Tom Scott writes, "Denise Donatelli possesses that rare combination - sensuous tone, impeccable pitch and great jazz sensibility. She is truly an awesome jazz vocalist!" Don Heckman of The Los Angeles Times writes, "She produced a classic example of communicative jazz ballad singing ... she is a singer jazz musicians love to love."
Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Denise grew up in a musical family, studying classical piano. She began playing piano at the age of three and won numerous awards in the National Federation of Music Club's yearly piano competitions. Fortunately, her love of jazz and passion for singing survived her 15 years of classical piano training. Setting her musical career aside for marriage and family, she began singing again after relocating to Atlanta, Georgia.
Currently residing in Los Angeles, Denise continues to win audiences, performing at some of the city's leading jazz venues and jazz festivals throughout the country. She has performed with a long list of jazz luminaries and has been featured with the Stan Kenton Alumni Orchestra. In 2005, Denise recorded her debut CD entitled In the Company of Friends, produced and arranged by pianist Tom Garvin. The CD received critical acclaim winning a 2005 Blue Chip Jazz CD Award and is currently enjoying a re-release in Japan on the SSJ label as of August, 08. Denise's latest recording, What Lies Within, was released August, 08 on the Savant Records. It is produced and arranged by pianist, composer/arranger, Geoffrey Keezer. Denise is joined by internationally acclaimed musicians including, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Hamilton Price, Peter Sprague, Bob Sheppard, Alex Acuña, Carl Saunders, and Giovanna Clayton. What Lies Within is certain to create a stir not just in the microcosm of female vocalists but in the macrocosm of jazz in toto..
Monday, August 31, 2009
Denise Donatelli....
Denise Donatelli Kicks Off Labor Day Weekend
We're kicking off the Labor Day Weekend ... Friday, Sept. 4th 8pm - Midnight
Charlie O's Jazz Bar and Grill
13725 Victory Blvd
Van Nuys, CA 91401-2325
Res: (818) 989-3110
Denise Donatelli, vocals
Andy Langham, piano
Hamilton Price, bass
Kevin Kanner, drums
I hate straight singing. I have to change a tune to my own way of doing it. That's all I know. - Billie Holiday
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=41916
Jazz, the Reluctant Valetudinarian
The late Summer weeks are seeing some severe crankiness in the jazz blogs, sparked by a pessimistic Wall Street Journal article by esteemed jazz critic Terry Teachout, entitled "Can Jazz be Saved?"
At first I was reluctant to jump on to the pile of feuding jazz enthusiasts, but finally I relented, and you can read my humble take on the situation. Also, there are links to various responses to Teachout's position by a handful of insightful jazz writers.
Jacob Teichroew
http://jazz.about.com/b/2009/08/20/jazz-the-reluctant-valetudinarian.htm
30 Years Of Jazz In The Motor City
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The Detroit International Jazz Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary over the course of four days this coming weekend. The free event, featuring more than 100 acts spread over six stages, should bring a huge audience to the Motor City's downtown. The festival features a wide range of artists, including jazz legends, modern jazz masters and young, up-and-coming musicians. This year's festival — subtitled "Keepin' up With the Joneses" — celebrates three brothers from a special Detroit-rooted jazz family: pianist Hank Jones and his two late brothers, drummer Elvin and trumpeter Thad Jones.
Keeping with the spirit of family, the festival will feature performances by Hank Jones, the Brubeck Brothers (Dan and Chris), their father Dave, the Clayton Brothers (Jeff and John), the Heath Brothers (Jimmy and Tootie), John Pizzarelli and his father Bucky, and Larry Coryell with his son Julian.
Listen below to songs from the three Jones brothers, as well as two sets of brothers scheduled to perform at the 2009 Detroit International Jazz Festival.
by Shaunna Morrison Machosky
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112340943&ft=1&f=10002
Berklee Honoring Brubeck at Monterey
On September 20, during the third and final night of the 52nd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival, legendary pianist Dave Brubeck will have something in common with Bonnie Raitt, Sting, Loretta Lynn and Gloria and Emilio Estefan: an honorary Ph.D. in music from Berklee College of Music. Berklee President Roger Brown will present Brubeck, already an NEA Jazz Master and a Library of Congress “Living Legend,” with the honorary doctorate at about 8 p.m., just prior to the pianist and his quartet’s performance celebrating the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking album Time Out. “It feels fitting to make this presentation to Dave for his many contributions to jazz, orchestral and sacred music, and to education, with the Brubeck Institute at the University of the Pacific, and at the Monterey Jazz Festival, where he has so many strong connections and associations,” said Brown in a press release. “The 50-year anniversary of the release of Time Out also seems like a perfect moment to thank Dave for all he’s done for the world and the world of music.”
The Berklee Honorary Doctorate of Music was first presented in 1971, to Duke Ellington. Since then, other jazz recipients have included Dizzy Gillespie, Nancy Wilson, Tito Puente, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Chick Corea, Quincy Jones, and Elvin and Hank Jones. Actor and producer Clint Eastwood is scheduled to take part in honoring Brubeck. In 2007, Eastwood became an honorary doctor of music at Monterey for his efforts to popularize jazz through his films and film music. For more information on the 52nd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival, go to www.montereyjazzfestival.org. To learn more about Dave Brubeck, go to www.davebrubeck.com.
Ken Franckling
http://www.jazziz.com/news/2009/08/27/berklee-honoring-brubeck-at-monterey/
Ben Monder and Bill McHenry - Bloom (Blue Music Group, 2009)
This album was an intimate duo consisting of collectively improvised sound sketches between guitarist Ben Monder and saxophonist Bill McHenry. Although these men are at the forefront of the modern mainstream jazz scene in New York City, they leave the familiar world of post-bop jazz behind for the most part on this album as the improvisations found here were experimental, and they were presented as mood pieces rather than discrete songs. "Ice Fields" had a creepy and haunting sound with raw guitar feeding back, and caustic and grating saxophone, in a manner which evokes loneliness or isolation. "Winter" brings insistent guitar playing with saxophone blowing over it like winds shifting over a lonesome arctic plain. "Food Chain" has Monder using overdubbed guitar and loops making for a shape shifting base that is an ever-changing pattern for Mchenry's saxophone to probe. There was a cinematic feel here, like something from a science fiction movie taking place on an unusual alien landscape. The music on this album was meditative and thoughtful, and outside for the realm of my normal listening so I found it hard to describe. The enigmatic nature of the music was unusual and unique and speaks well of the musicians as they try to investigate new sonic territory.
http://jazzandblues.blogspot.com/2009/08/ben-monder-and-bill-mchenry-bloom-blue.html
Guillermo Klein - Newport 2008
Guillermo Klein Y Los Gauchos ---
Guillermo Klein: piano, vocals and compositions
Richard Nant: percussion and trumpet
Diego Urcola: trumpet, valve trombone
Taylor Haskins: trumpet
Sandro Tomasi: trombone
Chris Cheek: soprano, tenor and baritone saxophones
Bill McHenry: tenor and soprano saxophones
Jerome Sabbagh: tenor and soprano saxophones
Ben Monder: guitar
Fernando Huergo: electric bass
Jeff Ballard: drums
John Goldsby....
Since 1994, John Goldsby has been a member of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk Big Band (the Cologne Radio Big Band). From 1980 to 1994, John lived in New York City and was an active fixture on the New York jazz scene, performing everywhere from Carnegie Hall, to the nightclubs of Greenwich Village, to concert stages around the world. John is actively involved in the jazz scene as a bassist, bandleader, composer, teacher, clinician and author. The son of a Baptist minister, John was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. He played piano, guitar, and electric bass before taking up the double bass at age 18. His early musical experiences include work with hometown jazz greats Jimmy Raney, Helen Humes, and Jamey Aebersold. In 1979, John got the gig with the house trio at a jazz club in Louisville that brought in famous jazz soloists to play with the trio. For almost one year, John played with some of the legends of jazz including: Jay McShann, Buddy Tate, Johnny Hartman, Barney Kessel, Tom Harrell, Dave Liebman, Buddy DeFranco, and others. When this gig ended, John knew he had to move to New York. In 1980, he put the bass in the car and made his move...
