music to take me deep inside. Third, and I know it’s not always going to happen, but I look for those moments of transcendence.” If those criteria sound highly subjective, Grofsorean pleads guilty. “It’s completely subjective. I want to know that this music will make sense to our audience. The audience trusts the festival and me to present music that will take them to new places.” Interestingly, Grofsorean said that he relies to a large degree on the musicians themselves for the talent choices. “About half of my ideas for programming come from the musicians. I keep a notebook with me and I ask the musicians whom they think I should bring to the festival. I even give them the notebook to write in.” Grofsorean then recounted an incredible chain of artists whom he booked in successive years, with the chain being started originally by Enrico Pieranunzi, though Grofsorean then recalled that someone else, he couldn’t remember who, recommended Pieranunzi. So it went and still goes. It turns out that the guitarist Julian Lage, who is appearing at Spoleto this year, was recommended by noted mandolinist Chris Thile (of Nickel Creek) who had performed last year with the Punch Brothers. “Chris wrote in my notebook in big letters – ‘Julian Lage!’ He knew that Julian would be a great fit. After hearing him, I agreed.” In talking with Grofsorean, it became clear that he is incredibly passionate about the artists he presents and he is justifiably proud of the discoveries he has made. He has particularly enjoyed bringing artists from Europe, Scandinavia and Brazil to the festival. One such artist is the saxophonist Nailor “Proveta” Azevedo, recognized as one of Brazil’s finest saxophonists and clarinetists; Azevedo had appeared at the festival as a bandmember in various ensembles. This year he will appear at Spoleto with a choro group, plus pianist and composer André Mehmari. Lest it seem that Grofsorean is one of those crazy match-making curators, in fact he is careful to stay away from telling artists what to play and whom to play with. “I stay out of the creative kitchen,” noted Grofsorean. “I don’t tell them what to do.” Yet it’s also clear that he enjoys bringing in artists who stretch the boundaries of jazz. The jazz audience can be fairly judgmental. I asked Grofsorean if this was ever an issue. “I think jazz fans enjoy what we present, but I don’t program for jazz purists. Listen, I’ll give you an example. I have a close friend who has something like 50,000 records and has an encyclopedic knowledge of jazz. But I don’t program the festival for him. I program it for his wife, who enjoys music of all kinds. She’s open to whatever moves her. When I played them Renaud Garcia-Fons [a bassist who blends flamenco and jazz], he wasn’t that high on it, but she loved it. He performed at the festival and people responded to him. I program the festival to an audience that loves interesting music.” Because the festival is known more its more traditional cultural programming, I wondered how jazz fit next to all that theater, opera, dance and classical music. “Oh, it fits well. And the artists really appreciate it. They like being part of the mix. It makes sense to them.” Occasionally when time and travel schedule permit, the jazz artists get to mingle with the other genres. Grofsorean remembered going with Jim Hall to see a chamber music concert and of course Hall knew the material intimately. “The whole thing is very healthy – the mixing of different styles and music,” added Grofsorean. Charleston, South Carolina is not necessarily known for its cultural offerings at least to those outside the state, but Grofsorean said that the city and its inhabitants love the festival and have supported it for many years. “We get some people from out of town, but for the most part the audience for the jazz series is a regional audience.” During the 17-day period, the city of Charleston is transformed into a virtual Chautauqua of the arts. Grofsorean explained that Charleston is a great match for the festival. “I’ve always felt that a festival is only a festival if it takes over the town it’s in. The town has to be big enough to support it, but small enough to be engaged by it. Around Memorial Day every year, this town is consumed by the festival.” In a <A HREF= http://jazztimes.com/articles/24265-spoleto-festival-usa>review of the 2008 festival</a>, JT contributor (and longtime performing arts reviewer) Perry Tannenbaum said that Spoleto USA “has grown, in fact, to be the largest performing arts festival in the Americas, dwarfing its Old World parent, established by Menotti in Spoleto, Italy, in 1958.called Spoleto.” In 2009, Tannenbaum also <A HREF= http://jazztimes.com/articles/24927-ren-marie-at-spoleto-usa>reviewed a performance</a> by the theatric vocalist Rene Marie. Reading these reviews, you soon appreciate the unique programming touch of the jazz series’ curator, who developed this series with remarkable dedication and yet without any of the customary self-aggrandizement. It must be a Midwest thing. For those wanting to sample Grofsorean’s creative programming in this scenic Southern city, tickets can be purchased online at <A HREF=http://spoletousa.org> Spoletto’s web site</a> or by phone at 843.579.3100. Beginning April 19, tickets may be purchased in person at the Spoleto Festival USA box office at the Gaillard Municipal Auditorium, 77 Calhoun Street in Charleston. true

