Category: jazz

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Berklee College of Music education Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez jazz music United States world world jazz

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

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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jazz music Oklahoma Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame performances Tommy Poole Quartet United States

Tommy Poole Quartet presents “Hot Jazz for a Hot Summer” on Sunday, June 27, 2010

Dr. Tommy Poole, professor of Jazz Studies at Northeastern State University, popular saxophonist and bandleader, makes his debut at 5 p.m. Sunday, June 27, 2010, at the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame‘s Jazz Depot, 111 E. First Street (Upper Level) in Tulsa, OK.
Accompanying Poole will be Tulsa’s Scott McQuade on piano, Bill Crosby on bass and Tony Yohe on drums, guest vocalist Chuck Cissel and new jazz singer Missy Allen.
Poole has performed or recorded with such luminaries as Rosemary Clooney, Maynard Ferguson, The Woody Herman Orchestra, Diane Schuur, Joe Willams, Mercer Ellington, and Dianne Reeves.
General admission is $15 or $10 for seniors and students. Table seating is available for $20 per person. For more information, call (918) 281-8600 or go to http://www.okjazz.org/index.cfm?id=1. Attendees can also buy tickets at the door the night of the event. Doors will open at 2 p.m.

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jazz Jazz Journalists Association music United States world

Jazz Journalists Association announces 2010 Jazz Award winners

According to a news release, the Jazz Journalists Association announced winners of the 2010 Jazz Awards at the City Winery in New York City on Monday, June 14, 2010, honoring honoring more than 40 musicians, presenters, jazz supporters and jazz journalists for the 14th year. Recipients of the Jazz Awards receive engraved statuettes from the international organization of some 450 writers, broadcasters, photographers and new media producers.
Highest honors went to saxophonist and flutist James Moody, for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz, and to veteran music journalist Don Heckman, for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz Journalism. Pianist-composer Vijay Iyer was named Musician of the Year, while multiple Awards were received by Joe Lovano (Record of the Year for Folk Art, Small Group of the Year for the band Us Five, and Tenor Saxophonist of the Year), Maria Schneider (Composer of the Year, Arranger of the Year) and Darcy James Argue, as Up and Coming Artist of the Year and for the Large Ensemble of the Year, his big band Secret Society. An entire list of the winners and other information can be seen at www.JJAJazzAwards.org. 

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arts festivals Italy jazz Tuscia in Jazz Festival world

Tuscia in Jazz Festival 2010 expands programming

Organizers announce in a news release, in the Viterbo region of Italy (about 43 miles from Rome), the countryside town of Soriano nel Cimino and city of Nepi will host the ninth edition of the Tuscia in Jazz Festival from July 8 through Aug. 14, 2010.
For the past eight years, Tuscia in Jazz has been considered one of the most important international jazz festivals, as well as an important vehicle to promote the beautiful region with its Etruscan roots, Roman history, medieval hill towns and unspoiled lakes and forests. Tuscia in Jazz has extended its branches significantly: with a record label to release recordings of its unique live performances, by adding workshops with world-renown pianist Kenny Barron and rising-star drummer Francisco Mela, and incorporating the annual Jimmy Woode Award for bass playing.
The festival has been strongly supported by the local administration of Soriano and it now returns to the squares of the centro storico and thanks to their continued support, all the concerts are free.
The Tuscia in Jazz Masterclass workshops provide an opportunity for young musicians to learn from the masters. This year’s teachers-in-residence include: Dave Liebman, Flavio Boltro, Antonio Sanchez, Shawnn Monteiro, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Eddie Gomez, Tony Monaco, Dado Moroni, Giorgio Rosciglione, Gege Munari, and Karl Potter.
Aside from the townspeople, who volunteer their time and energy, a number of sponsors have lent their financial support to keep every performance at Tuscia in Jazz free. Festival sponsors include Ministero dei Bene Culturali Regione Lazio, Fondazione Carivit, Provincia di Viterbo, and Camera di Commercio e Comunità Montana dei Cimini, and international sponsors MSC Crociere, Warsteiner Beer, and finance organizations like Carivit.
For more information, go to http://www.tusciainjazz.it.
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film jazz Louis Armstrong movies music United States world Wynton Marsalis