After moving to New York, John found himself in good company with all of the other young players on the scene. His first experiences with the established New York elite included gigs with Albert Dailey, Sal Nestico, John Hicks, Benny Bailey and Bob Wilber.
Goldsby has recorded with many world-class musicians, including Scott Hamilton, John Lewis, and the American Jazz Orchestra. The John Goldsby, Peter Erskine, Bill Dobbins Trio recently recorded "Cologne" (Fuzzy Music). The CD is available through the Goldsby Web Store, or through Fuzzy Music and iTunes. Trumpeter John Marshall's newest CD, "Frisky" (Organic Music) is now available. "Off Broadway" is the title of the highly -acclaimed release with Frank Vignola on Nagel Heyer Records. "The Shimmering Colours of Stained Glass," and "The Underwater Poet" with Hubert Nuss, plus Hubert's newest "Feed the Birds" on Pirouet, "Ups and Downs" with trombonist Ludwig Nuss, "Tesoro" with Rolf Roemer, "All John" with Hans Peter Salentin, and guitarist Joachim Schoenacker's "Common Language" are among recently released recordings that feature John. "Behind Closed Doors" with Peter Erskine, "The Chase" with Randy Sandke, "An Ellington Affair" with Bill Mays, "Big Man's Blues" with Andy Fusco, and "The Return of the Great Guitars" (Herb Ellis, Larry Coryell, Mudell Lowe, and Charlie Byrd) are among other noteworthy recordings. Three critically acclaimed records with the Frank Vignola Trio are "Appel Direct," "Let It Happen," and "Look Right, Jog Left." The WDR Big Band records constantly and is featured on several current releases, such as: "Concord Voices, Live at Montreux," "Patti Austin - For Ella," "Big Band Time" from Paquito D'Rivera (featuring John's burning duet "Basstronaut" with electric bassist Oscar Stagnaro), "The Latin Jazz Suite," "Esparanto," "The Jazz Mass," "Jazz Goes To The Movies," "Gillespiana," "Bullit" and "Mannix" from Lalo Schifrin; "Pussy Cat Dues" with Bill Dobbins, Kevin Mahogany, Charles McPherson, Jimmy Knepper, Dennis Mackrel; "Better Get Hit In Your Soul" with Bill Dobbins, Jack Walrath, Miles Griffith; "Eddie Harris, The Last Concert;" and probably the most representative recording of the WDR Big Band, "Prism - The Music of Bill Dobbins and Peter Erskine."
"Cologne" is Goldsby's most recent CD with his trio co-led by drummer Peter Erskine and pianist Bill Dobbins. This recording features a wide range of modern jazz trio music, from original works like Goldsby's "Sergio" and "Jog Left" to standards and free improvisations. This CD is available from Fuzzy Music, iTunes, or the Goldsby Web Store. In December, 2000, John Goldsby recorded Viewpoint, at Topaz Studios in Cologne to for Nagel Heyer Records. The music is a combination of original material and standards, featuring some of the best musicians on the scene today: Frank Chastenier, Hans Dekker, Olivier Peters, John Marshall, and Hayden Chisholm. "Tale of the Fingers" (Concord Records) is the premier recording of the John Goldsby Quartet. The other musicians on this CD are Bill Mays (piano), Terry Clarke (drums), and Andy Fusco (alto).This recording features two compositions by Mr. Goldsby as well as rare works by Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, Oscar Pettiford, Paul Chambers, and Sam Jones. A highlight of the recording is "Three Short Stories for Bass and Piano" by Bill Mays.
The Village Voice says that John Goldsby is "One of the few bassists steeped in the tradition of Jimmy Blanton and Oscar Pettiford." The New York Times says "John Goldsby's bass playing was spectacular . . . the rhythm-section contributed some of the most vivid passages to the concert."
John Goldsby is well-known as a jazz educator and currently teaches at the Folkwang Hochschule in Essen, Germany. In the past, he has taught at the Cologne, Germany Musik Hochschule, William Paterson College, Long Island University, and Columbia University. Mr. Goldsby also teaches at Jamey Aebersold's Summer Jazz Clinics and he has recorded many educational jazz records for Mr. Aebersold. The Jazz Bass Book is Mr. Goldsby's most recent book, documenting jazz bass players and their techniques from a historical perspective. This first-of-its-kind work is filled with transcriptions, historical and technical information, discographys, and Goldsby's insightful and inspiring writing. A play-along CD is included for the reader/student to use with written etudes, patterns, scales, and improvised solos and bass lines. Also on the CD are several performances tracks for listening or play-along. The CD features Goldsby on bass along with the masterful assistance of Bill Dobbins (piano) and Hans Dekker drums). Here's a recent WDR Big Band concert from Cologne with McCoy Tyner on piano and Hans Dekker on drums. Mr. Goldsby has written two other instructional method books: Bowing Techniques for the Improvising Bassist, and Bass Notes. Bass Player magazine says, "Bass Notes is an excellent resource for intermediate to advanced jazz bassist." The National Association of Jazz Educators says, "Bowing Techniques should be a required publication for upright bassists!" Since 1990, John Goldsby has been a featured writer for Bass Player Magazine with his columns "The Tradition," "Mastering Jazz," and "Jazz Concepts."
Mr. Goldsby received jazz performance grants from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1988, 1990, and 1993. The "John Goldsby Plays Oscar Pettiford" concert which was funded by the 1990 grant received much critical acclaim from the New York Times, Jazz Times, and the Village Voice. John Goldsby is currently working with the WDR (Westdeutscher Rundfunk) Big Band on projects with artists such as McCoy Tyner, Hiram Bullock, Nicholas Payton, Roy Hargrove, Charlie Mariano, Lee Konitz, Clarke Terry, Gary Bartz, Eddie Henderson, Phil Woods, Mike Manieri, Jon Faddis, Alex Acuna, Paquito D'Rivera, Jack Walrath, Bernard Purdie, Gil Goldstein, Ray Brown, Christian McBride, John Clayton, Peter Erskine, Jeff Hamilton, John Riley, Dennis Makrell and arrangers such as Bill Holman, Vince Mendoza, Bob Brookmeyer, and Bill Dobbins In 2004, Michael Abene was appointed chief conductor of the WDR Big Band. The WDR (Westdeutscher Rundfunk) is the television and radio station in the Nordrhein-Westphalia area of Germany. It is run as a "public" radio station, but with a much broader scope than the PBS in the United States. In addition to the Big Band, the WDR also employs two full-time symphony orchestras and a choir. John is 48 years old and lives in Germany (near Cologne) with his wife Robin and their two children.
Other notable performances include "The Tonight Show" with Claude Bolling and Hubert Laws, the Grammy-Award winning soundtrack for "The Cotton Club," and work with Wynton Marsalis, Gunther Schuller, Lionel Hampton, and the Smithsonian Masterworks Orchestra. Goldsby has performed at the JVC Jazz Festival, the Chicago Jazz Festival, and the Odessa Jazz Festival among others in addition to tours of Europe, Japan, Canada, and the United States.
http://www.goldsby.de/john/bio.php
The John Goldsby Trio — Clockwise
"Clockwise" is from the new CD *Space for the Bass.*
The John Goldsby Trio recorded "Clockwise" on May 17, 2009 in Cologne, Germany at Topaz Studio.
John Goldsby (bass),
Francesco Cafiso (alto),
Martin Sasse (piano)
Also featured on other tracks:
John Goldsby (bass),
Karolina Strassmayer (alto),
Martin Sasse (piano),
Hans Dekker (drums),
Reinhard Kolbialka (engineer)
*Space for the Bass* [Bass Lion] will be released on August 11, 2009.
At Ronnie Scott's....
3 / 4 Sept - ALEX WILSON SALSA ORCHESTRA
Award winning Latin jazz pianist Alex Wilson has created a twelve piece Salsa Orchestra that builds on the dance club success of Alex’s third album ‘R&B Latino’ and his Salsa CD ‘Inglaterra’ which combines hard hitting salsa, hip drum loops and powerful vocals from UK soul-diva, Aquilla Fearon and Latino vocalists Alfonso de Jesus and Elpidio Caicedo. This is hot contemporary salsa with a drive and rhythm rarely heard in UK salsa bands. “...scintillating fusion of jazz and authentic Cuban music...the results are exhilarating, with the music’s infectious Latin colours and rhythms beefed up by some meaty jazz soloing” - The List
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Bill Anschell....
