Sunday's jazz in the Garden marked the start of a new intitiative .. well, notthat new, but a new name and significance.
Musically, I'll now be knowns as DJ E & the Unpopular Uprising.
On Sunday, uneven sound quality and frequent interruptions for lousy distractions like.... the performances :-) meant a stop-start debut as the Uprising, but I managed to get in some selections, and those were warmly received, with a few stopping by to comment positively. Big up to all those who expressed their appreciation. Also spoke to Basil 'RAS Bas' Walters of the Observer. Hopefully, some of what I said will end up in the paper. keep an eye out.
Oh, the show. Well saxman Damon RIley and cohorts gave a refreshing pop-jazz set that set a good tone for 'Uncle Sonny' and the Big band. From their opening of the National Anthem - Birdland style - it was obvious that they meant business. Band covers of Marley and of Tiger's 'Wanga Gut' also ensued before Myrna Hague brought the calssics back in the form of "If I Never Sing" and "That's Life" among others.
Lesa Terry played spirituals on violin with a mildly impish grin and an understated rapport withthe audience. Contemporary but not smooth, she more than held her own among Desi Jones, Bobby mitchell, Dale haslam and Peter Ashbourne - who also moved the crowd at the helm of his own Ashes.
That's it for now. Look out for the Observer article and more Uprising dates.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Riffin'....and look out for jazz in the Garden review
RIFFIN’S RUNDOWN FOR WEEK 27/10/08, AT 8.35PM, AT NEWSTALK 93FM
LIVE STREAM WWW.NEWSTALK93FM.COM
MONDAY: One of the defining moments of 20th century music, Miles Davis’s “Kind Of Blue”, celebrates a 50th anniversary.
TUESDAY: The New York Scene, and one of the groups that lives the life of a hard bopper, The Stryker. Slagle Band, lives up to “The Scene”.
WEDNESDAY: King Curtis, best known for his distinctive sax riffs, and his solos on songs like “Yakety Yak”, and his own”Memphis Soul Stew”, had another musical side that few knew of.
THURSDAY: Master Senegalese Kora player Seckou Keita, has created a new sound, that combines the music of Senegal, with European jazz, classical and soul music, with his Quartet, SKQ.
FRIDAY: The Washington based duo, Thievery Corporation’s new album, “Radio Retaliation”, brings a political message over driving beats.
LIVE STREAM WWW.NEWSTALK93FM.COM
MONDAY: One of the defining moments of 20th century music, Miles Davis’s “Kind Of Blue”, celebrates a 50th anniversary.
TUESDAY: The New York Scene, and one of the groups that lives the life of a hard bopper, The Stryker. Slagle Band, lives up to “The Scene”.
WEDNESDAY: King Curtis, best known for his distinctive sax riffs, and his solos on songs like “Yakety Yak”, and his own”Memphis Soul Stew”, had another musical side that few knew of.
THURSDAY: Master Senegalese Kora player Seckou Keita, has created a new sound, that combines the music of Senegal, with European jazz, classical and soul music, with his Quartet, SKQ.
FRIDAY: The Washington based duo, Thievery Corporation’s new album, “Radio Retaliation”, brings a political message over driving beats.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Now, its JTB Jazz
The Jamaica Tourist Board have stepped in as latest underwriter of Turnkey Productions' annual Jazz festival in Mobay. see the following from Headline Entertainment
The Jamaica Tourist Board and Air Jamaica have once again partnered with Turnkey Productions to be major sponsors of the annual jazz and blues festival held each January in Montego Bay. A strategic decision was taken to rename the festival to give the Jamaica Brand prime positioning. To facilitate this move the JTB agreed to add their official JAMAICA branding to the name and logo, thus rebranding the festival as The JAMAICA Jazz and Blues Festival with Air Jamaica as the presenting sponsor. The 2009 event will take place from January 22-24. After meetings with both organizations, Walter Elmore, the President of Turn-Key Productions, was happy about the new branding for the Festival. "”We believe that the new name represents the Festival as a national event that attracts thousands of tourists and returning residents to the island. The JTB has agreed to add their official JAMAICA brand to the name, and Air Jamaica remains committed to the festival as presenting sponsor. We all believe that this strategic move at a time when the Jamaica Brand is at its highest popularity globally, can only serve to strengthen the overall appeal of the festival to visitors worldwide.”
Basil Smith, Director of Tourism was especially excited by the new branding. “The annual Festival has provided exceptional opportunities to attract visitors from all over the world to come to Jamaica that may not have otherwise come to our country. The fact that the Festival will now officially be the JAMAICA Jazz & Blues Festival, will help the JTB to strengthen the event marketing throughout the world and reaffirms our branding in that ‘Once you go, in this case to the Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival’, you know.”
Air Jamaica, the country’s national carrier, was instrumental in launching the Festival and kept it going strong for over a dozen years. “The airline’s support of the Festival is unwavering” said William Rodgers, Air Jamaica’s Acting President and CEO. “Air Jamaica has long recognized the importance and impact that the Festival has on both tourists coming to Jamaica and with Jamaicans at home and abroad. The Festival also allows for the aggressive promotion of both the airline and the country as Jamaica becomes the center of the entertainment world during this period.
Popularly known just as "Jazz", the 2009 Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival has become the must see and must be at event on the entertainment calendar of the year; as many Jamaicans attend the Festival to share time with associates, family and friends from around the world.
As the plans for the Festival move into high gear, Turn-Key Productions continues to attract major sponsors for the Festival and has begun to build its star studded lineup for the 2009 Festival. “We have quite the legacy to live up to” said Walter Elmore. “In past years we have had such incredible performers like Alicia Keys, Kenny Rogers, George Benson, Shaggy , Monty Alexander, Morgan Heritage, among hundreds of other stars that have come to Jamaica to perform. And while, we cannot reveal our lineup just yet, I am positive that Jamaicans and music lovers from all over the world will be impressed and will do whatever it takes to find their way to Montego Bay at the end of January”.