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2010-01-31T17:55:25-05:00

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2010-02-01T09:00:00-05:00

Jazz programming to include performances from Julian Lage, Lizz Wright, Norma Winstone, Fabiana Cozza, Leszek Możdżer and Nailor “Proveta” Azevedo

Spoleto Festival Announces Performers for 2010 Event

2010-02-01T23:21:18-05:00

4 Here is a complete list of Grammy awards in jazz-related categories: Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual Or Group For albums containing 51% or more playing time of INSTRUMENTAL tracks. Five Peace Band - Live Chick Corea & John McLaughlin Five Peace Band [Concord Records] Best Contemporary Jazz Album For albums containing 51% or more playing time of INSTRUMENTAL tracks. 75 Joe Zawinul & The Zawinul Syndicate [Heads Up International] Best Jazz Vocal Album For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks. Dedicated To You: Kurt Elling Sings The Music Of Coltrane And Hartman Kurt Elling [Concord Jazz] Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album For large jazz ensembles, including big band sounds. Albums must contain 51% or more INSTRUMENTAL tracks. Book One New Orleans Jazz Orchestra [World Village] Best Latin Jazz Album Vocal or Instrumental. Juntos Para Siempre Bebo Valdés And Chucho Valdés [Sony Music/Calle 54] Best Improvised Jazz Solo For an instrumental jazz solo performance. Two equal performers on one recording may be eligible as one entry. If the soloist listed appears on a recording billed to another artist, the latter's name is in parenthesis for identification. Singles or Tracks only. Dancin' 4 Chicken Terence Blanchard, soloist Track from: Watts (Jeff "Tain" Watts) [Dark Key Music] Best Instrumental Arrangement An Arranger's Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only. West Side Story Medley Bill Cunliffe, arranger (Resonance Big Band) Track from: Resonance Big Band Plays Tribute To Oscar Peterson [Resonance Records] Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) An Arranger's Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only. Quiet Nights Claus Ogerman, arranger (Diana Krall) Track from: Quiet Nights [Verve] Best Pop Instrumental Album For albums containing 51% or more playing time of INSTRUMENTAL tracks. Potato Hole Booker T. Jones [Anti] Best Pop Instrumental Performance For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, without vocals. Singles or Tracks only. Throw Down Your Heart Béla Fleck Track from: Throw Down Your Heart: Tales From The Acoustic Planet, Vol. 3 - Africa Sessions [Rounder Best Contemporary World Music Album Vocal or Instrumental. Throw Down Your Heart: Tales From The Acoustic Planet, Vol. 3 - Africa Sessions Béla Fleck [Rounder] Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks. Michael Bublé Meets Madison Square Garden Michael Bublé [143/Reprise Best Rock Instrumental Performance For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, without vocals. Includes Rock, Hard Rock and Metal. Singles or Tracks only. A Day In The Life Jeff Beck Track from: Performing This Week...Live At Ronnie Scott's [Eagle Records] Best Album Notes The Complete Louis Armstrong Decca Sessions (1935-1946) Dan Morgenstern, album notes writer (Louis Armstrong) [Mosaic Records] Best Historical Album The Complete Chess Masters (1950-1967) Andy McKaie, compilation producer; Erick Labson, mastering engineer (Little Walter) [Hip-O Select/Geffen Records] Best Classical Crossover Album Award to the Artist(s) and/or to the Conductor. Yo-Yo Ma & Friends: Songs Of Joy And Peace Yo-Yo Ma (Odair Assad, Sergio Assad, Chris Botti, Dave Brubeck, Matt Brubeck, John Clayton, Paquito d'Rivera, Renée Fleming, Diana Krall, Alison Krauss, Natalie McMaster, Edgar Meyer, Cristina Pato, Joshua Redman, Jake Shimabukuro, Silk Road Ensemble, James Taylor, Chris Thile, Wu Tong, Alon Yavnai & Amelia Zirin-Brown) [Sony Classical] true

129

2010-02-01T09:01:06-05:00

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25717

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2010-02-01T08:00:00-05:00

Big names dominate jazz categories, as awards to to Chick Corea & John McLaughlin, Joe Zawinul, Kurt Elling, Bela Fleck and other notables

