Category: jazz

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Anita Arnold arts Black Liberated Arts Center Inc. books jazz music Oklahoma Oklahoma City United States

“Oklahoma City Music: Deep Deuce and Beyond” presented to Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry

From left: Gov. Brad Henry and author Anita Arnold

Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry was presented a copy of the recently published book, “Oklahoma City Music: Deep Deuce and Beyond” by Anita Arnold, author and executive director of Black Liberated Arts Center (BLAC) Inc. in Oklahoma City. 
Gov. Henry was pleased to receive the book that covers more than 70 years of music history from the late 1920s to the late 1990s. Henry said he was interested in this history that has contributed so much to Oklahoma.  
According to Emily Higgins, publicist of Arcadia Publishing of Mount Pleasant, S.C., “Oklahoma City Music: Deep Deuce and Beyond” was also selected to compete with 10 other books in the region as part of a national sales competition within Arcadia.
“We have already had a number of book signings in and around Oklahoma City that have been fun,” Arnold said.  “Each audience is different and raises new questions each time.”
Arnold will participate in other book signings scheduled through February 2011 at various locations in the Oklahoma City area.  “Oklahoma City Music: Deep Deuce and Beyond” is available at Barnes and Nobles, Borders, Capitol Square Station, Charlie’s Jazz, Rhythm & Blues Store, Dean’s Typesetting, Hastings Books, Music and Videos, Hopkins Haircare, Learning Tree Toy Store and Walgreens.

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arts BLAC Inc. education jazz music Oklahoma Oklahoma City

Monthly jazz program series begins at Oklahoma City’s Douglass High School

Left to right, Earl Day, Keyboards, Delmar Burge, Drums and Kirbie Greene, Congas.



According to a recent news release, Black Liberated Arts Center (BLAC) Inc. is sponsoring a monthly jazz program as a reward for students at Frederick A. Douglass High School in Oklahoma City. The program is a new initiative that starts this month at the request of Douglass High School Principal Brian Staples as part of the comprehensive program funded by the National Black McDonald’s Operators Association (NBMOA). 
“The 2010–11 school year begins a long term commitment for NBMOA to work with students and faculties of Frederick A. Douglass High School and its feeder schools to provide services through BLAC, Inc. to get student state performance scores up to meet state and national standards,” NBMOA President Darryl Umphries said.  “We have adopted this project to ensure the success of Douglass and its associated schools.  In doing so, we will have contributed significantly to improving the entire community.  It is a strong collaboration of partners that will demonstrate that positive change will result when people work together.  We are happy to be a part of an exciting future for our community and our schools.” 
The Earl Day Trio kicked-off the jazz series on Sept. 10, 2010, and will be followed by the Moe Williams Band on Oct. 8, 2010, and Kelvin Drake Band on Nov. 5, 2010. The free performances are open to the public.
“Other bands will be scheduled for the rest of the school year,” said Anita Arnold, BLAC Inc. executive director. “These bands will perform from 1:15 p.m. until 2:40 p.m. on each date.” 

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arts Danilo Pérez jazz music United States world

Danilo Pérez obtains 2010 ASICOM International Award

According to a recent news release, Panamanian pianist, educator and social activist Danilo Pérez has been awarded the 2010 ASICOM International Award by the (ASICOM) and the University of Oviedo (Principality of Asturias). ASICOM gives this prize each year to individuals who have made or are making significant contributions in IBEROAMERICA, helping to build and rebuild that historical region through their work and vision.
 “It is encouraging and a tremendous honor to be considered for such an important award,” said Pérez, who will be honored along with four other prominent individuals at 7 p.m. Oct. 8, 2010 at the University of Oviedo in Spain.
 His annual Panama Jazz Festival has brought world-renowned musicians to the country for the last seven years, not only to perform but also to work closely with local youth.  That mission is carried on yearlong by the Fundación Danilo Pérez, which offers musical and cultural education to disadvantaged young people in Panama City.  In the United States, Pérez serves as artistic director of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute in Boston, which offers music students an opportunity to explore creativity, advance the social power of music, and connect music with the restoration of ecology and humanity.
Pérez released his Mack Avenue records debut, Providencia, on August 31. He made his first U.S. performance in support of the album on Labor Day weekend at the 2010 Detroit International Jazz Festival.

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arts jazz Oklahoma Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame theatre tulsa United States

“A Letter to the Depot” opens 2010 fall season at Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame

Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame‘s fall season opens on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2010, with “A Letter from the Depot”  at the Jazz Depot, 111 East First Street – upper level in Tulsa, OK.
Sandy Gardner’s original one-woman musical that will take audience participants back to the glory days of train travel. The second half of the show also will feature Sandy and the Chuck Gardner Trio, who will offer great jazz standards and a few surprises.  The trio consists of arranger and pianist Chuck Gardner, Bill Crosby on bass and Tony Yohe on drums. General admission is $15, and $10 for seniors and students. Front-row seating is available for $20 per person. For more information, call (918) 281-8600 or go to http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?organ_val=2762&pid=6852081. Tickets will also be available the day of the show. Doors will open at 4 p.m.