Silent film “Louis” to premiere with five-city tour in late August

                (Actor Anthony Coleman as a young Louis; photo credit: Peter Sorel)


According to a news release, “Louis,” a silent film directed by Dan Pritzker and starring Jackie Earle Haley, Shanti Lowry and Anthony Coleman, will premiere in the U.S. in late August with live musical accompaniment by Wynton Marsalis, renowned pianist Cecile Licad and a 10-piece all-star jazz ensemble, including Sherman Irby, Victor Goines, Marcus Printup, Ted Nash, Kurt Bacher, Vincent Gardner, Wycliffe Gordon, Dan Nimmer, Carlos Henriquez, Ali Jackson, and conductor Andy Farber. 

Marsalis will play a score comprised primarily of his own compositions. Licad will play the music of 19th century American composer L.M. Gottschalk. The group will perform live with the film in a series of special performances in New York City, Chicago, Washington DC, Detroit, and Philadelphia on August 25-31. Partial proceeds from the five concerts will benefit Providence Saint Mel School in Chicago, IL, in honor of Paul J. Adams III
 Shot by Academy Award-winning cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond as a modern re-imagining of early silent film, “Louis” is an homage to Louis Armstrong, Charlie Chaplin, beautiful women and the birth of American music. The grand Storyville bordellos, alleys and cemeteries of 1907 New Orleans provide a backdrop of lust, blood and magic for 6-year-old Louis as he navigates the colorful intricacies of life in the city. Young Louis’s dreams of playing the trumpet are interrupted by a chance meeting with a beautiful and vulnerable girl named Grace (Lowry) and her baby, Jasmine. Haley, in a performance reminiscent of the great comic stars of the silent screen, plays the evil Judge Perry who is determined not to let Jasmine’s true heritage derail his candidacy for governor.
 “The idea of accompanying a silent film telling a mythical tale of a young Louis Armstrong was appealing to me,” Marsalis says in a news release.  “Of course, calling it a silent film is a misnomer – there will be plenty of music, and jazz is like a conversation between the players so there’ll be no shortage of dialogue. I look forward to playing with Cecile. The contrast between Gottschalk’s music and jazz can be a revelation to those unfamiliar with Gottschalk’s music and jazz.”  “Louis” is a companion piece to Pritzker’s “Bolden,” starring Anthony Mackie, Wendell Pierce and Lowry. “Bolden” will be released theatrically in 2011.
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Hank Jones jazz New York City Obit United States