Beyond Beyonce & Swift: Jazz Artists Take Home Grammies Too

2010-02-03T10:07:59-05:00

4 John Norris, founder of Coda Magazine, a noted jazz publication based in Canada, and co-founder with Bill Smith of Sackville Recordings, died January 31, 2010 of a heart condition. He was 76 years old. Norris was born in England in 1934. He worked as a clerk in London, but also ran a jazz club. After moving to Canada, he eventually settled in Toronto, where he ran the Traditional Jazz Club of Toronto. He also opened Galleon, a jazz club, and promoted concerts around Toronto. A fixture on the Toronto jazz scene, Norris founded Coda in 1962. In his “Statement of Policy,” Norris explained his vision for the magazine: “We will endeavor to comment, report and inform without fear or favor and always try to get to the truth of the matter.” Although the magazine emphasized Canadian artists, its range of coverage included jazz from all over the world. From 1962 through 1968, Norris also managed the jazz department of the Sam the Man Record Store in Toronto. He eventually was succeeded as editor of Coda by saxophonist Bill Smith who took over in 1976. In 1968 Norris and Smith launched Sackville Recordings, a label dedicated to Canadian artists, as well as traditional and avant-garde jazz artists from U.S. and beyond. Among the artists who recorded for Sackville were Ralph Sutton, Jim Galloway, George Masso, Jay McShann, Anthony Braxton and many others. Early in his career, Norris was also a familiar presence as a jazz broadcaster on Canadian radio. Noted Canadian radio broadcaster Ross Porter said about Norris: “John’s contribution to jazz in this country and for that matter around the world was substantial. John was a man of impeccable taste when it came to jazz. He avoided the pitfalls of musical politics and focused on releasing music he enjoyed which was always good, innovative jazz. He will be missed.” Norris is survived by his wife, Sandy. true

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2010-02-01T11:40:37-05:00

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2010-02-01T08:00:00-05:00

Toronto-based magazine publisher/editor also co-founded Sackville Recordings

John Norris, Founder of Coda Magazine in Canada, Dies

2010-02-01T11:40:37-05:00

4 It’s no American Idol, but it’s a competition nonetheless. And for this one you don’t have to pretend to be Mariah Carey or Luther Vandross. You do have to play the guitar though. Noted contemporary jazz guitarist Lee Ritenour is overseeing the Yamaha Six String Theory Guitar Competition and the deadline for submissions has been extended to February 10, 2010. The endgame for the competition includes a special guest appearance on an album to be released on Concord Records, String Theory in the spring/summer of 2010. The grand prize winner will be featured as a special guest on the album that will star prominent guitarists, including Ritenour, George Benson, BB King, Steve Lukather and John Scofield. Additional artists are expected to be announced later. The grand prize winner will also receive a four year, fully paid tuition to the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Yamaha Corporation is awarding three guitar endorsements plus six high-end guitars to the top winners, one in each of the six categories and the top winners will also be awarded a host of prizes by the participating sponsors. How to Submit: • Contestants can submit videos online from anywhere in the world to the <A HREF=http://www.sixstringtheory.com>Six String site</a>. • You can enter the contest in one of six categories: Rock, Blues, Jazz/Fusion, Country, Acoustic, or Classical/Flamenco. • Six finalists will be chosen by a panel of top online judges including Lee Ritenour and will compete in a live performance to determine the grand prize winner on March 22, 2010 at The Broad Stage in Los Angeles. true