Seattle native Bill Anschell returned to the Emerald City in 2002 after spending 25 years studying, composing, and performing across the country and around the world.
Anschell left Seattle after high school, studying for two years at Oberlin College (Ohio), then earning his Music Degree from Wesleyan University (Connecticut). At Wesleyan, Anschell worked closely with saxophone great Bill Barron. He also studied semi-privately with South Indian mrdangum master T Ranganathan, kindling a passion for rhythmic experimentation that has driven Anschell's music ever since.
After leading the life of a jazz vagabond for several years, Anschell settled in Atlanta in 1989. He was initially drawn there by the opportunity to serve as Jazz Coordinator for the Southern Arts Federation (SAF), the regional arts agency of the South. Firing up SAF's jazz department virtually from scratch, Anschell launched a host of high-profile programs, published a book on grantswriting, and created “JazzSouth,” an internationally syndicated radio show. At night he dove headlong into the city's thriving jazz scene, working as a sideman with various groups and leading his own trio.
By 1992, Anschell's performing itinerary had grown to the point where it demanded his full attention. He left the SAF post, continuing to produce “JazzSouth” out of his home while focusing on playing and composing. Over the next ten years, Anschell ascended the jazz ranks in Atlanta, leading his trio at major festivals and becoming a first-call accompanist for visiting jazz greats. His trio's highlights included the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, the Montreux Atlanta Festival and four extensive tours of South America.
During the same period, Anschell enjoyed a lengthy association with vocalist Nnenna Freelon, serving as her pianist, arranger and musical director. Among their many performing highlights were the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland, the Monterey Jazz Festival in California, the Kennedy Center in Washington, and six European tours. Their concerts were broadcast on Radio France; French national television; and NPR's “JazzSet.” Anschell's piano work and arrangements were featured throughout Freelon's 1996 Concord release Shaking Free, which was nominated for a Grammy as the year's best jazz vocal recording.
Anschell was the featured artist in the December, 1997 issue of Jazz Player magazine, which included a “play-along” CD of his original music. His own CDs have earned critical acclaim and widespread exposure, with the last three discs all making Jazzweek's national “Top 50” chart for radio airplay. Anschell's 1998 release, a different note all together, was selected by United Press International (UPI) as one of the “10 Best” jazz releases of the year. His latest CD, More to the Ear than Meets the Eye, was chosen by numerous critics and radio stations across the country for their “10 Best of 2006” lists.
Anschell has played and/or recorded with a host of jazz greats including Richard Davis, Ron Carter, Benny Golsen and Russell Malone. In 2001, he was selected by the American Composers Forum for its “Composer-in-the- Schools” program; his residency included a commissioned piece for chamber orchestra. The same year, his piano work was featured in the soundtrack of the PBS movie, “Old Settler.” Since 2003, Anschell's original compositions have received widespread cable and network exposure, appearing on programs including NBC's “The West Wing” and HBO's acclaimed series “The Wire.”
As a Seattleite, Anschell had the honor of playing a weekly gig with Northwest jazz legend Floyd Standifer for the final two years before his passing. In 2005, Anschell received a Golden Ear Award as the “Northwest Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year,” and in 2006 his trio was named the “Best Northwest Acoustic Jazz Ensemble.” Golden Ears are administered by Earshot Jazz based on open voting by the Seattle jazz community.
In 2008, Anschell's Atlanta trio reunited for a fifth South American tour, visiting the Colombian cities of Medellin, Pereira and Manizales.
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=13572
Brent Jensen....
In 1986-87, Brent studied in New York City with jazz legend Lee Konitz on a grant from the Idaho Commission on the Arts. He was a featured winner of the Woodwinds on Fire international talent search conducted by Jazziz magazine (August 1996). Brent has performed with a wide variety of jazz artists including Gene Harris, Bobby Shew, Gary Foster, Dave Peck, Joe LaBarbera, John Clayton, Wycliffe Gordon, Warren Vache, Curtis Stigers, John Stowell, Kristin Korb, Jamie Findlay, Duck Baker, Dianne Schuur and many others.
His recording, The Sound of a Dry Martini: Remembering Paul Desmond on Origin Records, charted at the #1 position on jazz radio stations across the country. Dry Martini was also featured on JazzWeek's Top 100 and NPR's JazzWorks' Top 25 lists for the year 2002. Stay Cool, Brent's second release on Origin made Jim Wilke's (host of Jazz After Hours) “Favorite Jazz CDs of 2002” list. His fifth CD for Origin One More Mile with Seattle musicians Bill Anschell (piano), Jeff Johnson (bass) and John Bishop (drums) was one of Jim Wilke's (host of Jazz After Hours) “Favorite Jazz CDs of 2007”. Brent's most recent CD on Origin, We Couldn't Agree More is a collection of duets with Seattle pianist Bill Anschell.
Brent Jensen is an Assistant Professor of Music at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls.
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=41861
Brent Jensen & Aaron Miller - But not for me
Byu-Idaho Jazz Workshop series:
Brent Jensen, Sax;
Bill Anschell, Piano;
Aaron Miller, Bass
Bill Anschell and saxophonist Brent Jensen
The new album by pianist Bill Anschell and saxophonist Brent Jensen, We Couldn't Agree More (Origin, 2009) is a duet session. In this interview, Anschell and Jensen talk about how the album came to be, the particular qualities of duet playing, and the question of standards versus new music.
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=41885
Steve Kuhn's new album,,,,
Steve Kuhn's new album, Mostly Coltrane (ECM, 2009), pays tribute to John Coltrane, with whom Kuhn worked for several weeks in the early 60s. In this interview, Kuhn talks about Coltrane, the Lenox School of Jazz, his composing methods, and the support he received early on from Bill Evans. He also discusses the sacrifices he made in pursuit of his musical vision.
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=41885
Acclaimed British vocalist at Jazz Alley in Seattle for four nights
Is there another art form in which longevity offers as many creative dividends as jazz? While the gruesome pantheon of players cut down in their prime dominates the music's mythos, consider the honor roll of remarkably productive autumnal improvisers. Among tenor saxophonists alone, the octogenarian club includes James Moody, Jimmy Heath, Red Holloway, Benny Golson, Von Freeman, Sam Rivers, Frank Foster and Frank Wess. Jazz singers, however, rarely reach their later years with voice intact, which is what makes Cleo Laine's resilient pipes and enduring creative drive such a miraculous phenomenon. At 81, the British vocalist still possesses one of the most glorious instruments on the scene, and she hasn't lost a step on the bandstand (though she's recently recovered from a broken leg sustained last December).
Laine opens a four-night run at Jazz Alley on Thursday with her longtime West Coast band featuring pianist Larry Dunlap, bassist Seward McCain, drummer Jim Zimmerman and trombonist Ed Neumeister. "As she says, the voice is just a muscle and you have to keep using it and keep it in shape," says Dunlap, Laine's accompanist since the late 1970s. "Of course, she's more gifted than most people from the start. She can still hit the high notes, but doesn't want to do it all the time. To see somebody of that age still doing that adds an edge to a performance. Are they going to be able to do it? And when they can, it's really great, better than when she was 40."
If there's one common thread running through the lives of senior jazz musicians, it's a successful marriage, and Laine is no different. Her creative partnership with her husband, saxophonist/arranger John Dankworth, amounts to one of jazz's most prolific and enduring partnerships. From Ellington and Schoenberg to Shakespeare and Weill, the couple have gracefully traversed a breathtaking array of material, never shying away from a new musical challenge. "The music has really kept us together," says Laine, noting that they celebrated their 50th anniversary last year. "He does the writing, and he keeps it fresh, both for our careers and for himself. He can't keep on playing the same old stuff. He's got to up his ante all the time, which means I have to keep upping mine, too. It's competition in a way, even at our age."
Laine's lustrous voice, perfect pitch and willingness to stretch as a singer and actor have defined her far-flung career. What's most fascinating is how she's moved back and forth between pop and jazz settings and edgy theatrical and classical projects, often blurring the lines between idioms. Is there another singer whose collaborations easily encompass classical stars like flutist James Galway and guitarist John Williams, and jazz greats Mel Tormé, Clark Terry and Joe Williams? In 1974, Laine recorded an acclaimed version of Arnold Schoenberg's "Pierrot Lunaire," then earned a Best Female Pop Vocalist Grammy nomination the following year for her album "Live at Carnegie Hall." The next year she joined Ray Charles on a classic, soul-drenched recording of "Porgy and Bess" that unleashed the songs from the original light opera setting. Talk about upping the ante.