The 2009 Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival presented by Air Jamaica will be staged at the historic Aqueduct in Montego Bay from Thursday, January 22 to Saturday, January 24. Tickets for the Festival go on sale later this year. For more information and all the updates please visit the festival online at www.jamaicajazzandblues.com
The Jamaica Tourist Board and Air Jamaica have once again partnered with Turnkey Productions to be major sponsors of the annual jazz and blues festival held each January in Montego Bay. A strategic decision was taken to rename the festival to give the Jamaica Brand prime positioning. To facilitate this move the JTB agreed to add their official JAMAICA branding to the name and logo, thus rebranding the festival as The JAMAICA Jazz and Blues Festival with Air Jamaica as the presenting sponsor. The 2009 event will take place from January 22-24. After meetings with both organizations, Walter Elmore, the President of Turn-Key Productions, was happy about the new branding for the Festival. "”We believe that the new name represents the Festival as a national event that attracts thousands of tourists and returning residents to the island. The JTB has agreed to add their official JAMAICA brand to the name, and Air Jamaica remains committed to the festival as presenting sponsor. We all believe that this strategic move at a time when the Jamaica Brand is at its highest popularity globally, can only serve to strengthen the overall appeal of the festival to visitors worldwide.”
Basil Smith, Director of Tourism was especially excited by the new branding. “The annual Festival has provided exceptional opportunities to attract visitors from all over the world to come to Jamaica that may not have otherwise come to our country. The fact that the Festival will now officially be the JAMAICA Jazz & Blues Festival, will help the JTB to strengthen the event marketing throughout the world and reaffirms our branding in that ‘Once you go, in this case to the Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival’, you know.”
Air Jamaica, the country’s national carrier, was instrumental in launching the Festival and kept it going strong for over a dozen years. “The airline’s support of the Festival is unwavering” said William Rodgers, Air Jamaica’s Acting President and CEO. “Air Jamaica has long recognized the importance and impact that the Festival has on both tourists coming to Jamaica and with Jamaicans at home and abroad. The Festival also allows for the aggressive promotion of both the airline and the country as Jamaica becomes the center of the entertainment world during this period.
Popularly known just as "Jazz", the 2009 Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival has become the must see and must be at event on the entertainment calendar of the year; as many Jamaicans attend the Festival to share time with associates, family and friends from around the world.
As the plans for the Festival move into high gear, Turn-Key Productions continues to attract major sponsors for the Festival and has begun to build its star studded lineup for the 2009 Festival. “We have quite the legacy to live up to” said Walter Elmore. “In past years we have had such incredible performers like Alicia Keys, Kenny Rogers, George Benson, Shaggy , Monty Alexander, Morgan Heritage, among hundreds of other stars that have come to Jamaica to perform. And while, we cannot reveal our lineup just yet, I am positive that Jamaicans and music lovers from all over the world will be impressed and will do whatever it takes to find their way to Montego Bay at the end of January”.
The 2009 Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival presented by Air Jamaica will be staged at the historic Aqueduct in Montego Bay from Thursday, January 22 to Saturday, January 24. Tickets for the Festival go on sale later this year. For more information and all the updates please visit the festival online at www.jamaicajazzandblues.com
Happy Birthday, Roy
Trumpeter Roy Hargrove, whose latest CD, Earful, has been getting its fill of positive reviews, turns 39 today. Many more to you, Roy.
Roy Hargrove was born in Waco, TX on October 16, 1969. Inspired by the gospel music he heard in church on Sundays and the R&B and funk music that played on the radio, Roy began learning the trumpet in the fourth grade. By junior high school, he was playing at an advanced level of proficiency. At 16, he was studying music at Dallas's prestigious Booker T. Washington School for the Visual and Performing Arts.
Midway through his junior year, Roy was “discovered” by Wynton Marsalis, who was conducting a jazz clinic at the school. Impressed, Marsalis invited Roy to sit in with his band at Ft. Worth's Caravan of Dreams Performing Arts Center. Subsequently, Hargrove was able to return to the venue over a period of the next three months, sitting in with Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard and Bobby Hutcherson. Word of Roy’s talent reached Paul Ackett, founder and Director of The North Sea Jazz Festival who arranged for him to perform there that summer. This led to a month-long European Tour.
Hargrove spent one year (1988-1989) studying at Boston's Berklee School of Music, but could more often be found in NYC jam sessions, which resulted in his transferring to New York’s New School. His first recording in NYC was with the saxophonist Bobby Watson followed shortly by a session with the up-and-comers super group, Superblue featuring Watson, Mulgrew Miller and Kenny Washington. In 1990, he released his solo debut, Diamond In The Rough, on the Novus/RCA label, for which he would record a total of four albums that document his incubational growth as a “young lion” to watch. Hargrove made his Verve Records debut in 1994 on With The Tenors Of Our Time, showcasing him with stellar sax men Joe Henderson, Stanley Turrentine, Johnny Griffin, Joshua Redman and Branford Marsalis.
-allaboutjazz.com
Roy Hargrove was born in Waco, TX on October 16, 1969. Inspired by the gospel music he heard in church on Sundays and the R&B and funk music that played on the radio, Roy began learning the trumpet in the fourth grade. By junior high school, he was playing at an advanced level of proficiency. At 16, he was studying music at Dallas's prestigious Booker T. Washington School for the Visual and Performing Arts.
Midway through his junior year, Roy was “discovered” by Wynton Marsalis, who was conducting a jazz clinic at the school. Impressed, Marsalis invited Roy to sit in with his band at Ft. Worth's Caravan of Dreams Performing Arts Center. Subsequently, Hargrove was able to return to the venue over a period of the next three months, sitting in with Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard and Bobby Hutcherson. Word of Roy’s talent reached Paul Ackett, founder and Director of The North Sea Jazz Festival who arranged for him to perform there that summer. This led to a month-long European Tour.