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2010-01-29T12:46:38-05:00

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2010-01-29T12:00:00-05:00

Lee Ritenour presents the Yamaha Six String Theory Guitar Competition

Deadline for Guitar Competition Extended

2010-02-01T09:10:21-05:00

4 A new jazz camp has recently been created with a unique focus. The 1st Annual New Orleans Traditional Jazz Camp will take adults from all over the country and teach them how to play traditional jazz, New Orleans style, during a week-long session. The camp takes place August 1-6, 2010 and it dovetails with the Satchmo Summerfest. A few lucky campers will even get the opportunity to perform at the prestigious festival. One of the camp’s co-founders, NOLA-based singer Banu Gibson, said that this camp came about because she knew of traditional jazz camps on the West Coast and always wondered why there wasn’t one in the city where jazz began. “I had just joined an organization called New Orleans Women in Music and I met two other ladies who had the same passion for this,” the good-natured Gibson explained. “So we decided to do something about it. And now look what we got ourselves into!” For the record, those two other inspired ladies are Nita Cooper and Leslie Cooper. Unlike most summer camps geared to kids, the New Orleans Traditional Jazz Camp is open only to adults, aged 21 to 101. And, you don’t have to be a member of the Marsalis family or have skills commensurate with that status in order to participate. According to Gibson, “You do have to have rudimentary skills on your instrument, but we want people at all levels. Maybe somebody has played in a concert band, but has always wanted to try jazz.” The instruments they’re looking for are: Trumpet/cornet Clarinet/alto sax/tenor sax Trombone Acoustic piano Banjo or guitar Bass or tuba Drums As Gibson told me, “Nothing that plugs in…and just think Armstrong Hot Seven!” Gibson added that they’ll have some of the instrumentalists do a little singing, but for the first year they’re staying away from vocalists, as much because she needs to keep the trains running on time, rather than teach singing. However, she’s excited about the faculty they’ve lined up to teach the instrumental campers. On board all week are New Orleans vets: Connie Jones (trumpet); Otis Bazoon (reeds); David Sager (trombone); David Boeddinghaus (piano); Dan Vappie (banjo/guitar); Kerry Lewis (bass/tuba); Bunchy Johnson (drums). Gibson said that there are plenty of women signing up and that people from as far away as Finland are planning to attend. The camp happens the week before Satchmo Summerfest, which begins on Saturday, August 7, the day after the camp ends. One of the perks for the campers is the opportunity for a few of the campers to perform on that Saturday at a stage at the festival on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. The cost of the camp is just $1,100 (until March 15, when it goes up to $1,250), but that figure includes not only tuition, but also lodging at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel in the French Quarter and two meals a day. Gibson said that they have a very full schedule planned for the “campers” including teaching sessions in the morning and afternoon; in the evenings there will be jam sessions, plus trips to club shows. They’re also planning a special birthday party for Louis Armstrong on his real birthday—August 4—at the famed Preservation Hall. If that’s not a full enough schedule, they’ve even lined up speakers to talk about jazz during breakfast. However, perhaps the greatest attraction is being immersed in the city itself, the acknowledged birthplace of jazz. “New Orleans has such magic,” Gibson explained. “People get to play the music where it all began. Jazz has always been a part of the landscape in New Orleans. Good vibes come up out of the street. Honestly, we don’t have to do too much to make sure people have a great time here.” We can believe that surely. Until I brush up on my trumpet-playing that’s been dormant for 40 years or so, I’m spending early August either in Newport for the jazz festival or in North Carolina for surfing. But if you’ve got chops of any kind, you should consider this opportunity to learn to play jazz as it was first conceived in the very place it was conceived. It sure does sound like a great time in a great place with great people. For more information about the camp, go to their <A HREF=http://www.neworleanstradjazzcamp.com>web site</a>. true

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2010-01-27T22:47:09-05:00

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2010-01-28T15:00:00-05:00

Jazz camp, featuring staff of New Orleans musicians, to take place before the Satchmo Summerfest

New Orleans Traditional Jazz Camp for Adults

2010-01-29T12:48:21-05:00

4 A new initiative by the Kennedy Center and The ASCAP Foundation will showcase the work of young emerging songwriters and composers in a free concert that will be webcast live and archived for future viewing. On Thursday, Jan. 28 the Danny Rivera Electric 5 and English singer/songwriter Nick Howard will take the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, followed by The Linda Oh Trio and Devon Sproule, a singer/songwriter from Charlottesville, Va., the next day. “Songwriters: The Next Generation” is part of The Kennedy Center’s free, daily performance series. The concerts, followed by a question and answer period with the performers, will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. and can be viewed live at <a href=http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/>The Kennedy Center</a>. Each evening’s hour-long program is designed to highlight the talent of young songwriters and composers and will be hosted by Jesse Winchester, an ASCAP member singer/songwriter who wrote songs such as “Yankee Lady, “ “Biloxi,” “Payday” and “The Brand New Tennessee Waltz." Winchester will conduct a conversation with the performers focusing on the craft of songwriting and their personal creative process. “Songwriters” was conceived by jazz pianist, educator, composer and ASCAP Foundation Board member Billy Taylor. Taylor, who also serves as the Kennedy Center’s Artistic Director for Jazz, wanted to recognize the talent of contemporary composers who are also performers. “We want to show the audience that young people can be accomplished music creators, as well as musicians and singers,” he said in a recent press release. Born in Malaysia and raised in Western Australia, composer, double bassist and electric bassist Linda Oh now lives and works in New York City, after completing her Masters Degree at Manhattan School of Music in 2008. Oh has performed with jazz artists Slide Hampton, Tony Gould and George Cables, among many others, and now teaches in the pre-college division at Manhattan School of Music. She recently released her debut trio album Entry with Obed Calvaire and Ambrose Akinmusire. Danny Rivera is also set to receive a Masters Degree from Manhattan School of Music, and currently performs throughout New York City under the tutelage of Joe Temperley. The baritone saxophonist and composer was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2009 for his work on Kenya Revisited: 50th Anniversary Concert. Founded in 1975, The ASCAP Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to supporting American music creators and encouraging their development through music education and talent development programs. For more information visit <a href=http://www.ascapfoundation.org/>ASCAP</a>. The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, underwritten by James A. Johnson and Maxine Isaacs, is brought to the public by Target Stores, with additional funding provided by the U.S. Department of Education and other donors. true