"Right from the get go, we were very eclectic, and that's helped a great deal," Laine says. "Darting around from piece to piece at the beginning expanded my horizons. John's horizons were expanded by writing for film. We were going on different paths, and then our paths met again. John is no young buck anymore, but he writes like a young buck, and he's written some phenomenal things for me recently."
By Andrew Gilbert
Special to The Seattle Times
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/musicnightlife/2009759186_cleo28.html
Vanessa Williams to put on a show at Daytime Emmys
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AP
Singing, dancing, comedy and a touch of pathos set against the glitzy backdrop of a historic theatre are on tap for the 36th annual Daytime Emmys in an attempt to lure an eroding audience for award shows. Sunday's live broadcast relocated to the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles this year, leaving its recent home at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre. Opened in 1926, the venue has hosted everyone from Judy Garland and Jack Benny to Duke Ellington and Stevie Wonder. "It's a smaller venue, which has that real glamorous look," executive producer David McKenzie said. "We want to call attention to the fact that downtown has these incredible theaters. I hope to restore a lot of the glamour to the awards and make it a really memorable event."
Honoring everything from soaps to talk shows to game shows, the ceremony airs 8-10 p.m. EDT on the CW, the first time the awards won't be on one of the major three networks. It had alternated between ABC and CBS the last four years. "We've tried to make it very fast-moving this year so it doesn't seem like two hours," McKenzie said.
He landed his self-described "dream hostess" in Vanessa Williams, who plays fashion diva Wilhelmina Slater on ABC's prime-time "Ugly Betty." She's also a daytime nominee for performer in an animated program for her voiceover work on the PBS show "Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies." Williams' singing and dancing chops will be on display in the show's opening number, a parody set to "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" from the Broadway musical "Jersey Boys" in which she is comically inserted into scenes from the soaps. I never auditioned for any daytime," she said, recalling hershow biz beginnings. "I used to watch `Days of Our Lives' way back in the day. I got caught up in the whole Luke-and-Laura scene back in high school in the late '70s and early '80s."
The Daytime Emmys will pay tribute to "Guiding Light," which CBS canceled after a 72-year run that predates television. The low-rated soap will air its final episode in September, leaving just eight daytime dramas on the air. CBS and ABC will have three weekday soaps, with NBC having one. Betty White will introduce the tribute, with more than 30 past and present "Guiding Light" actors participating, McKenzie said. The lifetime achievement award goes to PBS' "Sesame Street" for 40 years of educating and entertaining children. Sandra Oh will help salute the show, joined by Big Bird, Elmo, Oscar the Grouch and Cookie Monster. A "Daytime Gives Back" segment features a visit to Kenya by Susan Lucci, Anthony Geary, Kelly Monaco and Montel Williams. "If this part of the show doesn't make you cry a little bit, I'll give you your money back," McKenzie vowed. Lucci will also be seen in a runway photo shoot, with actors modeling outfits from their shows. Williams is taking a no-nonsense approach to her hosting role, a job she's handled previously at the TV Land Awards and the Essence Awards.
"It's live TV. I got a lot on my plate and I just want to make it through without any glitches and give people a good show," she said. "They'll be tuning in to see their favorites. The bottom line is they want to know who won." PBS garnered the most network nominations with 56, followed by ABC with 50, syndicated programming with 49, CBS with 30 and NBC with 20. Among programs, ABC's "All My Children" received a leading 19 nominations, although Lucci was not among them. PBS' "Sesame Street" had 15 nods, followed by NBC's "Days of Our Lives" with 13, Ellen DeGeneres' syndicated talk show with 12, NBC's "One Life to Live" with 11, and CBS' "The Young and the Restless" with 10. "All My Children" will compete against "Days of Our Lives" and "The Young and the Restless" for drama series honors. "The View" was overlooked in the talk show-entertainment category, though the ABC show's five panelists will compete against DeGeneres, Rachael Ray, and "Live!" co-hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa for talk show host.
By BETH HARRIS, Associated Press Writer Beth Harris, Associated Press Writer
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090830/ap_en_tv/us_daytime_emmys
Vanessa Williams - Just Friends
http://vanessawilliams.com - "Just Friends" is the first single from Vanessa Williams' new album THE REAL THING. Produced by Kenny Babyface Edmonds, Keith Thomas, Rob Mathes, and Rex Rideout, THE REAL THING features songs written by Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, Babel Gilberto and Babyface.
Pianist Hank Jones Plays With Vitality At 91
Jones once joked to Fresh Air's Terry Gross about his musical longevity, saying that his fingers used to be two inches longer than they are now. "You know, it's almost true," Jones tells Hansen. "I used to do a lot of rock 'n' roll, and in rock 'n' roll you'd have to play triplets, like, 'dit-dit-dit, dit-dit-dit.' So gradually, you see, it wears down the tips of the fingers. Actually, it was four inches — it does have an effect."
Still, Jones says he's never had problems with his hands over the years, thanks in part to practicing three and four hours a day. "You have to keep your fingers active," Jones says. "If there's any secret, that's it." In his career, Jones has influenced countless musicians, but he credits pianists such as Earl Hines, Fats Waller, Teddy Wilson and the "great, immortal" Art Tatum for his own inspiration. "I should mention my late friend Oscar Peterson," Jones adds. "He also was a student and admirer of Tatum. I don't know of any pianists today who didn't consider Tatum like sort of a god."
While Jones has had the opportunity to play with nearly every name in jazz, he still finds himself looking for new opportunities to play. "You see, you never really accomplish everything you want to do," Jones says, "because I'm working on projects now that I'd like to complete, and when those are complete, there are others. So there's always something I want to do."
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112330985&ft=1&f=10002
A Song Contest Becomes a Hot Spot in Feud Between Countries
The simmering conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has entered a new theater: the Eurovision Song Contest. The talent show, in which television audiences help select a winner from among dozens of European national champions, is supposed to be apolitical. Voters are barred from supporting their country’s representatives in the competition, which is organized by the European Broadcasting Union, a group of public television companies. But some Azerbaijanis who took impartiality to impressive lengths, voting for the Armenian entry in the 2009 final in May, reportedly were called in to the Azerbaijani National Security Ministry. “They were trying to put psychological pressure on me, saying things like, ‘You have no sense of ethnic pride; how come you voted for Armenia?”’ one of them, Rovshan Nasirli, told Radio Free Europe. “They made me write out an explanation, and then they let me go.”
Previously, the Armenians had raised tensions by slipping images of a memorial in Nagorno-Karabakh, the enclave at the center of the dispute between the countries, into the video presentation that introduced their representative in a preliminary round. Ictimai, the Azerbaijani public television company, said last week that it had been assured that “no one was invited to or interrogated at the Ministry of National Security with regard to the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest.”
“Therefore, all reports on this issue in the media are groundless and continuing them does not follow any logic,” Ictimai said in a statement. But the European Broadcasting Union said Friday that it would examine the matter further at a meeting in September in Oslo. “Any breach of privacy regarding voting, or interrogation of individuals, is totally unacceptable,” Jean Réveillon, director general of the broadcasting union, said in a statement.
By ERIC PFANNER
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/31/arts/television/31iht-eurovision.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss
Greg Abate
In 1978 Greg formed his group Channel One which was a favorite in the New England area and from there had the opportunity to play tenor sax with the revived Artie Shaw Orchestra under leadership of Dick Johnson from 1986 to ’87.
Following this experience Greg ventured out as post hard bop soloist playing Jazz Festivals, Jazz Societies and Jazz Clubs throughout the U.S. Canada and abroad, including most of Europe, UK, and Moscow and Georgia Russia. Greg recorded his first CD Live At Birdland NYC in 1991 on the Candid Jazz Label with the trio of James Williams, Rufus Reid and Kenny Washington.