Mitch’s Reflection: Jazz legend Hank Jones dies at 91 in New York City

Hank Jones, pianist and jazz legend, beloved husband of Theodosia, dear uncle to his nieces and nephews across the country, friend to music, inspiration to countless musicians, died May 16, 2010, in New York City, after a brief illness. He was 91 years old and would have been 92 on July 31.
Jones’ longtime manager and Justin Time Records representative Jean-Pierre Leduc says in a news release,”Today we celebrate his spirit, his gift, his joy, his wisdom and his friendship. Hank lived and breathed music, and was never far from a keyboard, even at the end. His incredible burst of productivity these last few years – concerts, recordings, fundraisers, clinics – was unprecedented and truly remarkable.”
Born in 1918 in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Hank Jones grew up in Pontiac, MI, the eldest of the acclaimed Jones Family, which included trumpeter, composer and bandleader Thad Jones and drummer Elvin Jones.
Jones started playing in local bands in Michigan, Ohio and Buffalo before moving to New York City in 1943. His first job was with Hot Lips Page at the Onyx Club on 52nd Street, where in 1945 he joined Billy Eckstine’s big band. The following year, he joined Coleman Hawkins, and from 1947-51 he toured the world with the Jazz at the Philharmonic (JATP) accompanying Ella Fitzgerald. In 1952, he joined Artie Shaw and then worked with Johnny Hodges followed by Tyree Glenn. In 1956 he joined Benny Goodman and the CBS studios as staff pianist in 1959, a position which would last for 17 years. Additionally, Jones accompanied Marilyn Monroe as she sang “Happy Birthday Mr. President” to John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden in 1962.
Although the thought of retirement had crossed his mind, at 87, Jones stayed busy playing concerts worldwide, recording and performing at jazz master classes at various schools, such as Harvard University  and New York University. 
Jones’ recent awards include a Congressional Achievement Award, NEA Jazz Master (1989), induction in DownBeat Magazine’s Jazz Hall of Fame (2009), Jazz Journalists Associations Pianist of the Year (2009) and a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award (2009).
Jones released his most recent album,  Pleased to Meet You, as a co-leader on Justin Time Records in October with label mate pianist Oliver Jones. Before his death, Jones recorded as a guest artist on a duets album with vocalist Hilary Kole, August 10 release on Justin Time. His final recording is an album of duets with bassist Charlie Haden, due out late this year on Universal France.

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American Pianist Association Indiana Indianapolis jazz music performances United States

American Pianist Association names five jazz pianists as finalists in competition

In a recent news release, Dr. Joel Harrison, president/CEO and artistic director of the American Pianists Association announces five finalists who will compete for the $50,000 prize and the title of 2011 Cole Porter Fellow in Jazz of the American Pianists Association.  The five finalists, in no particular order, are:
Emmet Cohen, 20, Miami

Aaron Diehl, 24, New York City

Zach Lapidus, 23, Indianapolis

Jeremy Siskind, 23, New York City

Glenn Zaleski, 22, New York City

First Alternate: Christopher Ziemba
Alternates: Stuart Mindeman; Richard Sears


The preliminary round was held May 7-9, 2010, in Indianapolis by a group of five nationally-distinguished professionals, including: Frank Kimbrough, jazz pianist and teacher at the Juilliard School; jazz pianist Darrell Grant from Portland, OR; Dana Landry, head of the jazz studies program at Northern Colorado University in Greeley; John Salmon, jazz and classical pianist and 1983 Fellow of the American Pianists Association; and Brent Wallarab, founder and artistic director of the Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra.

According to Harrison, the jury heard, in anonymous fashion, the CDs submitted by 40 pianists nominated earlier this year for the awards.  Harrison said in a news release, “I am especially pleased that this year we had pianists nominated from virtually every region of the country.  The jury, of course, is not aware of any of that during deliberations, but I am glad we are reaching a wide geographic constituency.” 

The REI Real Estate Services Jazz Premiere Series, featuring each of the five finalists in a fully produced set at Indianapolis’ Jazz Kitchen, over a period of five months, begins in September 2010. Jazz Discovery Week (finals) will be April 10-17, 2011, and will feature the five finalists in a variety of settings around Indianapolis, including the Indiana State Museum, the Jazz Kitchen and the Athenaeum.  The Cole Porter Fellowship, with its cash prize of $50,000 to the winner of the competition, is the largest prize in the world for a young jazz pianist.

The mission of the American Pianists Association is to advance the careers of American jazz and classical pianists between the ages of 18-30. The organization was founded in 1979 in New York City and has been in Indianapolis since 1982.

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Amir Gwirtzman jazz Oklahoma Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame tulsa world world jazz

Amir Gwitzman performs at Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame’s Jazz Depot on Saturday, May 15, 2010

Israeli jazz musician Amir Gwirtzman will play a veritable “United Nations” of 20 wind instruments in a unique layering format that will amaze attendees at an 8 p.m. show on Saturday, May 15, 2010, at the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame (The Jazz Depot), 111 E. First Street (Upper Level), Tulsa, Oklahoma.  This is a special one-man show that you do not want to miss.  
This show is presented by the Schusterman Visiting Artist Program in cooperation with the Jewish Federation of Tulsa. 
General admission is $10 and $5 for students  A few front-row table seats will be available for $20 each.  For more information, call (918) 281-8600 or click here for tickets.