19299

2010-01-27T16:49:58-05:00

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2010-01-27T20:00:00-05:00

Jazz artists Linda Oh and Danny Rivera part of Songwriters: The Next Generation series sponsed by ASCAP

Four Young Composers Perform Free Concert at Kennedy Center

2010-01-28T17:02:43-05:00

4 The New England Conservatory continues the 40th Anniversary celebration of its landmark Jazz Studies program in New York City in March, with a week of performances by various alumni. Gigs will be spread throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn from March 20 – 27 and proceeds will go to support jazz scholarships at NEC. Some of the highlights for Hot and Cool: 40 Years of Jazz at NEC include John Medeski at B.B. King’s Blues Club, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society and the NEC Faculty Jazz All Stars with George Garzone, both at the Jazz Standard. The anniversary was celebrated in NEC’s hometown of Boston in October with a similar series of events. The week of performances in New York gives NEC another chance to celebrate the first fully accredited Jazz Studies program in the nation, which was the brainchild of conductor Gunther Schuller who spearheaded the initiative in 1969 while he served as the school’s president. The venerable program—which set itself apart by separating the study of jazz from classical music—has produced numerous Grammy-winning composers and performers, five MacArthur “Genius” Grant winners, four NEA Jazz Masters, and scores of alumni who have gone on to create critically acclaimed records. The program’s alumni include but are not limited to Freddy Cole, Harvey Mason, Andy McGhee, Bill McHenry, John Medeski, Jamie Saft, Frank London, Luciana Souza, Cecil Taylor and Bridget Kearney. Past faculty includes pianist Jaki Byard, saxophonist Carl Atkins and Ran Blake, among others. For further information visit <a href=http://necmusic.edu/jazz40/>NEC</a>. Schedule of Events Saturday, March 20 8:30 p.m.: Matana Roberts, saxophone 10 p.m.: Jeremy Udden, saxophone $10 cover; 1 drink minimum <a href=http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com/index_performances.asp/>Cornelia Street Café</a> (212) 989-9319 Sunday, March 21 2 – 6 p.m.: Living Time: George Russell’s Musical Life and Legacy Panel 1: George Russell as composer, bandleader, and influential figure Panel 2: George Russell as music theorist and educator Panelists include: Gunther Schuller, Ken Schaphorst, Ingrid Monson, Cameron Brown, Stanton Davis, Ben Schwendener, with an introduction by Jerome Harris Free and open to the public. <a href=http://necmusic.edu/jazz40-nyc-jazz-lincoln-center/>Irene Diamond Education Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center</a> (212) 258-9800 Sunday, March 21 8:30 and 10 p.m.: CD Release Concert for Matos’ new CD Quare Andre Matos featuring Noah Preminger and Sara Serpa along with bassist Thomas Morgan, pianist Leo Genovese and drummer Ted Poor $10 cover, 1 drink minimum <a href=http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com/index_performances.asp/>Cornelia Street Café</a> (212) 989-9319 Monday, March 22 7 p.m.: The Public Option featuring trumpeter Jason Palmer, saxophonist Michael Thomas, guitarist Greg Duncan, bassist Lim Yang and drummer Lee Fish 10 p.m.: Noah Preminger Quartet featuring saxophonist Preminger, guitarist Ben Monder, bassist John Hébert, and drummer Matt Wilson $10 cover after 9:30 p.m. <a href=http://www.55bar.com/>55 Bar</a> (212) 929-9883 Tuesday, March 23 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.: Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society Tickets $25 <a href=http://www.jazzstandard.net/>Jazz Standard</a> (212) 576-2232 Wednesday, March 24 7:30 p.m.: NEC Faculty Jazz All Stars featuring George Garzone, John McNeil, Cecil McBee, Billy Hart and Frank Carlberg 9:30 p.m.: Mary Ehrlich’s Quartet with Ray Anderson, Matt Wilson and bassist TBA Tickets $25 <a href=http://www.jazzstandard.net/>Jazz Standard</a> (212) 576-2232 Thursday, March 25 7 p.m.: The New Mellow Edwards $10 cover charge at the door <a href=http://www.myspace.com/295douglass/>Douglass Street Music Collective</a> Friday, March 26 7:00 p.m.: A vocal showcase featuring Dominique Eade, Sara Serpa, David Devoe, Amy Cervini, Jo Lawry and Sofia Koutsovitis Tickets $15 and a two drink or $12 food minimum <a href=“www.joespub.com/”>Joe’s Pub</a> (212) 967-7555 Friday, March 26 9 and 10:30 p.m.: The John McNeil-Bill McHenry Quartet $10 cover, 1 drink minimum <a href=http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com/index_performances.asp/>Cornelia Street Café</a> (212) 989-9319 Saturday, March 27 8 p.m.: NEC Jazz Summit Featuring John Medeski of Medeski, Martin & Wood, Ran Blake, Cecil Taylor, Anton Fig, Bernie Worrell, Sarah Jarosz, Dominique Eade, Lake Street Dive (Rachael Price, Michael Calabrese, Bridget Kearney , Mike Olson). Others TBA. Tickets $25 plus $10 minimum <a href=http://www.bbkingblues.com/>B.B. King’s Blues Club and Grill</a> (212) 997-4144 true