To this date Greg has recorded over 12 other recordings and was nominated for a Grammy for his 2004 recording EVOLUTION in four categories . James Williams, Harvie S and Billy Hart comprised the trio. Greg is also an adjunct professor of Jazz Studies at Rhode Island College and is also a very active jazz clinician with co. sponsorship from the Conn -Selmer Instrument Co., conducting workshops and master classes through the U.S and abroad.
What some say about Greg Abate:
Abate is not content to rely on stock bebop riffs and standard chord progressions. Rather, the sharp angularity of his phrases and the often startling pauses in his fast-moving lines give his work a feeling of constant invention and creativity.”
–Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune
“…Abate’s musical style can be seen as a distillation of swing’s easygoing vibe and bop’smore animated groove. He has developed a unique voice.
–METRO San Jose,
“Greg Abate is an absolute powerhouse who will absolutely not let hard driving bebop die.One of the most exciting players around today, Greg’s commitment to the music is total…”
–W. Pickowitz, Jr., The Jazz Messenger
“Multi-saxophonist Greg Abate is a prime example of the ‘rear back and blow’ school of contemporary bop-based players. The tunes he writes or chooses are based on the kinds of changes that harmony-oriented jazzmen have favored since the beginning and he swings through them with and eager and easy virtuosity.”
–David Franklin, Jazz Times
“Greg Abate is one of the most appealing saxophonists on the scene today. He is mature with an abundance of gentle self-confidence. The result is that he plays music with sweetness and daring.”
–Jim Merod, New Jazz Recordings
BOP CITY – LIVE AT BIRDLAND 1991
The Greg Abate Quartet
Candid / CCD 79513
The Greg Abate Quintet
Candid / CCD 79530
The Greg Abate Quintet
Candid / CCD 79715
Greg Abate and Friends
Seaside Recordings / SSMB 132
Greg Abate and Friends
Brownstone Recordings / BRCD 959
Greg Abate and Friends
Seaside Recordings / SSBD 144
The Greg Abate Quintet
Blue Chip Jazz / 4001
The Greg Abate Quintet
Blue Chip Jazz / 4004-2
Greg Abate (alto, soprano, tenor & baritone saxophones, flute),
1201 Music / 60132
Greg Abate (saxophones),
Claudio Roditi (Trumpet),
Hilton Ruiz (piano),
Marshall Wood (bass),
Art Cabral (drums),
Koko Jazz Records
Greg Abate (alto and tenor saxophones),
Paul Nagel (Piano),
Bill Miele electric (bass),
Art Montanaro (trombone),
Vinnie Pagano (drums),
Audio Cassettes:
Stage Door Records / AVL 89131
Stage Door Productions
The Greg Abate Quartet
Buckley Records
Bird Lives,NY with ~Red Rodney (Candid Productions Ltd.) 1993
Dan Moretti and Brazilia (Live at Chan’s) Brownstone Recordings 1996
Justin Holden (JUSTIN TIME, Bayside Records/101) 1997
Claudio Roditi (SAMBA MANHATTAN STYLE, Reservoir Music/RSR139) 1994
Ken Crowell (CHOPS BIG BAND JAZZ, Ohlone College Jazz Series) 1998
An afternoon with Greg Abate (part 1)
1 of 2. Interview with Greg Abate, jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer, to name but a few of the strings on his bow! Brought to you by Dawkes Music, We get up close and personal with this American master of Jazz improvisation.
At Ronnie Scott's....
31 Aug / 1 / 2 Sept 50 YEARS OF GIANT STEPS & KIND OF BLUE presented by Denys Baptiste Quartet &
Gary Crosby’s Nu Troop
As part of the club’s 50th anniversary and our simultaneous celebration of the ground-breaking jazz albums recorded during the first year of the club opening, we present two of most iconic recordings of 1959. Mercury nominated saxophonist Denys Baptiste whose primary influence has been John Coltrane, fronts the cracking rhythm section of Andrew McCormack piano, Gary Crosby bass and Rod Youngs drums in their epic journey through the classic ‘Giants Steps’, a mixture of hard bop tenor sax, driving rhythm and enchanting sensitivity within its calmer moments. The quartet is then augmented by New Orleans trumpeter Abram Wilson and saxophonist Jason Yarde to recreate jazz’s best selling album of all-time and modal jazz classic: Miles Davis’ ‘Kind of Blue’.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Brazilian Day 2009, Show for 1 Million people in New York
The festival begins....
Carlinhos Brown plans to take one of the most popular traditions of Bahia: washing the steps of Bonfim. The singer will wash 46th Street, the street known as the Brazilians, accompanied by a group of girls and Bahian percussionists. "The wash is renewing to peolple," says Brown. Another attraction will be the election of Musa Brazilian Day 2009, which will be known on the main stage of the 43rd Street on Sunday 06 September.
Artirts:
•Elba Ramalho
•Marcelo D2
•Alcione
•Carlinhos Brown
•Arlindo Cruz
•Victor e Léo
How did
"When it started, it was only a block away. Today we have great artists and attract people from across the U.S. We cheer the Brazilians who are working and living there. They expect a lot for that day, so the reaction of people is only one crying, very emotional, "says the creator of the" Brazilian Day ", João de Matos
http://proximoshow.com.br/brazilian-day-2009-show-para-1-milhao-de-pessoas-em-nova-york-e-na-tv/
Bill Evans Trio - The Days of Wine and Roses
Bill Evans,
Marc Johnson,
Joe LaBarbera
Norway,Aug.9th,1980
DVD - "The Last Trio Live'80"
UNT English Professor Walton Muyumba will discuss his new book on jazz on KERA
UNT - University of North Texas professor Walton Muyumba will be a guest on Think next week to discuss his new book "The Shadow and the Act: Black Intellectual Practice, Jazz Improvisation, and Philosophical Pragmatism" (Chicago, 2009). Jerome Weeks will interview him during the Art&Seek segment on Friday, September 4 at 7:30 p.m. on KERA-TV. The program will be streamed afterwards at www.kera.org/think. Additional information regarding the guest lineup for next week follows.
Think airs from noon to 2:00 p.m. Monday to Thursday on KERA-FM and every Friday except the last Friday of the month at 7:30 p.m. on KERA-TV. Podcasts and streamed video are available online after broadcast at www.kera.org/think.
http://www.jazz.unt.edu/?q=node/960
Friday, August 28, 2009
Jackson's Death Officially a Homicide
Michael Jackson's death has officially been ruled a homicide, as the Los Angeles County Coroner has released a partial report on the King of Pop's death. The report cites "acute propofol intoxication" as the main cause of Jackson's death, officially linking the powerful anesthetic to his demise. The report also lists "benzodiazepine effect" as another factor that contributed to his death, due to the drugs midazolam, diazepam, lidocaine and ephedrine being found in his system as well. In unsealed warrant documents that were released this week, it was noted that Jackson's doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, admitted to giving the pop star 50 milligrams of propofol a night for a long period of time, but cut his dose to 25 milligrams.
According to TMZ, someone of Jackson's body size would need about 400 milligrams of propofol to sleep for 8 hours, which would amount to 16 times the dosage that Murray claims he gave Jackson.
Though the death has been ruled a homicide, that doesn't technically mean a crime was committed or that charges against others are guaranteed. It simply means that someone else's involvement played a role in the death. Others causes of death a coroner can use are: natural, suicide, accident, and "could not be determined."
http://www.popeater.com/2009/08/28/michael-jackson-death-homicide/
Hear The Low Anthem In Concert From Newport Folk
On its sophomore album, The Low Anthem introduces Oh My God, Charlie Darwin with a guitar strumming gently under a falsetto voice. It then echoes to a shimmer. It's a sound Uncut Magazine called "hymnal purity." The Low Anthem is a trio of recently-graduated Ivy Leaguers. The band's songwriting and sound is a sort of updated version of American folk and roots, featuring everything from Appalachian balladry to full-throated bluesy stomps. In an interview with Guy Raz, the band explains the significance of Charles Darwin and performs a song from the new album.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112343687&ft=1&f=1039
At Ronnie Scott's....
30 August THE RONNIE SCOTT’S JAZZ ORCHESTRA
The Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra is comprised of some of the greatest talents on the UK jazz scene and presents THE STORY SO FAR...,featuring the music of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, The Rat Pack and Benny Goodman. This first-class big band is comprised of the cream of UK jazz talent, headed up by Pete Long, and will offer a retrospective on different aspects of jazz music.