Hargrove spent one year (1988-1989) studying at Boston's Berklee School of Music, but could more often be found in NYC jam sessions, which resulted in his transferring to New York’s New School. His first recording in NYC was with the saxophonist Bobby Watson followed shortly by a session with the up-and-comers super group, Superblue featuring Watson, Mulgrew Miller and Kenny Washington. In 1990, he released his solo debut, Diamond In The Rough, on the Novus/RCA label, for which he would record a total of four albums that document his incubational growth as a “young lion” to watch. Hargrove made his Verve Records debut in 1994 on With The Tenors Of Our Time, showcasing him with stellar sax men Joe Henderson, Stanley Turrentine, Johnny Griffin, Joshua Redman and Branford Marsalis.
-allaboutjazz.com
Skavoovie for the 'Godfather' ths Sunday
He was the 'Godfather of Rocksteady' by popular acclaim, but the late Alton Ellis was simply a giant of Jamaican music, period.
The live music Lyme at Temple Hall, Skavoovie, will honour Alton with a
special tribute this Sunday, beginning at 6:00 pm (or thereabouts)
(coming from Constant Spring), Go through Stony Hill square and then its about 5-10 minutes drive, entrance on your right
The live music Lyme at Temple Hall, Skavoovie, will honour Alton with a
special tribute this Sunday, beginning at 6:00 pm (or thereabouts)
(coming from Constant Spring), Go through Stony Hill square and then its about 5-10 minutes drive, entrance on your right
Let The [Unpopular] Uprising Begin - next Sunday
The flyer very unassumingly lists "Jazz on CD by Michael Edwards" but yours truly is
treating this as the kick-off (football jargon is hot now) of my latest experiment. So, at Jazz in the Gardens on Sunday October 26, it will be the premiere of :
DJ I-kon and the Unpopular Uprising
Unpopular because the selections are not what the general public (at least notthe Jamaican public) will readily recognise, but I'm rising up with them any way. Listen for selections from Fela Kuti, Taj Mahal, Cheik Lo and some interesting collabos form Ziggy Marley and of course, great jazz from the likes of Sonny Rollins, David Murray, Terence Blanchard, Branford Marsalis and more of my favourites.
In between my selections :-) there'll be live music from the ageless Sonny Bradshaw and the Jaamaica big Band, peter Ashbourne & Ashes and my good friend, saxophonist Damon Riley & Friends, as well as featured act, Leas Terry (out of the US) on violin.
Join the Uprising. See You there - - the Gardens (no rain) of the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel
treating this as the kick-off (football jargon is hot now) of my latest experiment. So, at Jazz in the Gardens on Sunday October 26, it will be the premiere of :
DJ I-kon and the Unpopular Uprising
Unpopular because the selections are not what the general public (at least notthe Jamaican public) will readily recognise, but I'm rising up with them any way. Listen for selections from Fela Kuti, Taj Mahal, Cheik Lo and some interesting collabos form Ziggy Marley and of course, great jazz from the likes of Sonny Rollins, David Murray, Terence Blanchard, Branford Marsalis and more of my favourites.
In between my selections :-) there'll be live music from the ageless Sonny Bradshaw and the Jaamaica big Band, peter Ashbourne & Ashes and my good friend, saxophonist Damon Riley & Friends, as well as featured act, Leas Terry (out of the US) on violin.
Join the Uprising. See You there - - the Gardens (no rain) of the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Relax @ Red Bones
Redbones The Jazz and BluesCafe’ and Joy Music Ltd. School
presents
A Relaxing Jazz and Blues Evening
Come enjoy an evening with Teachers, Students and Guest artists such as Pam Hall, June Lawson, Major Joe Williams and
Joy Fairclough
Thursday October 16th , 2008
Showtime: 9 P.M – 11:30 P.M.
A donation of $650.00 per person is requested.
presents
A Relaxing Jazz and Blues Evening
Come enjoy an evening with Teachers, Students and Guest artists such as Pam Hall, June Lawson, Major Joe Williams and
Joy Fairclough
Thursday October 16th , 2008
Showtime: 9 P.M – 11:30 P.M.
A donation of $650.00 per person is requested.
Saluting the Jazz Masters
2009 NEA Jazz Masters Awards Ceremony & Concert Friday, October 17th
Dana Gioia, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts will host the
2009 NEA Jazz Masters Awards Ceremony & Concert featuring the Jazz at
Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis in a program dedicated
to the honorees’ works. Special guest performances to be made
by 2009 NEA Jazz Masters George Benson, James “Jimmy” Cobb,
Lee Konitz and “Toots” Thielemans.
The concert will include video biographies of each 2009 NEA Jazz
Master as well as a jam session with previously named NEA Jazz Masters
and the 2009 honorees.
WHERE
Frederick P. Rose Hall
Broadway at 60th Street – through Jazz at Lincoln Center marquee
to JAZZ elevators to 5th floor press check-in table.
WHEN
Friday, October 17, 2008
6:15-7:15pm
Pre-concert talk with NEA Chair Dana Gioia and 2009 Masters Rose Theater
7:15pm
Photo op with over 25 previously named Jazz Masters and 2009 Class
Noble Studio
8 pm
Awards Ceremony and Concert
Rose Theater
WHY
The 2009 NEA Jazz Masters—George Benson, Jimmy Cobb, Lee Konitz,
“Snooky” Young, “Toots” Thielemnas and Rudy
Van Gelder are joining the roster of 80 other jazz greats who have
found new and expanded opportunities to reach out to the public
through the NEA Jazz Masters and Jazz in the Schools programs.
Dana Gioia, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts will host the
2009 NEA Jazz Masters Awards Ceremony & Concert featuring the Jazz at
Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis in a program dedicated
to the honorees’ works. Special guest performances to be made
by 2009 NEA Jazz Masters George Benson, James “Jimmy” Cobb,
Lee Konitz and “Toots” Thielemans.
The concert will include video biographies of each 2009 NEA Jazz
Master as well as a jam session with previously named NEA Jazz Masters
and the 2009 honorees.
WHERE
Frederick P. Rose Hall
Broadway at 60th Street – through Jazz at Lincoln Center marquee
to JAZZ elevators to 5th floor press check-in table.