19299

2010-01-26T12:37:12-05:00

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2010-01-27T09:00:00-05:00

Noted jazz education program celebrates 40th with a week of special performances in New York City.

Noted jazz education program celebrates 40th with a week of special performances in March in New York City.

New England Conservatory Celebrates 40th Anniversary

2010-01-29T12:32:22-05:00

4 Reprising a duo that dates back to the 1980’s when The Cosby Show was a ratings hit, Jimmy Heath will take the Blue Note Stage next month with special guest MC Bill Cosby joining him for opening night. Heath will lead a big band on tenor and soprano saxophone for two sets a night from Feb. 2 through Feb. 7. Heath performed on The Cosby Show in 1985, and has since worked with the famous comedian several times throughout his career. Heath’s memoir, I Walked With Giants, will be released on Jan. 28 by Temple University Press and contains a forward by Cosby. Heath, who has composed more than 100 jazz pieces and is a three-time Grammy nominee, is the middle brother of Percy and Tootie. The three together comprised the legendary Heath Brothers. A performer on more than 125 albums, Heath has long been considered a living legend on the tenor saxophone. His latest CD Endurance (2009), on Jazz Legacy Productions, is Heath’s first release since his brother Percy’s passing in 2005 and features the saxophonist with his younger brother, Tootie, on drums. “I still love big band,” Heath told JazzTimes’ Bill Milkowski. “I was raised up with that sound. After Duke Ellington and people like that, how can you give that up? The only problem is transporting a big band because it’s so expensive. But there are still nuts out here like me, Maria Schneider, Slide Hampton, Jon Faddis, Frank Foster, the Vanguard Orchestra and some others who believe in the big band. This is our symphony orchestra. And from an arranger’s point of view, it’s so satisfying because we can get so many musical textures and sounds out of a big band with the pairing of instruments. It’s endless.” In his decades-long career, Heath has worked with some of the best artists jazz has to offer. “Trane was always high on Jimmy’s playing and so was I,” Miles Davis once said of him. “Plus, he was a very hip dude to be with, funny and clean and very intelligent. Jimmy is one of the thoroughbreds.” Heath will perform Tuesday, Feb. 2 through Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010 with sets at 8 and 10:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets are $30 for a table seat and $20 at the bar. A $5 food or beverage minimum applies. The Blue Note is located at 131 W 3rd. St in New York City. For reservations call 212-475-8592 or visit <a href=http://www.bluenote.net/newyork/index.shtml/>Blue Note Jazz Club</a>. true