"Maynard!" -- New Book About Maynard Ferguson Now Available
MAYNARD! becomes the first new book on bandleader and jazz trumpet phenomenon Maynard Ferguson in nearly a dozen years. It's 240 pages of raw MF as remembered in interviews by 30 musicians and others from his earliest U.S. gigs in the late 40s to the peak of his career on Columbia Records in the 70s. Grammy winning producer Ralph Jungheim rolled tape on this hand-picked group of Ferguson intimates, revealing the innermost workings of Maynard--the man, the musician, and the leader. Charlie Barnet and producer Jim Conkling tell the behind-the-scenes story of Maynard's long-suppressed recording of “All the Things You Are."
Bud Shank remembers the scuffling days, sharing a duplex with Maynard and his first wife Kay Brown. Don Ellis was with Maynard during good times and bad. Including the night Maynard met a vigorously booing Berlin audience. Alto saxophonist Lanny Morgan recalls the tough life on the road when he was one of those paid an extra two cents a mile for driving, in the pre-bus days when the band traveled in station wagons. Don Menza played Birdland in Maynard's band--opposite Sonny Rollins and Stan Getz, and many other jazz greats. Lew Tabackin remembers the night Dick Spencer was late getting back from a break. So Maynard grabbed an alto and played Dick's part. Then Dick surprised by playing Maynard's trumpet solo beautifully from the back of the house!
Bernie “The Bolt" Myers was at the wheel of the big Butler Motor Transit Silver Eagle driving over 800 miles in one day. While claiming he never drove “over 35 miles an hour." Others interviewed in MAYNARD! Include Peter Erskine, Biff Hannon, Mundell Lowe, Stan Mark, Mike Migliore, Bobby Militello, Joe Mosello, Lynn Nicholson Dennis Noday, Reed Rankin, Bob Summers and Ron Tooley, the late Milt Bernhard, Bill Berry, Dominick Calicchio, Jimmy Campbell, Joe Graves, Rufus Speedy Jones, Irene Kral, Shelly Manne and Tony Romano.
MAYNARD! is published by Buster Ann Music, 13428 Maxella Ave. #733, Marina del Rey, CA 90292 and available for $19.95 each, postpaid.
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=41789
Jack DeJohnette, John Patitucci and Danilo Perez Record Together For The First Time As A Trio
Who’s playing that melodica on ‘Tango African’, the first track on Music We Are? It’s actually a drummer and he’s overdubbed himself on the instrument which has increasingly become a presence on many a jazz album, with its beguilingly innocent sound palette.
It’s a fleeting and tantalising glimpse setting the scene for a distinctive album. It’s not just any drummer as the album out on Monday 7 September is the latest group outing by the great Jack DeJohnette who for the first time teams up in the studio as a co-operative trio with stellar pianist Danilo Perez and leading bassist John Patitucci, both pillars of the Wayne Shorter Quartet. The 11-track album features four DeJohnette originals, three jointly written by the trio, two by Perez, one by Patitucci and the eighth track the ballad ‘Panama Viejo’ by Ricardo Fabrega. The album was recorded last year in New York state.
Jack DeJohnette recalls that he first worked with John Patitucci for the first time in Japan in 1991 and two years later joined Danilo Perez when the Panamanian made his debut as a leader. John Patitucci adds that DeJohnette actually introduced Perez to him around 1994. “I think it presents a fresh way of looking at the piano trio setting,” DeJohnette says. The CD also comes with a 30-minute DVD on the making of the album.
Stephen Graham
http://www.jazzwisemagazine.com/component/content/article/51-2009/10948-jack-dejohnette-john-patitucci-and-danilo-perez-record-together-for-the-first-time-as-a-trio
Concord Jazz Will Release Benny Reid's "Escaping Shadows" on September 15
Concord Jazz announced the release of Escaping Shadows, the sophomore album from alto saxophonist and bandleader Benny Reid. On his new release, 28-year-old Reid reveals the next vital step in his maturation as an adventurous artist and an ambitious composer. The album features nine originals and one cover song, and will be available everywhere September 15, 2009.
Produced by Reid and Chris Dunn, Escaping Shadows spotlights Reid and his band as embarking on a passionate, largely upbeat and lyrical journey. The album includes pieces that were written around the time of his debut album Findings, which the saxophonist cites as a highly creative period for him. “Half the songs on Escaping Shadows were written before the first record came out," he says. “For example, I had hopes that the tune “Escaping Shadows" would make it on to Findings, but there wasn't enough time in the studio to record it. It turned out for the best because I restructured it, building in new elements and making it stronger."
Reid recorded Escaping Shadows with his own group to build upon the rapport the members developed while working on the road together for the past two years. “We are a family. We've developed a way to work on my compositions and grooves." Members of the group include guitarist Richard Padrn, wordless vocalist Jeff Taylor and percussionist Ryan Fitch, all of whom also played on Reid's debut album. In addition, Reid recruited pianist Pablo Vergara, bassist Daniel Loomis and drummer Kenny Grohowski.
Yet Reid's alto takes the melodic lead on the tunes. He says, “I want to create the most beautiful melodies I possibly can." That's especially the case on the sublime tune, “The Most Beautiful Girl I Ever Knew," which is dedicated to his sister who passed away when Reid was 13. “She inspired me," he says. “I wrote this in college in a practice room. It was a very emotional experience for me. I escaped into the music after her death, knowing that I would honor her with it someday." He also adds, “I've always found my musical voice the truest way to express my feelings; it's easier for me to pick up the saxophone and express myself creatively through my horn, than it is through my speaking voice. I feel that I can find the heart of my soul when I play. I try to create the most moving melodies possible that represent my influences. My sister is my most dominant influence, and I strive to achieve some sort of musical comparison to her with every song I write."
A graduate of the prestigious music program at Indiana University, Reid grew up in a musical household where he was exposed to a variety of styles. From his New Jersey home, he would often go to New York to catch such musicians as Sonny Rollins and Phil Woods and even participate in jams at the Blue Note and Smalls. An early mentor was Buddy Rich's alto saxophonist Andy Fusco, and Reid began writing music when he was 14. While his musical interests ran the gamut from the brass-infused pop band Chicago to the King of Pop Michael Jackson, guitarist Pat Metheny was his biggest influence. “I remember as a child being in my father's arms while he danced around the house to Metheny music," Reid says. “He was Pat's biggest fan. So I soaked that influence and it hit me hard as I started to compose."
While Reid had to distance himself from the gravity of Metheny's touch, there are still elements in the mix, including enlisting Taylor to sing wordless vocals to embellish the music. Reid's music also has a strong emphasis on guitar. “I love the deep and diverse sound Richard gets," he says. “A theme of this record was to use his guitar with a distortion sound, like on the tune 'Cutting,' which you don't hear much in jazz today. It's one of my favorite tunes on the album. And on the second tune, 'Five Years Later,' Richard plays four different guitars-from Acoustic to Strat-to give the piece several layers." Even though it leads off the CD, the bright, upbeat “The Final Chapter" was the last tune Reid wrote before the sessions, while the following tune, the lyrical “Five Years Later" was begun five years earlier. “I had the intro and hook, but it didn't feel finished," says Reid. “I knew I would return to it eventually, but I was surprised and excited when I discovered a bridge and coda. Another older piece, “Firelight," has been a band staple onstage and is a favorite with audiences," says Reid.
Other noteworthy originals include the volume-surging, rock-grooved “Facing the Edge" and the hybrid “New Days" that starts with a jazz groove followed by a jungle beat in the middle section and features Reid and Padrn soloing in counterpoint. The lone cover of the CD is a pensive rendering of Metheny's beauty, “Always and Forever," which features Reid and Padrn in a duo setting with each playing the melody. “This was a nice moment to share with Richard," Reid says. “I wanted to do the opposite of the original, which is highly orchestrated and dense. And I didn't feel the need to solo on it." As for the high register of his alto playing, he adds, “I try for the warmest sound I can get. I am ok with not sounding like a traditional alto sax."
Escaping Shadows ends with the title track, which opens with a slow and extended introduction before buoying with highly textured energy. Reid says the tune represents growth. “I'm trying to come into my own," he says. “So I am escaping the shadows of my influences and finding myself. I'm still evolving as a player and a composer. That's what Escaping Shadows is all about. I'm on the way."