WHEN
Friday, October 17, 2008
6:15-7:15pm
Pre-concert talk with NEA Chair Dana Gioia and 2009 Masters Rose Theater
7:15pm
Photo op with over 25 previously named Jazz Masters and 2009 Class
Noble Studio
8 pm
Awards Ceremony and Concert
Rose Theater
WHY
The 2009 NEA Jazz Masters—George Benson, Jimmy Cobb, Lee Konitz,
“Snooky” Young, “Toots” Thielemnas and Rudy
Van Gelder are joining the roster of 80 other jazz greats who have
found new and expanded opportunities to reach out to the public
through the NEA Jazz Masters and Jazz in the Schools programs.
Monday, October 13, 2008
The Final Exposure: RIP William Claxton
Another tremendous loss, butthe images live on
Music photographer William Claxton dies at 80
LOS ANGELES (AP) — William Claxton, a celebrated photographer best known for his soulful portraits of jazz artists such as Chet Baker and who helped establish the organization that runs the Grammy Awards, has died. He was 80.
Claxton died Saturday at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles of complications stemming from congestive heart failure, his son Christopher said.
His images graced the covers of numerous albums.
Claxton, a founding member of The Recording Academy, started his photography career in 1952 while a student at University of California, Los Angeles.
He also worked with Sinatra, Steve McQueen and Rebecca De Mornay, and his photographs regularly appeared in such magazines as Life, Paris Match and Vogue.
In the 1960s, Claxton collaborated with his wife, fashion model Peggy Moffitt, to create a collection of iconic images featuring Rudi Gernreich's fashion designs.
A film he directed from that era, "Basic Black," is considered by many to be the first "fashion video" and is now part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Claxton also wrote 13 books and held dozens of exhibitions of his work around the world.
In 2003, he won the Lucie award for music photography at the International Photography Awards.
"He was a great photographer and a wonderful man who touched the lives of his friends through his generosity, charm and kindness," said his publisher Benedikt Taschen, founder and owner of Taschen Publishing, in a statement. "Bill was very close to my heart and a pillar of our publishing house."
Music photographer William Claxton dies at 80
LOS ANGELES (AP) — William Claxton, a celebrated photographer best known for his soulful portraits of jazz artists such as Chet Baker and who helped establish the organization that runs the Grammy Awards, has died. He was 80.
Claxton died Saturday at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles of complications stemming from congestive heart failure, his son Christopher said.
His images graced the covers of numerous albums.
Claxton, a founding member of The Recording Academy, started his photography career in 1952 while a student at University of California, Los Angeles.
He also worked with Sinatra, Steve McQueen and Rebecca De Mornay, and his photographs regularly appeared in such magazines as Life, Paris Match and Vogue.
In the 1960s, Claxton collaborated with his wife, fashion model Peggy Moffitt, to create a collection of iconic images featuring Rudi Gernreich's fashion designs.
A film he directed from that era, "Basic Black," is considered by many to be the first "fashion video" and is now part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Claxton also wrote 13 books and held dozens of exhibitions of his work around the world.
In 2003, he won the Lucie award for music photography at the International Photography Awards.
"He was a great photographer and a wonderful man who touched the lives of his friends through his generosity, charm and kindness," said his publisher Benedikt Taschen, founder and owner of Taschen Publishing, in a statement. "Bill was very close to my heart and a pillar of our publishing house."
The Changing Face of Reggae & More
RIFFFIN’S RUNDOWN FOR WEEK 13/10/08, AT NEWSTALK 93 FM, AT 8.35 PM, MONDAY TO FRIDAY.
LIVE STREAM; WWW.NEWSTALK.COM.JM
MONDAY: ACOUSTIC ARABIA: An exploration of the infectious melodies, powerful emotions, and hypnotic rhythms of the Middle East and North Africa. Jamaican poet, Ainsley Burrows, is a rising star, who has just endorsed “Guinness” in an international tv commercial.
TUESDAY: The New Jazz Composers Octet, points to a new horizon of composition and performance.
WEDNESDAY: Pianist/ Composer, Aaron Parks, describes his music as “spontaneous” and “cinematic”. His extraordinary debut album “Invisible Cinema”, sets a new standard for jazz piano expression.
THURSDAY: “CHET IN CHICAGO”: A never before released studio recording in 1986, which finds , trumpeter, Chet Baker at his best.
FRIDAY: THE CHANGING FACE OF REGGAE: Sheba Shalemariam. Funkadesi, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Rebelution, John Brown’s Body, and Alborosie.
LIVE STREAM; WWW.NEWSTALK.COM.JM
MONDAY: ACOUSTIC ARABIA: An exploration of the infectious melodies, powerful emotions, and hypnotic rhythms of the Middle East and North Africa. Jamaican poet, Ainsley Burrows, is a rising star, who has just endorsed “Guinness” in an international tv commercial.
TUESDAY: The New Jazz Composers Octet, points to a new horizon of composition and performance.
WEDNESDAY: Pianist/ Composer, Aaron Parks, describes his music as “spontaneous” and “cinematic”. His extraordinary debut album “Invisible Cinema”, sets a new standard for jazz piano expression.
THURSDAY: “CHET IN CHICAGO”: A never before released studio recording in 1986, which finds , trumpeter, Chet Baker at his best.
FRIDAY: THE CHANGING FACE OF REGGAE: Sheba Shalemariam. Funkadesi, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Rebelution, John Brown’s Body, and Alborosie.
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Walk Good, Norman Hedman
the following from Jazz Times magazine, with my edit, on Jamaican-born percussionist Norman Hedman
Norman Hedman, a conguero, percussionist, producer and composer, died in New York on September 29 at the age of 63. Causes included acute myeloid leukemia and pneumonia.