19299

2010-01-25T11:01:36-05:00

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2010-01-26T09:00:00-05:00

The Jimmy Heath Big Band will perform a six-night stint at the Blue Note in NYC

Jimmy Heath and Bill Cosby Together on Stage

2010-01-27T23:00:31-05:00

4 The effect of NPR programming upon album sales has always been remarkable. One short segment of 5 minutes or so on even an obscure artist would often lead to a spike in sales. Now NPR is taking its relationship with its listeners one step further with its Discover Songs series of compilations. The first one in the series is The New Jazz Divas, a 13-song sampler of contemporary jazz vocalists, ranging from Diana Krall to Catherine Russell. Barbara Sopato, director of e-commerce and consumer products at NPR, explained that the genesis for the project has always been NPR’s unique relationship with its listeners. “We’ve found that people come to NPR to discover new music and we focus on different genres than you see out there,” said Sopato. The compilation has been on sale at the <A HREF=http://shop.npr.org/products/NPR_Discover_Songs_The_New_Jazz_Divas-905-0.html> “shop” at NPR’s site</a> for a month or two and has already sold out a first pressing. When I asked Sopato for sales figures, she demurred, answering, “Let’s just say that it’s sold in the four digits!” For the mathematically-challenged, that’s somewhere between 1,000 and 10,000. Very impressive sales out of the box for any jazz product sold thus far only online. And they’re hoping to sell plenty more the old-fashioned way. NPR partnered with the label Shout! Factory, known for its creative reissue catalog. The CD hits stores, or what’s left of them, on Tuesday, January 26, 2010. Sopato explained that the CDs are also used by NPR member stations as premiums for fund drives locally. But mostly she said that it’s about branding. “This product enables us to imprint and reprint the NPR brand in genres that make sense.” She believes too that the NPR brand produces a loyalty that’s somewhat unusual in the world of commerce. “We find that people buy these CDs on our shop at npr.org as much because they want to support NPR.” This is not the first music sampler NPR has produced. A few years back they produced a series called I Heard It on NPR, that featured more under-the-radar artists who had been specifically featured on various shows such as “All Things Considered” and “Morning Edition.” However, this series has a different approach, with a focus on a specific genre. She said that there are plans afoot to do more Discover Songs compilations in genres that connect with NPR listeners. “We’re shooting for three to four a year,” said Sopato. Next on the docket is a Soul edition. They’re also looking at products focused on the folk and singer-songwriter genres. No mention of an instrumental jazz compilation but it would seem a likely choice if these do well. Interestingly, one of the reasons they started with vocal jazz was because the Ladies Jazzin’ It Up sampler did so well in the earlier series. Sopato believes the reason for the strong appeal for female jazz vocalists is because “Women like music they can sing along to and men like to listen to women sing.” A simpler explanation for the popularity of female vocals has rarely been heard. The cuts were selection in coordination with the staff of Shout! Factory. There are no particular surprises in the choices, except perhaps for the underrated Rene Marie who has gotten more attention for her improvised version of the National Anthem than for her fine recordings and performances. The rest of the cuts are artists with whom JT readers are likely to be quite familiar. Although several of the music’s greatest female jazz vocalists are missing, including Cassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves and Dee Dee Bridgewater, jazz vocal fans will find plenty to enjoy in the collection. And they can take pride in supporting NPR, which has a long affinity for jazz. Here is the track list for The Jazz Divas: 1. Instead – Madeleine Peyroux 2. Round Midnight - Ledisi 3. Worrisome Heart – Melody Gardot 4. I Adore You – Esperanza Spalding 5. A Taste Of Honey – Lizz Wright 6. Temptation – Diana Krall 7. Happy Days Are Here Again – The Tierney Sutton Band 8. Jammin’ – Eliane Elias 9. Bye Bye Country Boy – Karrin Allyson 10. Over The Rainbow – Jane Monheit 11. Narcissus – Patricia Barber 12. The South Is Mine – René Marie 13. Kitchen Man – Catherine Russell true

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2010-01-24T16:13:38-05:00

false

25686

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2010-01-25T08:00:00-05:00

Discover Songs compilation features Diana Krall, Madeleine Peyroux and Esperanza Spalding and 10 other jazz vocalists