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=41791
Alex “SASHA” Sipiagin
Alex Sipiagin was born on June 11, 1967 in Yaroslavl, Russia, a provincial city 150 miles from Moscow known for being home to one of Russia’s most famous opera singers, Leonid Sobinov, also Alex’s great-grand uncle. At 12 years of age, he began playing in a children's orchestra, studying under the great symphonic trumpeter and teacher, Mikhael Tsamaiev, his first inspiration. It was shortly after entering a local musical college at age 15 that Sipiagin was introduced to and inspired by what few and rare taped recordings were available in Russia of bebop and other jazz music. He knew he had to go to Moscow for a chance to learn more, and at 16 auditioned for the Moscow Music Institute, where he beat out 50 other students to get in. There he combined his classical studies with explorations into jazz. At 19 and after receiving his Baccalaureate, Sipiagin served the mandatory 2 years in the Russian army and then, upon release, continued his classical training and music studies at the Gnessin Conservatory in Moscow, earning tuition on pop gigs and recording sessions.
In 1990, Alex won first place in a Russian young jazz players’ competition in Rostov City. That same year, with "Glasnost" in fully sway, he visited the United States for the first time, performing with a Russian student jazz band, Green Wave, when they were asked to headline the Corpus Christi Jazz Festival in Texas. He caught the attention and ears of many, and was invited to participate in the International Louis Armstrong Competition sponsored by the Thelonius Monk Institute in Washington D.C. Other trumpeters competing were those who would later become today's prominent players such as Ryan Kaiser, Scott Wendtholt, Nicolas Payton, and others. Alex placed 4th in the competition, and was presented a Bach trumpet by the legendary Clark Terry, the trumpet which he still plays to this day.
Following a challenging year, in 1991 Alex decided to pursue jazz to the next level and moved to New York City. He sat in on jam sessions until he snagged his first jazz gig in 1992, playing every Monday night at Sweet Basil with the Gil Evans Band directed by Miles Evans. Then in 1993 he became a member of Gil Goldstein’s Zebra Coast Orchestra, which replaced the Gil Evan’s Band slot on Monday nights at Sweet Basil. In 1994, Sipiagin became a regular member of the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band while performing also with drummer Bob Moses’ band, Mozamba. Trumpeters Earl Gardner and Randy Brecker introduced Sipiagin to become a member of the Mingus Big Band in 1995, of which he is still a regular member, as well as the Mingus Dynasty and Mingus Orchestra. Since 2000, Dave Holland invited him to be a regular member of his big band and currently with his various small groups, and in 2003 he recorded with Michael Brecker’s Quindectet, which he has heavily toured with alongside Michael Brecker’s Sixtet. Many of the recordings he has been involved in has won Grammy's. He has also performed with Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Aaron Neville and Elvis Costello, Michael Franks, Dave Sanborn, etc.
As a soloist, Sipiagin has 7 recordings out to his credit, most notably with Criss Cross, and has toured throughout Europe and Russia with his group. He recently signed onto a deal with Grammy award winning innovative internet company ArtistShare joining their roster of impressive modern artists, which will see a launch of his new project in the Spring of 2006.Today, Sipiagin regularly performs, records and tours worldwide with Dave Holland, the various Mingus groups, and the Monday Michiru Band, as well as continuing to record and perform with his solo units. He is also an occasional guest teacher at NYU, and conducts clinics worldwide.
http://alexsipiagin.com/aboutalex.aspx
Alex Sipiagin Solo with Michael Brecker Quindectet
Alex Sipiagin Solo with Michael Brecker Quindectet
Warrant: Jackson family told cops about drugs
By ANTHONY McCARTNEY, Associated Press Writer Anthony Mccartney, Associated Press Writer
Police who searched Michael Jackson's home the day after he died were acting on information from family members who said they'd found a bag of heroin in his bedroom, but a person with knowledge of subsequent test results on the substance said it turned out not to be the drug. The search did, however, turn up a number of other drugs including marijuana, the generic form of Valium and other sedatives. A detective also indicated Jackson's body showed signs of injections.
The disclosure came in an affidavit supporting a search warrant that was executed June 26, three days earlier than any previously reported search of Jackson's rented mansion in Bel-Air.
Two warrants came to light Thursday after several media outlets including The Associated Press asked to unseal four search warrants Los Angeles police detectives served in the early days of the Jackson death probe. The judge ordered two of the documents to remain sealed. The unsealed warrants provide a glimpse into how police were directing their investigation immediately after Jackson's death. The warrant served at his rented Bel-Air mansion the day after he died lists "PC 187," the California penal code for murder, in the box labeled "probable crime."
That warrant states family members told a coroner's official "they had located a quantity of tar heroin in a bag in the decedent's bedroom," though the person with knowledge of tests on the substance said heroin was quickly ruled out. The person was not authorized to speak to the media and asked for anonymity. Detectives also secured a search warrant for the car of Dr. Conrad Murray, the personal physician with Jackson when he died. The affidavit states detectives spoke to Murray in the hospital after the singer's death but he only gave a short summary of what had happened then left the hospital over detectives' objections. In the intervening two months, investigators have pieced together a much fuller picture of how Jackson died and Murray has emerged as the central figure in a manslaughter probe. Investigators believe he was negligent in administering the powerful anesthetic propofol and other sedatives to Jackson and that those drugs killed the singer.
Murray's attorney Edward Chernoff has said Murray never administered anything that "should have" killed Jackson. The coroner has not officially released autopsy results but a law enforcement official who requested anonymity because the investigation is ongoing told the AP the death has been ruled a homicide. The search of Murray's car turned up some documents, but no additional drugs. Also Thursday, an attorney for Jackson's longtime dermatologist does not plan to petition for a role in the upbringing of the singer's three children. Mark Vincent Kaplan said Dr. Arnold Klein is satisfied that a judge appointed an attorney to oversee their interests.
Kaplan surprised many by saying Klein wanted a role in the children's lives during a court hearing earlier this month. Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, was granted permanent guardianship of the children at the hearing, and a judge ruled that Klein didn't have legal standing to intervene, but told the doctor he could file a motion later if he still had concerns.
Kaplan said Klein got involved because he was concerned about the children having a normal upbringing not related to show business. Jackson told Klein repeatedly that he wanted his children to have a formal education and not be subjected to the rigors of traveling and performing, Kaplan said. Klein's involvement in the case raised questions about the whether the doctor could be the father of Jackson's two oldest children, a rumor fueled by tabloid reports and Klein's own cryptic answers when questioned on the matter.
Associated Press Writer Thomas Watkins contributed to this report.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090828/ap_en_mu/us_michael_jackson_investigation
Thursday, August 27, 2009
A Tour of the Institute of Jazz Studies
Dan Morgenstern, Director of the Institute of Jazz Studies offers a tour of the facilities, on the campus of Rutgers University in Newark, NJ.
http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/libs/jazz/jazz.shtml
Bob Minzter, Gentle Giant
Bob Minzter is an amazingly talented saxophonist, composer and arranger who's been leading a Big Band for more than twenty five years. He arrived on the Jazz scene in the 70s, along with his friends Michael Brecker and Bob Berg and learned his craft playing with Jaco Pastorious, Tito Puente, Louis Bellson, Buddy Rich and the Thad Jones Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra.
Last year, Bob moved to LA to join the faculty of USC and I spoke with him recently about Big Bands, and arranging. In addition to Bob's interview clips, Gentle Giant includes a performance by the Bob Mintzer Big Band, featuring special guest Kurt Elling. This is the first of several videos I'll be posting featuring my friend Bob.
The Jazz Video Guy Newsletter
Savassi Jazz Festival 2009 – Jazz & Lounge
The seventh edition of the Festival features international artists such as Carla Cook e Donny McCaslin and important names of the brazilian instrumental music such as Nivaldo Ornelas, Gilvan de Oliveira and Banda Savana Jazz. Belo Horizonte will be hosting from the September 3rd to the 8th one of the most charming
festivals dedicated to Jazz & Lounge. It’s the Savassi Jazz Festival 2009: Jazz & Lounge, that will be promoting a series of shows with some of the most representative names of the instrumental music from Brazil and beyond.
