Author: mitchmuse

Global communicator, Journalism, Entrepreneur, Web editor, Blogger, Freelance writer, Jazz enthusiast

Jazz bandleader Gerald Wilson to be included in two upcoming documentaries

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date July 30, 2010

According to a recent news release, recording artist Gerald Wilson will be included in two upcoming documentaries — the first about Cab Calloway, produced by ARTE France and expected to air in America on PBS, and the other about Los Angeles’ storied Million Dollar Theater.
Wilson is best known in the music community as a premier composer, trumpeter, arranger, bandleader and educator. His work has supported some of the greatest names in jazz including Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Bobby Darin, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Carter, Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughn and Ray Charles, as well as a scorer for motion pictures and television shows such as Otto Preminger’s “Anatomy of a Murder” and ABC’s variety program “The Red Foxx Show.”
Wilson also scored a top-40 pop hit with El Chicano’s version of his song “Viva Torado” in 1971. Recently, Wilson was in the studio recording new material for his sixth release for the Mack Avenue Records label (which is yet to be titled), a follow up to 2009’s Detroit.
Wilson has earned seven Grammy nominations, a recent NAACP Image Award nomination, a NARAS President’s Merit Award, top Big Band and Composer/Arranger honors in the Downbeat International Critics Poll, the NEA American Jazz Masters Fellowship, two American Jazz Awards for Best Arranger and Best Big Band, and currently his masterpieces are ensconced in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington. His love for jazz and his 30 year educational career in teaching music also earned him the Teacher of the Year award at UCLA in 2008. Most recently, The Gerald Wilson Orchestra’s Detroit (Mack Avenue, 2009) won Record of the Year at the 2010 JazzWeek Awards.
Despite earning such various accolades throughout his career, his road to success hasn’t always been easy. At 91 years old, Wilson has struggled through more than nine decades of opposition to contribute to the fight for civil rights and to share his passion for music with the world. Born in 1918 into a hotbed of racial tension in Shelby, Miss., Wilson was sent by his mother to live with family in Detroit, where his musical talents afforded him the opportunity to attend the performing arts school, Cass Tech High School, a school that was second only to Juilliard at the time. As Wilson will tell you, this is where his musical career truly began.
Wilson’s passion to incorporate his art into his selfless crusade for civil rights has remained paramount in his life and has touched the lives in countless cultures and countries around the world. When asking this humble legend about his great successes, Wilson, who will be 92 years old this September, responds with sincere humility, “I just try to be a person worthy of being a part of this great art form.”

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Tulsa music legend David Teegarden to perform at Oklahoma Jazz Depot

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date July 30, 2010

Tulsa music legend David Teegarden (known to fans as David T.) and his quartet returns to the Jazz Depot, 111 E. First St. (Upper Level) in Tulsa, OK, at 5 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 1, 2010.

The Grammy award-winning artist (in 1981 for “Against the Wind” with Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band) has worked with superstars J.J. Cale, Eric Clapton and Joe Walsh. Sunday’s show will feature Kenny Quinn on piano, Mike Moore on trumpet, Bucky Young on bass, and David T on drums, along with special guest vocalist Chuck Cissel.

General admission tickets are $15 or $10 for seniors and students. Front-row seating is available for $20 per person. For more information, call the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame at (918) 281-8600. Tickets can be purchased online at MyTicketOffice.com or at the door the night of the event. Doors will open at 4 p.m.

David T will be selling his “Live at the Jazz Depot” CD from last summer’s concert for $15 each. Attendees can pick them up in the Gallery at the Depot during and after the concert.

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Timeless Music Festival features Robert Wilson of GAP Band, saxophonist Mike Phillips and comedian Melanie Comarcho on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2010 in Oklahoma

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date July 24, 2010

EDITOR’S NOTE: SINCE THIS POSTED, HAVE SAD NEWS: ROBERT WILSON DIED ON AUG. 15, 2010. MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO HIS FAMILY, FRIENDS AND MANY FANS. READ STORY HERE: http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectid=269&articleid=20100816_269_A12_CUTLIN206688&rss_lnk=4

Robert Wilson of the legendary GAP Band will headline the Timeless Music Festival, an exciting new Jazz, Jokes and Funk Jam event, at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, 2010, at the Rose Bowl Event Center, 419 E. 11th St. in Tulsa, OK.