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contemporary jazz jazz Jazz Journalists Association music United States world world jazz

Jazz Journalists Association announces musical lineup for awards

According to a news release, the musical lineup is confirmed for the 14th annual Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Awards gala to be held from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Monday, June 14, 2010, at City Winery, 155 Varick St. at Vandam in New York City. 
Bobby Sanabria‘s Big Band, alto saxophonist Tia Fuller‘s Quartet, pianist Marc Cary‘s Focus Trio, Serbian guitarist Rale Micic‘s trio and solo pianist Ayako Shirasaki will perform at the JJA event, which features announcement of Awards winners, “A Team” and “Jazz Hero” honorees followed by a buffet reception. The general public may purchase tickets to either the awards ceremony and the reception ($150, doors open at 3:30 p.m.) or only the reception ($75, doors open at 5 p.m.). Tickets for the Awards, all nominations for JJA 2010 Jazz Awards, information about the JJA and its initiatives and updates about the Awards are available at www.JJAJazzAwards.org. 
The JJA Jazz Awards is the only broad-based international celebration of jazz excellence. It was begun in 1997 as a collaboration between the Jazz Journalists Association and Michael Dorf (then executive director of the Knitting Factory, now director of City Winery) and has been produced annually since 1999 independently by the JJA, a 501 (c) (3) professional organization dedicated to growing the jazz audience by using all available forms of media. 
JJA Jazz Awards are presented in more than 40 categories encompassing jazz music, presentation and documentation. The JJA’s “A Team” honors activists, advocates, altruists, aiders and abettors of jazz whose work has had far-reaching implications, and the new “Jazz Heroes” category celebrates jazz people who have had significant effect on their immediate locales. 
 

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BLAC Inc. Black Liberated Arts Center Inc. charlie christian international jazz festival contemporary jazz jazz Oklahoma Oklahoma City United States

Contemporary jazz artist Najee to headline 25th annual Charlie Christian International Festival in June 2010

Black Liberated Arts Center (BLAC) Inc. announced today that contemporary jazz artist Najee will headline the 25th annual Charlie Christian International Jazz Festival at 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 5, 2010, at Regatta Park in Oklahoma City, OK.
With three platinum and five gold albums, Najee (born Jerome Najee Rasheed) is one of the pioneers of what is commonly known as contemporary jazz.  A native of Queens, New York, Najee began his career playing clarinet and later saxophone and flute.  While in high school, he began studying under the direction of Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster, and Billy Taylor at Jazzmobile in Harlem.  Najee also studied flute with Harold Jones at the Manhattan School of Music. 
Najee, along with his brother Fareed, attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston with a concentrated study in performance and composition. The brothers moved back to New York and were asked to tour with the R&B songstress Chaka Khan. 
After the release of his debut album “Najee’s Theme” in 1986, Najee embarked on a U.S. tour with Freddie Jackson.  “Najee’s Theme” went platinum and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1987.  Najee’s sophomore album “Day by Day” also went platinum.  These albums were followed by “Tokyo Blue” and “Just an Illusion.”  In 1994, Najee recorded “Share My World.” 
Najee’s 1995 recording on EMI records was dedicated to one of his favorite artists and good friend, Stevie Wonder.  It was titled “Najee Plays Songs from the Key of Life: A Tribute to Stevie Wonder.” 
In 1998, Najee produced “Morning Tenderness.”  He is the recipient of many awards. Over the years, Najee has worked with may great artists such as Quincy Jones, Patti LaBelle, George Duke, Lionel Richie and Prince. 
Tickets are $20 in advance, $30 at the gate. Tickets may be purchased online at ProTix or at any Buy for Less store.  For more information, call (405) 524-3800 or go to www.charliechristianfestival.com.