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arts jazz Justin Echols music Oklahoma Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame tulsa United States

Justin Echols presents “Life is a Cabaret: A Tribute to NYC Cabaret Legend Bobby Short”

Justin Echols will perform at 5 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 22, 2010, at the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame‘s Jazz Depot, 111 E. First Street (Upper Level) in Tulsa, OK.
After spending the winter at New York City’s Carlyle Hotel playing the piano, Justin Echols will bring his first-hand experience from the cabaret scene, paying tribute to the legendary vocalist/ pianist Bobby Short.
 General admission is $15 or $10 for seniors and students. Front-row table seating is available for $20 per person.

Tickets may be purchased on the day of the show. Doors will open at 4 p.m. For more information, call (918) 281-8600.

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Angel City Jazz Festival arts jazz Los Angeles music United States

2010 Angel City Jazz Festival will convene Oct. 2-9, 2010, in Los Angeles

The 2010 Angel City Jazz Festival – Los Angeles’ only non-commercial jazz and new-music festival – will be held on Oct. 2-9, 2010, organizers announced in a news release.
The weeklong festival will be held at six venues in the city, combining music, film, art, dance, poetry and food with two world premieres. Featured artists at the 2010 Angel Music Festival include The John Abercrombie Quartet, Nels Cline’s DIRTY BABY, The Ravi Coltrane / Ralph Alessi Quintet, Henry Grimes and Friends, Wadada Leo Smith’s Golden Quartet with Vijay Iyer, Myra Melford’s Trio, The Sons of Champignon (Tim Berne, Jim Black and Nels Cline) and many others.
The festival is produced by Angel City Arts in association with the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, CalArts,  L.A. Filmforum, Cryptogramophone Records and the Jazz Bakery.  For more information (including schedule of events), visit angelcityjazz.com or call Rocco Somazzi at (323) 573-2110.
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jazz Kurt Rosenwinkel music United States world jazz

Kurt Rosenwinkel partners with Portugal’s Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos for “Our Secret World” release

Bandleader, composer and improviser Kurt Rosenwinkel collaborates with Portugal’s Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos for his upcoming release, Kurt Rosenwinkel & OJM: Our Secret World. The project is to be released on the Wommusic label on Sept. 7, 2010.
The Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos (OJM) is a Portugal-based big band with an impressive track record of collaborative projects, ranging from Portology with Lee Konitz and Ohad Talmor, over Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos Invites Chris Cheek, featuring the acclaimed American saxophonist, to performances with Maria Rita – the highly successful and critically acclaimed daughter of Elis Regina.
Kurt Rosenwinkel & OJM: Our Secret World took place over a 6-day period in September 2009.
“We had three days of rehearsal which were totally intense – 12-hour rehearsals with almost no breaks,” Rosenwinkel said in a news release. “What made the whole project work was the attitude and enthusiasm of all the musicians. I really felt that everybody was supporting me, supporting the music, and really giving their best. It was a great challenge for them and they rose to the occasion. The spirit that was present during the whole thing was just beautiful.” 
Philadelphia native Rosenwinkel studied at Berklee in Boston and gained his first formative professional experiences in bands led by Gary Burton and Paul Motian. Following his early albums East Coast Love Affair and Intuit came four highly regarded discs on the Verve label: The Enemies of Energy, The Next Step, Heartcore and Deep Song. In particular, Heartcore, produced by rapper Q-Tip (formerly of A Tribe Called Quest), revealed Rosenwinkel’s openness to sonic exploration beyond jazz. He now lives in Berlin, Germany, and heads the guitar department as a tenured professor at the Jazz Institute of Berlin.
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arts Black Liberated Arts Center Inc. Douglass High School education jazz music Oklahoma Oklahoma City performances United States

Oklahoma City’s Black Liberated Arts Center Inc. announces headliners for 2010-11 season

African Children’s Choir




Ailey II Dance Company of New York

Black Liberated Arts Center (BLAC) Inc. of  Oklahoma City, OK recently announced headliners for the upcoming 2010-11 season of performing arts and a new venue for ongoing performances. 
 “Beginning this year, most of BLAC Inc.’s performances will be held at Frederick A. Douglass High School auditorium, said Anita Arnold, BLAC Inc. executive director.  “However, the Soul Food Dinner Theater performances will continue to be held at the downtown Petroleum Club. The beautiful 1,200-seat auditorium fits our needs, as well as any other venue in the city, and it is conveniently located. In our 40th anniversary year, it is appropriate that we celebrate it by launching our 2010-11 season at Douglass.” 
The African Children’s Choir will open the season at Fredrick A. Douglass High School auditorium on Nov. 7, 2010, and Ailey II Dance Company of New York will perform at the auditorium on March 26, 2011.  
Grammy Award -winning jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum will headline the Soul Food Dinner series in a show, “Kirk Whalum Plays Donnie Hathaway” on Jan. 15, 2010, at the Petroleum Club in Oklahoma City. 

Kirk Whalum

“We are excited about our partnership at Douglass High School that includes professional development programs, performances and so much more,” Arnold said. “This is part of how we intend to continue our service to the community. BLAC, Inc. is offering a special Early Bird subscription to the 2010-11 season.  It is our way of offering savings on advanced ticket purchases.” 
The performances are partially funded through the Oklahoma Arts Council.  For more information, call BLAC Inc. at (405) 524-3800. 

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arts Gerald Wilson jazz music performances United States

Jazz bandleader Gerald Wilson to be included in two upcoming documentaries

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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jazz music Oklahoma Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame performances tulsa United States

Tulsa music legend David Teegarden to perform at Oklahoma Jazz Depot

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.