The lineup also includes the popular comedian Melanie Comarcho, best known for her performances on HBO’s Shaquille O’Neal All–Star Comedy Jam, the Katt Williams Tour and the Martin Lawrence 1st Amendment Tour; and Hidden Beach recording artist, saxophonist Mike Phillips, who has toured with Stevie Wonder and Prince and dedicates his just released third album M.P.3. to the late great Wayman Tisdale, the Tulsa native NBA All–Star and popular contemporary jazz bassist who helped Phillips sign his original deal with Hidden Beach.

The festival, the kickoff date of the Timeless Music U.S. tour that continues in late September, begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20, VIP (including reserved table seating) $30.

While the GAP Band featuring Robert and his brothers Charlie and Ronnie Wilson were named after Greenwood, Archer and Pine Streets in Tulsa, the group broke through to its biggest success after they moved to Los Angeles and hooked up with producer Lonnie Simmons. 1979’s “Shake” was the first of several high–energy, synth- and bass–heavy party anthems, followed by “Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me Bad)” and the oft–sampled “You Dropped a Bomb on Me.” Today the Gap Band still brings the party to packed houses worldwide, and the group was recently honored with this year’s BMI Icon Award for their “enduring influence on generations of music makers.” At the root of the group’s influential style lies Robert’s vivacious bass work, which anchors the band’s groove and provides the foundation for his Charlie’s synth- bass parts.

Camarcho’s TV appearances include “The Brian McKnight Show” on CW, “The Sarah Silverman Project” on Comedy Central, “Comics Unleashed” on CW, “One Mic Stand” on BET, “The New Def Comedy Jam” on HBO, “The Jamie Foxx Show” (Warner Bros.), “The Chris Rock Show” (HBO) and “The Tom Joyner Show” on ABC.

A native of Mount Vernon, N.Y., Phillips made his NYC debut at Wilson’s Nightclub in 1993, which led to a series of session and sideman jobs in jazz, R&B and rap. Eventually, he attracted the attention of Hidden Beach, which signed him and put him on the road in 2001 opening for Jill Scott. His debut album You Have Reached Mike Phillips, was released in 2002, followed by Uncommon Denominator in 2005.

For more information and VIP tickets, call (918) 295–0066.

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Heller Theatre holds auditions on Monday, July 26, 2010 for production “And the Winner Is”

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date July 24, 2010

Open auditions for Heller Theatre’s “And the Winner Is” by Mitch Albom will convene from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday, July 26, 2010 at Henthorne Performing Arts Center, 4825 S. Quaker in Tulsa, OK. If needed, callbacks will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 29, 2010.
“And the Winner Is” tells the comic story of Tyler Johnes, a self-obsessed movie star, who is finally nominated for an Oscar, only to die the night before the awards. Outraged at his bad luck and determined to know if he wins, he bargains with a heavenly gatekeeper to return to earth for the big night. Along the way, he drags his agent, his acting rival, his bombshell girlfriend and his ex-wife into the journey, in a wildly twisting tale of Hollywood, the afterlife, and how we are judged. Written by Mitch Albom, the writer of “Tuesdays with Morrie” and “The Five People You Meet in Heaven,” this is a quirky, heartfelt and slightly wicked tale of life, death and sacrifice.
Characters needed are: One woman – age 20s-30s; one woman – age 30s-40s; two men – age 30s-40s; and two men – age 30s-60s, one with an Irish accent.
Performances are Sept. 24-25, 28, 2010, and at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1-2, 2010, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010.
For more information, call (918) 746-5065 or visit www.hellertheatre.com.

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Sand Springs Community Theatre to hold callbacks for “Steel Magnolias” on July 29, 2010