Hedman, a West Indies native, was distinguished by having brought black American influences to Afro-Caribbean rhythms. With a brand of tropical jazz very different from other congueros, the signature of Norman Hedman’s Tropique included the merger of many styles in his music. His organic approach gathered sounds utilizing instruments such as the vibraphone, flute and alto saxophone. He is also known as the first conga player to have his photograph placed on his congas; an effort to deter thieves.
Before forming Tropique in 1995, Hedman worked as a studio musician after leaving the U.S. Army. Prior to his military service, he graduated from Brooklyn College with a business major in marketing. Years later Hedman developed the PowerLight Media label as a vehicle to market Tropique and other peer albums.
Over the course of 30 years, Hedman performed with numerous aryists from within several genres, including the Main Ingredient, New Kids on the Block, Daryl Hall and Alicia Keys. He appeared on five number one hits, three movie soundtracks, and led his own shows at Jazz Standard, Blue Note, the American Museum of Natural History, and other top venues.
Norman Hedman, a conguero, percussionist, producer and composer, died in New York on September 29 at the age of 63. Causes included acute myeloid leukemia and pneumonia.
Hedman, a West Indies native, was distinguished by having brought black American influences to Afro-Caribbean rhythms. With a brand of tropical jazz very different from other congueros, the signature of Norman Hedman’s Tropique included the merger of many styles in his music. His organic approach gathered sounds utilizing instruments such as the vibraphone, flute and alto saxophone. He is also known as the first conga player to have his photograph placed on his congas; an effort to deter thieves.
Before forming Tropique in 1995, Hedman worked as a studio musician after leaving the U.S. Army. Prior to his military service, he graduated from Brooklyn College with a business major in marketing. Years later Hedman developed the PowerLight Media label as a vehicle to market Tropique and other peer albums.
Over the course of 30 years, Hedman performed with numerous aryists from within several genres, including the Main Ingredient, New Kids on the Block, Daryl Hall and Alicia Keys. He appeared on five number one hits, three movie soundtracks, and led his own shows at Jazz Standard, Blue Note, the American Museum of Natural History, and other top venues.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Mind Blowin'
I initially though to include excerpts of my Don Drummond novel, Let Me Blow My Mind, on this blog, but I've gone one better and created a blog for it on its own. Check www.dondbook.blogspot.com regularly for background info, chapter excerpts and, of course your feedback and comments.
Great Scott's: the Nov lineup @ Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club
And if you're heading to London, November is a great month for jazz-lovers, especially at the 'shrine' Ronnie Scott's.
Audiences at Ronnie Scott’s in November will be treated to performances from some of the biggest names in jazz including Roy Haynes, Curtis Stigers, James Carter, Dame Cleo Laine and Sir John Dankworth, Abdullah Ibrahim and an incredible all star band comprising John Beasley, Bennie Maupin, Jeff Tain Watts and Buster Williams.
For further information, please contact Air, on 020 7386 1600
Joe Baxter joe@airmtm.com Sheela Bates Sheela@airmtm.com
Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, 47 Frith Street , London W1D 4HT
Box Office: 020 7439 0747
Ronnie Scott’s Newsletter November 2008
30th October – 1st November: Roy Haynes, support from Mike Janisch £20/£26/£36
Fans of jazz’s rhythm men have been well served by Ronnie’s of late, with the great Louis Hayes’ appearances at the club in August going down a well-deserved storm. Following on from Hayes in October is the spectacular Roy Haynes, who has backed some of the most influential players in the history of the music; Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Gary Burton, Miles Davis, Pat Metheney, Bud Powell, John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Sarah Vaughan and Stan Getz have all had their tunes driven by Haynes’ pulsing beat, and he was a regular player with Charlie Parker and Lester Young in the 1940s and ‘50s. The man’s sixty year recording and performing career has informed him with a truly awesome sense of timing, swing and rhythm and he is rightly held in great regard as one of the most innovative drummers around. Despite his advancing years, his playing never feels anything but fresh and new, constantly searching for new ideas and modes of expression.
Opening for Haynes is celebrated UK bassist Mike Janisch with his TransAtlantic Collective, the group he founded in 2005 with award winning New York saxophonist Patrick Cornelius. Janisch has earned rave reviews for his unshakable sense of swing, and continues to impress both in the UK and abroad.
2nd: James Carter, £20/£26/£36
Reedsman James Carter picked up the Down Beat magazine critics’ choice award for baritone saxophone three years running, but his versatility also extends to flute, clarinet and other members of the sax family. His music comes from a strong tradition, with the influence of classic forward-thinking players such as Eric Dolphy, Clifford Brown, Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane shining through, but nonetheless he always keeps his mind open to new ideas, his eclectic tastes adding a subtly nuanced lyricism to his compositions. Showcasing his skills on his latest release, Present Tense, Carter is joined by his core group of trumpeter and flugelhorn player Dwight Adams, pianist D. D. Jackson, bassist James Genus and drummer Victor Lewis, along with guitarist Rodney Jones and percussionist Eli Fountain. Audiences can expect a display of virtuosic playing on a variety of instruments as Carter performs at his only UK date for this exclusive one-night-only show.
3rd – 4th: Mike Stern, £25/£30/£40
The appearance of Mike Stern at Ronnie Scott’s is both an honour for the club and a real treat for music lovers. The guitarist has made a name for himself as perhaps the foremost player of jazz, and especially fusion, on his chosen instrument, and has an astonishing repertoire of collaborators in his musical CV – he was a part of Miles Davis’ electric band in the early ‘80s, playing with the great man for three years, played with the legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius’ Word Of Mouth band, performed with the likes of David Sanborn, Michael Brecker, Dave Weckl, Steve Smith, Jimmy Cobb, Ron Carter, Joe Henderson, Richard Bona, John Patitucci, Jack DeJohnette, Kenny Garrett, Bela Fleck and countless others. His influence on the sound of contemporary electric guitar in jazz is quite simply huge, and to this day he remains a towering, almost peerless figure in his field.
