Category: United States

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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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.

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

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date June 25, 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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Cushing Community Theatre highlights local history with production “Caravan of Stars”

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date June 25, 2010

SpiritBank presents the production “Caravan of Stars,” written and directed by Linda Miller-Logan, on June 18-19, 20, 25-27, 2010, at the Cushing Community Theatre, 105 E Broadway, Cushing, OK.
Dinner performances are at 6:30 p.m. June 18-19 and June 25-26, 2010, and 2 p.m. for Sunday matinée performances on June 20 and June 27, 2010. No dinner is served during matinée performances. Reservations are required for dinner performances. Reservations are not required for the Sunday matinée non-dinner performances.
“Caravan of Stars” takes the audience back in time to the fun and nostalgia of Cushing’s history in 1953. There are popular singers, celebrities and comedians involved in the production, which targets the entire family and showcases local talent.
Advance non-dinner tickets may be purchased for $10 at the Cushing Community Theatre, Escotts Grocery, Cushing Chamber of Commerce, SpiritBank, Bank of Cushing, Bill Cubbage, attorney, or CBEW Professional Group. Tickets may be purchased at the door for $12. For more information, call (918) 225-4141 or go to www.cushingcommunitytheatre.com.

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Spotlight Children’s Theatre presents “Bridge to Terabithia” in Tulsa

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date June 19, 2010

Spotlight Children’s Theatre presents “Bridge to Terabithia” June 18-20, 24-27, 2010 with 7:30 p.m. Friday performances and 2 p.m. for Saturday and Sunday performances. The production will take place at Spotlight Theatre, 1381 Riverside Drive, in Tulsa, OK.
This powerful adaptation with music focuses the humor, warmth and emotional intensity of the award-winning novel by Katherine Paterson. The production is directed by Catherine Christie, and Joyce Shank serves as musical director and pianist.
“Bridge to Terabithia” is about a new girl from the city named Leslie, who befriends Jesse, an adolescent struggling to reconcile his artistic leanings with the pargmatism of his family and rural Virigina culture. Together they create Terabithiam, a fantasy kingdome where they are safe from those who don’t understand them. When tragedy strikes, the strength gained in Terabithia takes Jesse forward on his own and lets him share the magic of his dreams.
Tickets prices are $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, and $8 for children. Theatre opens 30 minutes prior to show time. For more information or reservations, call (918) 587-5030.

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The Ultimate Murder Mystery presents “Dead Dudes Don’t Disco!” at Molly’s Landing

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date June 19, 2010

The Ultimate Murder Mystery presents 70s mystery “Dead Dudes Don’t Disco!” at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 19, 2010, and Saturday, July 10, 2010, at Molly’s Landing, 3700 State Highway 66, in Catoosa, OK.
For “Dead Dudes Don’t Disco,” welcome to Danny’s Disco Inferno, where you can boogie oogie oogie ’til you just can’t boogie no more! It’s across from the YMCA, by the CAR WASH, in FUNKYTOWN! But someone has murder on their mind, and soon there will be blood on the dance floor!
Make reservations for an evening of hot disco hits, great food, great fun and lots of laughs! Dress 70s!
Come as a group, the more the merrier! Ask about a “Wanted” Poster for your date! The Ultimate Murder Mystery by James Fields has been performing in the northeast Oklahoma area since August 24, 2002. They have performed more than 290 crime scenes in Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas. The Ultimate Murder Mystery is commited to putting forth some of the finest actors in Tulsa whose improvisational skills are unparalelled!
For reservations, go to www.ultimatemurdermystery.com or call (918) 857-8092. Tickets are $59.50. Price includes dinner, show, tax and tip. Seating is limited.

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Barron Ryan pays tribute to fathers at Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date June 18, 2010

Barron Ryan, a Tulsa native, an OU music grad and half of the exquisite Ryan and Ryan piano duo (with his father, Oklahoma Jazz Hall inductee Donald Ryan), will take center stage to showcase his amazing piano talent at 5 p.m. Sunday, June 20, 2010, at the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, 111 E. First St. in Tulsa, OK. 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/.

Click here for tickets or call us at 918-281-8600. You can also buy tickets at the door the night of the event. Doors will open at 2pm.

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Jazz Journalists Association announces 2010 Jazz Award winners

Post author By mitchmuse
Post date June 17, 2010

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.