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date July 24, 2010

Sand Springs Community Theatre will have callbacks for the six women’s roles for the production “Steel Magnolias” at 7 p.m. Thurs., July 29, 2010, at Charles Page High School Auditorium, 500 N. Adams Road, Sand Springs, OK. The auditions were July 23-24, 2010.
The rehearsals will begin early August. Production dates are at 8 p.m. Sept. 9-11, 2010. and 2 p.m. matinee on Sept 12, 2010.
Sidney Hunt will be directing the show, and she chaired the auditions. Her e-mail address is snhunt1@cox.net. The play all takes place in the home beauty shop of Truvy. Characters include Truvy Jones – owner of the beauty shop; Annelle Dupuy-Desoto – Beauty shop assistant. Late teens / early 20s; Clairee Belcher – Widow of former mayor. Grande dame.; Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie – ( 25ish) Pretty and popular young lady; central character of the story, daughter of M’Lynn; M’Lynn Eatenton – Mother of Shelby, socially prominent career woman; and Ouiser (pronounced “Weezer”) Boudreaux – Wealthy curmudgeon. Acerbic but loveable.
The production is set in Truvy’s beauty salon in Chinquapin, La., where all the ladies who are “anybody” come to have their hair done. Helped by her eager new assistant, Annelle (who is not sure whether or not she is still married), the outspoken, wise-cracking Truvy dispenses shampoos and free advice to the town’s rich older curmudgeon, Ouiser, (“I’m not crazy, I’ve just been in a bad mood for forty years”); an eccentric millionaire, Miss Clairee, who has a raging sweet tooth; and the local social leader, M’Lynn, whose daughter, Shelby (the prettiest girl in town), is about to marry a “good ole boy.” Filled with hilarious repartee and not a few acerbic but humorously revealing verbal collisions, the play moves toward tragedy when, in the second act, the spunky Shelby (who is a diabetic) risks pregnancy and forfeits her life. The sudden realization of their mortality affects the others, but also draws on the underlying strength — and love — which give the play, and its characters, the special quality to make them truly touching, funny and marvelously amiable company in good times and bad.
For more information, call (918) 246-2196.

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JazzReach Inc., among 79 arts organizations in New York to receive $11 million in grants

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date July 24, 2010

PHOTO CREDIT: MIKE DIDONNA

According to a news release, to give a boost to New York City arts organizations hard hit by the financial crisis, the Open Society Foundations announced $11 million in grants to support community and educational arts initiatives.

“The arts – and arts education – are a vital part of the fabric of New York City,” said George Soros, chairman of the Open Society Foundations. “This funding will help organizations that have been under severe strain because of the economic crisis.”

The $11 million investment is made through the Performing Arts Recovery Initiative, a special one-time grant program sponsored by the Open Society Foundations and managed by the Fund for the City of New York. The program is focused on supporting nonprofit music, dance, and theater groups that are recognized for the quality of their artistic work, their strong educational programs for young people, their employment of artists and their other contributions to the vibrancy of New York City’s cultural life.

In addition to JazzReach, seventy-eight other organizations will receive two-year operating-support grants ranging from $65,000 to $250,000. The groups, located in all five boroughs of New York City, vary in budget size from $75,000 to $7 million and are primarily small and less visible than larger mainstream organizations; consequently, they are most impacted by the economic crisis and most in need of assistance. Some of the other organization’s selected to receive funding include the New York Youth Symphony, Bronx Arts Ensemble, Ballet Hispanico, Mark Morris Dance Group, Epic Theatre Ensemble and Dance Theater of Harlem.

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Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez to receive honorary degree from Berklee College of Music

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date July 12, 2010

According to a recent news release, multi-Grammy Award winning drummer and composer Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, will be awarded with an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree from Berklee College of Music on Thursday, July 15, 2010, in recognition of his extraordinary musicianship and many career achievements. The honorary degree will be presented on the main stage of the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy, by Berklee’s vice president, Larry Monroe.
El Negro has been the power behind the most popular and influential Latin music of the past decade. Since leaving Cuba and arriving in New York, he’s driven the efforts of Grammy Award-winners Listen Here (Eddie Palmieri), Live at the Blue Note (Michel Camilo), Supernatural (Carlos Santana), No Es Lo Mismo (Alejandro Sanz), and Crisol (Roy Hargrove). El Negro has also recorded with Chucho Valdes, Paquito D’Rivera, Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Robbie Ameen, among others. His performance Live at the Modern Drummer Festival 2000 (Hudson Music), with Allman Brothers’ percussionist Marc Quiñones and late saxophone great Michael Brecker, lives on explosive video footage.
As a follow up to their last recording, Italuba II (Cacao Musica), El Negro’s band will be releasing Italuba III, a double album melding World Jazz with the legacy of Latin Music. The first disc will present Italuba celebrating the Afro-Cuban big band legacy, as the quartet performs both stateside with the Arturo O’Farrill Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, and in Rome, Italy with the Parco Della Musica Jazz Orchestra, turning in big band arrangements of Italuba and Italuba II repertoire. The second disc will offer new material performed by the original Italuba quartet, with each track featuring a different percussion maestro of El Negro’s generation: Marc Quiñones, Luis Conte, Karl Perazzo, Luisito Quintero, Richie Flores, and Giovanni Hidalgo. The album, produced under his own record label, “El Negro and Reusing Records Inc.”, will hit the streets in late 2010.
El Negro has appeared as the cover of over fourteen of the major percussion publications worldwide in countries that include the United States, Brazil, China, South Africa, Germany, Argentina, Japan, Italy, and more.