5th – 8th: Curtis Stigers, £30/£36/£46
Even when he was learning his craft at local jazz jam sessions hosted by pianist extraordinaire Gene Harris, Curtis Stigers was earmarked as a talent to watch. The singer’s extraordinary rise through the ranks of the international music scene has seen him take on the pop charts in his early professional days, with several US top ten singles and appearances on Hollywood blockbuster soundtracks, including The Bodyguard, before once again finding himself returning to the jazz world, where he is now championed as one of the most distinctive and respected vocalists performing today. His approach to his own material and that of other, past vocal greats, manages to be both original and fresh, but with a real sense of where his music is coming from. His singing has attracted such varied admirers and collaborators as Eric Clapton, Prince, Joe Cocker, George Benson, Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, Diana Krall and many more. Ronnie Scott’s is delighted to welcome one of the most popular and gifted singers working in the world today for an extended four night, six show run. Book early, these seats will be going fast!
9th: The King’s Cross Hot Club, £20
The King’s Cross Hot Club joyously recreates the café-jazz atmosphere of Paris in the 1930s, playing a brilliantly executed mixture of music famously made popular by artists such as Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli and Edith Piaf. Formed by guitarists Phil Grispo and Bruce Beach, the group’s gypsy-jazz sound is augmented by piano, bass, violin, brass and vocals, the drum-less set-up allowing ample opportunity for the group to establish an undeniably swinging sense of rhythm. They have performed at a number of international jazz festivals since they came together less than a decade ago, and continue to win acclaim for their lively, upbeat swing, with their Ronnie’s performance being a great way to round off the week.
10th – 12th TBC
13th – 15th: Vincent Herring & Earth Jazz Agents, £20£/26/£36 (except Friday 14th, only 1 house 6pm -9.30pm, onstage 7.30pm, no support, £15/20/30)
Undoubtedly one of jazz's most important voices, Vincent Herring has recorded over fourteen CDs as a leader and over two hundred as a sideman. His long list of credits includes The Freddie Hubbard Quintet, Nat Adderley Quintet, Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers, Horace Silver Quintet, Kenny Barron Quintet, Steve Turre, Cedar Walton Quartet, Jack De Johnette's Special Edition, Louis Hayes and Nancy Wilson amongst many others. For these dates he will be performing with Earth Jazz Agents, a spirited band with which he has been touring intensely for over seven years. The band has developed an original, contemporary sound which is an energetic blend of jazz, funk and soul. With Vincent Herring on saxophone, Anthony Wonsey on piano & keyboards, Richie Goods on electric & acoustic bass and Joris Dudli on drums.
On the 14th November, Ronnie’s will also play host to BBC Radio 3’s launch of the 2008 London Jazz Festival, with Jez Nelson’s Jazz On 3 programme being recorded live in the club.
16th: Soul Family, £20/£26
Hosted by the wonderfully charismatic and talented soul singer Natalie Williams and her band, Soul Family Sunday offers the chance to catch some of the best R&B, soul and jazz musicians in the UK up close and personal. While guests vary from month to month, there is always the opportunity to hear music of the highest quality where the stars of the British scene showcase their material in an exciting ad hoc setting.
17th: Chris Potter, £15/£20/£30
The kind of artist who in his earlier days was often described as a ‘rising star’, saxophonist and reedsman Chris Potter has now outgrown that accolade – his star has well and truly risen and he is know revered as one of the most promising talents to have come out of the current US jazz scene. His training took in stints with the likes of trumpeter Red Rodney, Kenny Werner, Paul Motion, Ray Brown, James Moody, Herbie Hancock and Steely Dan, as well as playing a crucial role in the various bands of master bassist Dave Holland. His saxophone playing takes an aesthetic cue from the great exponents of the instrument, especially Lester Young, Charlie Parker and Sonny Rollins, but like any creative soul Potter is willing to embrace influences and ideas from any genre that passes him by, adding a fresh and acutely contemporary aspect to his playing. His group features a selection of similarly exciting firebrands, as showcased on his latest album Underground; guitarist Adam Rogers, keyboardist Craig Tabourn and drummer Nate Smith.
18th: Christine Tobin – album launch, £15/£20/£30
Tobin has been a firm favourite of the UK jazz scene for some time, and deservedly so – the singer has a real knack of drawing the listener into her world, with all of her own compositions and her interpretation of standards bearing her own distinctive mark. She picked up the 2008 BBC Jazz Award for Best Vocalist, after several past nominations, and has toured the country and abroad winning fans and critical acclaim wherever she performs. Coming from the tradition that includes the likes of Bessie Smith, Better Carter, Billie Holiday and Joni Mitchell, Tobin launches her seventh studio album Secret Life Of A Girl at Ronnie Scott’s in the company of the James Pearson Trio, featuring the club’s musical director Pearson on piano, Sam Burgess on bass and Chris Dagley on drums.
19th - 22nd: Dame Cleo Laine and Sir John Dankworth, £30/£36/£46
The British jazz scene would certainly be a very different place without the contribution of these two national treasures. The husband and wife duo of John and Cleo have, both together and independently, done it all when it comes to music; performing, recording and entertaining for decades, they have both been honoured by the Queen for their services to jazz music and by many of their peers in the form of various awards and accolades (including this year’s Gold Award at the BBC Jazz Awards), released hit albums, toured the world and performed with fellow big names too numerous to list here, suffice to say that it would be the envy of any professional musician performing today. Having just celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary and continue to both play to delighted crowds and serve as icons of British music.
23rd: Laurence Cottle Big Band and Claire Martin, £20/£26/£36
Laurence Cottle’s powerful electric bass playing is well known on the national circuit, and he is acknowledged as much for his compositional skills as for his technical ability on the instrument. A solid background as a session player for artists as diverse as Black Sabbath, Sting, Cher and Eric Clapton, his main love has always been leading from the back as a jazz player, and it is his Big Band that he brings to the Ronnie’s stage for this occasion, playing a mixture of his own tunes and standards. He is joined by Claire Martin, acclaimed and award-winning singer and broadcaster who is a regular visitor to the club. Claire lends her smoky, sultry and sassy vocals to the proceedings for an evening of powerhouse UK jazz entertainment.