Fotografe o Jazz – During the Festival
Jazz Club – 3, 4, 5 e 6 of September
Savassi Festival – 7 of September
Closing Party – 7 of September
Jazz Workshops – 8 of September
FOTOGRAFE O JAZZ - This is the photography contest of the Savassi Festival. A iniciative that aims on documenting the Festival in its different actions and point of view, engaging creatively its participants. The participation is free, open to all interested, professional or amateurs, that develop projects related to the visual arts. The contest embraces photos captured in any means, from a cell phone to professional cameras, as long that they are from the 2009 edition of the Savassi Jazz Festival. All interested on participating should photograph the events and send 5 pictures - on JPG format in high resolution - accompanied of a short resume from the contestant, to the email HYPERLINK mailto:bruno@cafecomletras.com.br bruno@cafecomletras.com.br until September 27th, 2009. The photographs will be submited to the judging comission composed by the photographers Márcio Rodrigues and Weber Pádua and by Savassi Festival organizer, Bruno Golgher. The results will be published by e-mail until October 15th, when ten winning photographers will have their photos will be exposed at the Café com Letras.
SAVASSI FRINGE - The musical program begins with Savassi Fringe on the 3rd , 4th and 5th of September. The public will be able to enjoy free concerts by Bernardo Rodrigues, Jairo de Lara and Célio Balona, among others, at Praça da Savassi.
SAVASSI FESTIVAL - On September 7th, in the heart of Savassi, will happen the most expected part of the Festival. The heart of the city will breath music with a rich program of simultaneous shows. With 4 stages set-up on open air located in the blocks of the streets Antônio de Albuquerque, from Sergipe to Praça da Savassi, and Alagoas, between Getúlio Vargas and Cristóvão Colombo avenues The bands Diapasão, A Inevitável Experiência Acústica, Foco (RJ) and Banda Savana Jazz (SP) have confirmed their participation on this amazing event. The Savassi Jazz Festival will stage important names from the international jazz scene such as Carla Cook (USA) and Donny McCaslin (USA), and memorable collaborations such as Márcio Hallack and Nivaldo Ornelas (BH/RJ) and Juarez Maciel & Bocato (SP). Participaring of the cultural happenings of the Year of France in Brazil, the Festical will count with the presentation of Idriss Boudrioua Base & Brass (França/RJ). One of the stages will be dedicated to DJs selected by a contest, that will perform their specially elaborated sets. The Festival will be featuring two Live PAs: Yubaba and Trotter, which will be playing their original music. The entrance to see all this attractions is one kilo of non perishable food.
CLOSING PARTY - Whoever still has any energy after this jazzistic maraton, can’t miss the closing party at Velvet Club (Rua Sergipe, 1493, Savassi - Information: 3786-0456), beggining at 22 hours. The DJs Trista (rocker’s jazz), Nudja (dixieland, vaudeville, swing), Rockfeller (be-bop, hard-bop, free-jazz) will be rotating in the pick-ups keeping a high energy dance floor.
JAZZ WORKSHOPS - Finalizing the rich program, on September 8th, the Savassi Festival will be promoting Jazz Workshops. The classes will be given by Donny McCaslin (EUA/Sax), Sean Conly (EUA/Contrabaixo), Carla Cook (EUA/Voz), and Vana Gierig (EUA/Piano) at Pro Music (Av. Nossa Senhora do Carmo, 550, São Pedro). The Savassi Jazz Festival 2009: Jazz & Lounge happens thanks to o Café com Letras through Cultural Incentive Municipal, State and National Laws. The production is made by Artbhz Produtora de Espetáculos and Instituto Cidades Criativas. The complete program of the Savassi Jazz Festival 2009: Jazz & Lounge and more information can be found at HYPERLINK http://www.savassifestival.com.br/ / http://www.savassifestival.com.br/, HYPERLINK "http://www.cafecomletras.com.br/" www.cafecomletras.com.br, HYPERLINK
"http://www.artbhz.com.br" www.artbhz.com.br or by the telephone (31) 2555-1610
You've heard live jazz ? Tweet using #jazzlives
Let's prove jazz lives. Tweet about live performances using hashmark #jazzlives, detailing who and when in 140 characters.
Jazz fests rage across America in the next couple of weeks starting Aug. 29-30 with NYC's Charlie Parker fest, picking up Sept 4 through 6 -- Tanglewood, Chicago, Detroit, the Angel City Jazz Fest, LA's Sweet & Hot Music Festival, the Vail Jazz Party, Philadelphia's Tony Williams Scholarship Jazz Festival plus some fests with jazz-influenced acts, rhythms and improv such as Jazz Aspen Snowmass, Seattle's Bumbershoot, the Getdown fest and campout near Chapel Hill NC. Overall, tens of thousands of fans will be in attendance. I suggest we all raise our electronic hands on Twitter (accounts are free) to signal that we are listening, that there is indeed a significant audience including people young enough both age and spirit to send a noticeable wave through social networking, National Endowment of the Arts data from '08 notwithstanding.In a recent Wall Street Journal article, Terry Teachout cited NEA findings which detail downturns in attendance of all arts events but a particularly "rapidly aging" jazz audience. This provoked a storm of opinion and analysis in the press and on the web. My posted response suggested he'd fallen into the trap of predicting jazz's death, due to this passage:
Nobody's listening.
No, it's not quite that bad--but it's no longer possible for head-in-the-sand types to pretend that the great American art form is economically healthy or that its future looks anything other than bleak. It's true that venues, record companies and fests (not only those featuring jazz) are closing -- we're in a recession, during which many businesses have closed, and jazz presentation has always been a volatile, marginally profitable enterprise. Jazz cd sales haven't been comparable to any but classical music sales for almost 40 years (since the release of Bitches Brew) and we're currently experiencing of a major media transition, so fewer young people are buying CDs, some are downloading (yes, maybe jazz) for free, and there's no reason a young cohort should identify strongly or exclusively with old school jazz as a genre, though they may like a recording or artist here or there, or identify with players their own age (who may spurn the "jazz" id-tag, for a variety of reasons, yet still play music that's jazz in its essence). Terrestial jazz radio is mostly on NPR. Of course the audience is aging by percentage -- as baby boomers, still the largest demographic group, are aging.
Still, everywhere where I've been in the past year (New York, Chicago, Boston, Hanover NH, Portland OR and Ponta Delgada in the Azores) I've seen numerous young people in jazz audiences. Enrollment in high school and college jazz programs (there are about 180 of them in the US currently, and more in Canada and the UK) is high, and a Google search of "jazz website" comes up with 58 million citations. In the New York Times Nate Chinen mentioned similar "anecdotal evidence" -- also known as on-site observation. Teachout, rightly hard-headed, dismisses the discrepancy between the NEA's data and pro-jazz stories in favor of the suggestion of Jazz.com's Ted Gioia: The Times cites "anecdotal evidence" of young people attending jazz events. . . . I guess they need a new infusion of anecdotes. Fair enough, but rather than more stories, let's establish some new numbers. How many tweets including the hashmark #jazzlives can we accumulate over the next couple of weeks? What if we take this campaign to Facebook and other social networking sites, too? The numbers won't be statistically valid, but will provide a new metric for references' sake. Could we reach the 500,000 typically applied to attendees at Woodstock?
I hereby urge jazz bloggers and websites and jazz fests and venues to promote the idea that jazz listeners tweet including: #jazzlives, who was playing and where. Open a Twitter account if you don't already have one -- it's free and this is NOT a Twitter promotion, it just happens to work for these kinds of campaigns. Including #jazzlives will allow the tweets to be searchable at Twitter and to be scrolled on a widget that can be embedded into websites and blogs (email tweetjazzlives@gmail.com for the widget code -- you can see how it looks at www.HowardMandel.com). No further commitment, nothing to buy. Something's going on with our culture, and we probably don't know what it is. I acknowledge a major shift in arts and entertainments, but I don't think jazz is more endangered than it has been since the birth of the Beatles. I believe jazz -- which I define loosely as music typically but not always employing rhythmic momentum, derived at least in part from the African-American and urban vernacular, involving ensemble interactivity and valuing musical ability, but you are urged to define however you want to -- is surviving. Do you believe so, too? Tweet if you think #jazzlives.
http://www.artsjournal.com/jazzbeyondjazz/2009/08/labor_day_jazz_twitter_propose.html