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Laurette Willis featured in Playmakers Youth Theatre Workshop July 12-16, 2010

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date July 12, 2010

Laurette Willis, the Woman of 101 Voices, will be featured in a week-long youth theatre workshop, “Turn Tale and Perform,” from Monday, July 12, 2010 to Friday, July 16, 2010 at The Playmakers’ Theatre, 121 W. 3rd St., Grove, OK.
The workshop is for students from third grade to 12th grade.
Ms. Willis has been praised by teachers and students alike in her storytelling workshops, and by many others who have seen her original “Women of…” series: “Women of the Frontier,” “Women of Shakespeare,” and “Women of the Oil Fields.” Her interpretations of Emily Dickenson and Belle Starr have also drawn praise.
“We are pleased to be able to bring Ms. Willis to the participants in the workshop,” said Sandy McCabe of The Playmakers in a news release. “She will work with students once they have developed a folktale for the stage, prior to the performances. She will present a story for them, also, and as a special component, teach them the skills involved in ventriloquism.
Storytelling is an art form that has a basic kinship with theatre and the stage actor. The skills prevalent in both disciplines will give students a foundation in building a character, interpreting that character vocally, and improving breath control as well as in types of story-telling and their influence in other cultures. The students will learn to adapt a folktale for the stage and these creative theatre pieces will be presented for parents and friends on the last day of the workshop.
Sandy McCabe and Suzanne Boles will lead the workshop on other days. The fee for the 5-days is only $80/ student. Some scholarships will be available. For more information, call (918) 786-8950 on specific times and curriculum content. Students in the workshop will be grouped by age where necessary.
This workshop will be the first of more workshops to be part of the 2010-2011 after-school program.

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“Toy Camp” continues at Sapulpa Community Theatre on July 15-17, 2010

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date July 12, 2010

Sapulpa Community Theatre continues the presentation of children’s musical “Toy Camp” on July 15, July 16 and July 17. Evening performances are at 8 p.m. and matinee performance is at 2 p.m. “Toy Camp” is a fun, colorful and upbeat story for the whole family to enjoy. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Group rate is available. For more information, call (918) 227-2169 or e-mail stheatre@sbcglobal.net for reservations.

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Heller and Clark Theatres to offer home-school drama classes at Henthorne Performing Arts Center

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date June 25, 2010

Heller and Clark Theatres will offer two home-school drama classes in the fall for youth interested in theater.
The first class, Home School Drama, taught by Genie Reiman, is designed for home-schooled students ages 10-17. Goals are to provide students with an introduction to theatre through individual and group drama experiences. The class will culminate with a final presentation that will demonstrate the performance skills and talents of the students. Classes are 9 to 11 a.m., Sept. 14 through Nov. 16. Cost is $85 total for 11 classes.
Reiman is a teaching artist with the Arts and Humanities Council of Tulsa. She is an Oklahoma A+ fellow and is on the Oklahoma State Arts Council’s roster of teaching artists. She has also acted and directed in the Tulsa area for over 25 years. She has also served as costume designer for Clark theatre as well as many Harwelden productions. Before coming to Tulsa, Genie received her BFA in Theatre from the University of South Dakota and her MFA in Acting/Directing with an emphasis in Child Drama from the University of North Carolina/Greensboro.
The second class, Advanced Home School Drama, taught by Sara Phoenix, is designed for home-schooled students that have previously attended the Home School Drama class at Clark Theatre. Goals are to provide students with an advanced approach to theatre through individual and group drama experiences. The class will culminate with a final presentation that will demonstrate the performance skills and talents of the students. Class times are 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays,, Sept. 8 through Nov. 17. Cost is $85 total for 10 classes. Ages 10-17. Instructor authorization will be required to enroll in this class.
Phoenix is an award-winning actress, dancer, director and choreographer with a BFA in Theatre from the University of Oklahoma. Having worked in many community theatres, high schools, and recently at Clark Youth Theatre, she has experience with all ages of performers. Sara was the director of John and Jen, the 2009 AACT Region VI winning production, which performed at the National AACT Festival in Tacoma, Wash.
For more information on the courses, call Julie Tattershall at (918) 746-5065, e-mail jtattershall@cityoftulsa.org or go to www.clarktheatre.com.