NPR to Release The New Jazz Divas on CD

2010-01-26T20:19:07-05:00

4 In an extension of the Django Reinhardt Festival that takes place in the fall every year at Birdland in NYC, the Django All-star tour is celebrating Django’s 100th birthday (which is on January 24, 2010) with a series of performances at Iridium in NYC, the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, the Dakota in Minneapolis, Yoshi's in Oakland, Kuumbwa in Santa Cruz, Catalina's in Los Angeles and venues in other cities. The feature attraction of the shows is Dorado Schmitt, the noted gypsy guitarist, who will be accompanied by his son Samson Schmitt (guitar), Marcel Loeffler (accordion), Pierre Blanchard (violin) and Brian Torff (bass). Many of the shows also feature special guests, such as David Grisman at Yoshi’s in Oakland. The tour is being produced by the venerable production team of Pat Philips and Ettore Stratta. The two have been involved with producing shows with Gypsy musicians for many years. Philips told JT that it all started with Stephane Grappelli, the violinist who first came to prominence as a member of Reinhardt’s renowned and influential Hot Club Quintette. “Back in 1988, we produced Stephane’s 80th birthday concert at Carnegie Hall. That concert included Yo-Yo Ma as a special guest. We went on to produce concerts for Stephane’s 81st, 83rd and 85th birthdays. And we did his memorial concert, which included lots of great guitarists.” It was Grappelli who tipped Philips and Stratta to the guitarist Jimmy Rosenberg and started a road of discovery that continues to this day. “Stephane told us, ‘You have to go to Holland,’ remembered Philips. “So we did and we went to the gypsy camps and met so many interesting musicians.” Backstage during the memorial concert for Grappelli, in the excitement of the moment someone suggested to Philips that she should do a Django festival. “I said that I would have to sleep on it, but when I woke up in the morning, I said to Ettore, ‘let’s do it.’ See, I loved the music so much.” They produced the first Django Reinhardt event at Birdland in 2000, featuring Rosenberg, Bireli Lagrene and Babik Reinhardt. Philips got the blessing of the folks at Birdland to go along with her vision for an event celebrating the legendary guitarist. “That first year, we had people lined up on 8th Avenue. We recorded it and Ahmet Ertegun was there.” They had not only discovered a passion for themselves but they were helping to make it a phenomenon in the U.S. They next year they brought different people to Birdland with the same results at the box office. Philips remembers clearly that 2002 was the year that they brought Dorado Schmitt to the U.S. “He was the guitarist. He had such charisma and he played so great. He could compose and arrange the music. He was the kind of guy around whom everything revolved. He knew how to make a set work with different musicians.” Philips is thrilled that now audiences throughout the U.S. will get to see this unique musician live in concert. “You know, wherever we bring this music, it’s done well,” explained Philips. “At the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, it’s always been a hit. See, the pulse of the music is everywhere. The audience comes away with the idea that there can be a lot of joy in the music. It’s joyous, upbeat and swinging—all the qualities you want in life. And all ages can relate to it. It brings a smile to your face, because it shows that music can still get inside your heart and uplift your spirit.” Philips said that the musicians have such a great rapport with each other that it translates directly to the audience. “It really feels like a party atmosphere. You feel like you’re part of the show, because they’re having such a great time. The musicians smile and they play to each other. You can’t help but feed off that energy.” It’s impossible to talk about Gypsy music without talking about Gypsy culture, which has been subject to much negative attention in Europe, but Philips said that she has seen firsthand that their commitment to their family and community is very strong. “Sure, they move. If they want to go to France for a few weeks, they go. They have this sense of free spirit and get-up-and-go, yet at the same time they have a code that they live by, as family, that’s special. That’s something we learned from our time with them. They really believe that all generations should be together” That multi-generational credo can make for great music, as in the case of the father-son relationship between Dorado and Samson. When I asked Philips if there was one single artist who best represents Django’s legacy, she doesn’t hesitate. “Dorado Schmitt. Definitely. He’s got it all. He has a star quality, plays great, is a wonderful composer. I’ve seen him write an arrangement for a new song in order to play with the great violinist Flourin Niculescu, one half-hour before the show. It was incredible.” If it sounds like Philips is dedicated to the music she and Stratta are presenting, you’re hearing right. “What draws us is a passion for this music. There’s something about it that gets under your skin.” If you can’t get to any of the shows making their way during Reinhardt’s centennial, you can learn more about the performers, as well as purchase DVDs of the festival at <A HREF=http://www.djangobirdland.com> the producers’ web site</a>. They’ve also just released a new CD available now at the site. Here are the rest of the upcoming dates: January 21-24: Yoshi’s (Oakland) January 26-28 Catalina’s (Los Angeles) January 29-30 Orange County Performing Arts Center (Costa Mesa, Calif.) February 1-3 Iridium (New York City) February 4-6 L'Stral Theatre - A Montreal Jazz Festival event (Montreal, Quebec) true

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2010-01-24T18:22:16-05:00

false

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2010-01-24T18:00:00-05:00

Dorado Schmitt and other noted gypsy musicians on tour now in North America

All-Star Tour in Celebration of Django’s 100th Birthday

2010-01-27T16:45:35-05:00