24th – 26th: John Beasley, Jeff Tain Watts , Buster Williams, Bennie Maupin - All Star Band!, £25/£30/£40
Ronnie Scott’s is used to having big names pass through its doors, but it isn’t often that a line-up such as this comes anyone’s way. The combination of pianist John Beasley, drummer Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts, bassist Buster Williams and reeds player Bennie Maupin is a dream come true for jazz fans the world over, and their performance here is a special moment for London’s best jazz venue. Their collective CVs probably contain the names of most of the jazz musicians who have played in the last fifty years, and they are stunning players in their own right, with dozens of recordings and thousands of performances between them. Their music is the product of four lives spent at the very top of their game, honed by years of tireless practice and perfected on bandstands across the world. An unmissable opportunity to witness a truly all star ensemble.
27th: Future Talent Gala Fundraiser 2008
Founded by Katharine, Duchess of Kent in 2004, Future Talent is a very special music charity that provides opportunities for children from disadvantaged backgrounds throughout the UK to learn, enjoy, and benefit from a musical education. Hosted by James Pearson from the Ronnie Scott’s All Stars, the evening will feature performances by very special guests as well as winners of this year’s Future Talent Champions Awards which were announced earlier this year. For more information or to purchase tickets please contact Future Talent on 020 7388 8848 or visit http://www.futuretalent.org/ronniescotts/
28th & 29th: Julian Joseph, £20/£26/£36
As well as being an ambitious and highly skilled pianist whose work has placed him at the top of many a jazz fan’s pile, Julian Joseph is also a celebrated broadcaster, sharing presenting duties on BBC Radio 3’s Jazz Line-Up with fellow Ronnie’s visitor Clare Martin, who performs earlier in the month with Laurence Cottle. As comfortable in a big band set up as he is playing in smaller ensembles, his music takes in both contemporary and traditional influences – his last big project was a jazz opera based on the life of George Bridgetower, the virtuoso violinist who rose to prominence in the 18th and 19th Centuries as one of the first black musicians to receive widespread acclaim and recognition in Britain. Also an active contributor to jazz education, Joseph comes to Ronnie Scott’s to play a selection of the music he has crafted during the course of his career.
30th November – 4th December: Abdullah Ibrahim, £35/£40/£50
Earlier in November Ronnie Scott’s was privileged to offer the remarkable collaboration of John Beasley, Bennie Maupin, Jeff Watts and Buster Williams playing together. Now the club welcomes another member of jazz’s elite, this time eschewing the company of his peers to present a solo concert of his latest material, as Abdullah Ibrahim launches his latest album Senza. Ibrahim has secured his place in the jazz halls of fame, having been brought to the world’s attention after being ‘discovered’ by Duke Ellington, who in 1965 brought him to New York from his native South Africa where he quickly immersed himself in the scene and began playing alongside artists such as Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane. His music has always connected very deeply with his homeland and his previous work displays African musical roots from both jazz and other genres, and his affectation for the avant-garde scene has lent his playing a sense of esoteric lyricism held by few others. Senzo (Japanese for ‘ancestor’) catches him in a different light, exploring the possibilities of the solo piano in a subtly reflective but explorative light, and it is this side of him that he will be showcasing for his residency at Ronnie Scott’s.
Set Times
Doors open 6pm
Monday to Thursday
Audiences at Ronnie Scott’s in November will be treated to performances from some of the biggest names in jazz including Roy Haynes, Curtis Stigers, James Carter, Dame Cleo Laine and Sir John Dankworth, Abdullah Ibrahim and an incredible all star band comprising John Beasley, Bennie Maupin, Jeff Tain Watts and Buster Williams.
For further information, please contact Air, on 020 7386 1600
Joe Baxter joe@airmtm.com Sheela Bates Sheela@airmtm.com
Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, 47 Frith Street , London W1D 4HT
Box Office: 020 7439 0747
Ronnie Scott’s Newsletter November 2008
30th October – 1st November: Roy Haynes, support from Mike Janisch £20/£26/£36
Fans of jazz’s rhythm men have been well served by Ronnie’s of late, with the great Louis Hayes’ appearances at the club in August going down a well-deserved storm. Following on from Hayes in October is the spectacular Roy Haynes, who has backed some of the most influential players in the history of the music; Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Gary Burton, Miles Davis, Pat Metheney, Bud Powell, John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Sarah Vaughan and Stan Getz have all had their tunes driven by Haynes’ pulsing beat, and he was a regular player with Charlie Parker and Lester Young in the 1940s and ‘50s. The man’s sixty year recording and performing career has informed him with a truly awesome sense of timing, swing and rhythm and he is rightly held in great regard as one of the most innovative drummers around. Despite his advancing years, his playing never feels anything but fresh and new, constantly searching for new ideas and modes of expression.
Opening for Haynes is celebrated UK bassist Mike Janisch with his TransAtlantic Collective, the group he founded in 2005 with award winning New York saxophonist Patrick Cornelius. Janisch has earned rave reviews for his unshakable sense of swing, and continues to impress both in the UK and abroad.
2nd: James Carter, £20/£26/£36
Reedsman James Carter picked up the Down Beat magazine critics’ choice award for baritone saxophone three years running, but his versatility also extends to flute, clarinet and other members of the sax family. His music comes from a strong tradition, with the influence of classic forward-thinking players such as Eric Dolphy, Clifford Brown, Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane shining through, but nonetheless he always keeps his mind open to new ideas, his eclectic tastes adding a subtly nuanced lyricism to his compositions. Showcasing his skills on his latest release, Present Tense, Carter is joined by his core group of trumpeter and flugelhorn player Dwight Adams, pianist D. D. Jackson, bassist James Genus and drummer Victor Lewis, along with guitarist Rodney Jones and percussionist Eli Fountain. Audiences can expect a display of virtuosic playing on a variety of instruments as Carter performs at his only UK date for this exclusive one-night-only show.
3rd – 4th: Mike Stern, £25/£30/£40
The appearance of Mike Stern at Ronnie Scott’s is both an honour for the club and a real treat for music lovers. The guitarist has made a name for himself as perhaps the foremost player of jazz, and especially fusion, on his chosen instrument, and has an astonishing repertoire of collaborators in his musical CV – he was a part of Miles Davis’ electric band in the early ‘80s, playing with the great man for three years, played with the legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius’ Word Of Mouth band, performed with the likes of David Sanborn, Michael Brecker, Dave Weckl, Steve Smith, Jimmy Cobb, Ron Carter, Joe Henderson, Richard Bona, John Patitucci, Jack DeJohnette, Kenny Garrett, Bela Fleck and countless others. His influence on the sound of contemporary electric guitar in jazz is quite simply huge, and to this day he remains a towering, almost peerless figure in his field.
5th – 8th: Curtis Stigers, £30/£36/£46
Even when he was learning his craft at local jazz jam sessions hosted by pianist extraordinaire Gene Harris, Curtis Stigers was earmarked as a talent to watch. The singer’s extraordinary rise through the ranks of the international music scene has seen him take on the pop charts in his early professional days, with several US top ten singles and appearances on Hollywood blockbuster soundtracks, including The Bodyguard, before once again finding himself returning to the jazz world, where he is now championed as one of the most distinctive and respected vocalists performing today. His approach to his own material and that of other, past vocal greats, manages to be both original and fresh, but with a real sense of where his music is coming from. His singing has attracted such varied admirers and collaborators as Eric Clapton, Prince, Joe Cocker, George Benson, Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, Diana Krall and many more. Ronnie Scott’s is delighted to welcome one of the most popular and gifted singers working in the world today for an extended four night, six show run. Book early, these seats will be going fast!
9th: The King’s Cross Hot Club, £20
The King’s Cross Hot Club joyously recreates the café-jazz atmosphere of Paris in the 1930s, playing a brilliantly executed mixture of music famously made popular by artists such as Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli and Edith Piaf. Formed by guitarists Phil Grispo and Bruce Beach, the group’s gypsy-jazz sound is augmented by piano, bass, violin, brass and vocals, the drum-less set-up allowing ample opportunity for the group to establish an undeniably swinging sense of rhythm. They have performed at a number of international jazz festivals since they came together less than a decade ago, and continue to win acclaim for their lively, upbeat swing, with their Ronnie’s performance being a great way to round off the week.
10th – 12th TBC
13th – 15th: Vincent Herring & Earth Jazz Agents, £20£/26/£36 (except Friday 14th, only 1 house 6pm -9.30pm, onstage 7.30pm, no support, £15/20/30)
Undoubtedly one of jazz's most important voices, Vincent Herring has recorded over fourteen CDs as a leader and over two hundred as a sideman. His long list of credits includes The Freddie Hubbard Quintet, Nat Adderley Quintet, Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers, Horace Silver Quintet, Kenny Barron Quintet, Steve Turre, Cedar Walton Quartet, Jack De Johnette's Special Edition, Louis Hayes and Nancy Wilson amongst many others. For these dates he will be performing with Earth Jazz Agents, a spirited band with which he has been touring intensely for over seven years. The band has developed an original, contemporary sound which is an energetic blend of jazz, funk and soul. With Vincent Herring on saxophone, Anthony Wonsey on piano & keyboards, Richie Goods on electric & acoustic bass and Joris Dudli on drums.
On the 14th November, Ronnie’s will also play host to BBC Radio 3’s launch of the 2008 London Jazz Festival, with Jez Nelson’s Jazz On 3 programme being recorded live in the club.
16th: Soul Family, £20/£26
Hosted by the wonderfully charismatic and talented soul singer Natalie Williams and her band, Soul Family Sunday offers the chance to catch some of the best R&B, soul and jazz musicians in the UK up close and personal. While guests vary from month to month, there is always the opportunity to hear music of the highest quality where the stars of the British scene showcase their material in an exciting ad hoc setting.
17th: Chris Potter, £15/£20/£30
The kind of artist who in his earlier days was often described as a ‘rising star’, saxophonist and reedsman Chris Potter has now outgrown that accolade – his star has well and truly risen and he is know revered as one of the most promising talents to have come out of the current US jazz scene. His training took in stints with the likes of trumpeter Red Rodney, Kenny Werner, Paul Motion, Ray Brown, James Moody, Herbie Hancock and Steely Dan, as well as playing a crucial role in the various bands of master bassist Dave Holland. His saxophone playing takes an aesthetic cue from the great exponents of the instrument, especially Lester Young, Charlie Parker and Sonny Rollins, but like any creative soul Potter is willing to embrace influences and ideas from any genre that passes him by, adding a fresh and acutely contemporary aspect to his playing. His group features a selection of similarly exciting firebrands, as showcased on his latest album Underground; guitarist Adam Rogers, keyboardist Craig Tabourn and drummer Nate Smith.
18th: Christine Tobin – album launch, £15/£20/£30
Tobin has been a firm favourite of the UK jazz scene for some time, and deservedly so – the singer has a real knack of drawing the listener into her world, with all of her own compositions and her interpretation of standards bearing her own distinctive mark. She picked up the 2008 BBC Jazz Award for Best Vocalist, after several past nominations, and has toured the country and abroad winning fans and critical acclaim wherever she performs. Coming from the tradition that includes the likes of Bessie Smith, Better Carter, Billie Holiday and Joni Mitchell, Tobin launches her seventh studio album Secret Life Of A Girl at Ronnie Scott’s in the company of the James Pearson Trio, featuring the club’s musical director Pearson on piano, Sam Burgess on bass and Chris Dagley on drums.
19th - 22nd: Dame Cleo Laine and Sir John Dankworth, £30/£36/£46
The British jazz scene would certainly be a very different place without the contribution of these two national treasures. The husband and wife duo of John and Cleo have, both together and independently, done it all when it comes to music; performing, recording and entertaining for decades, they have both been honoured by the Queen for their services to jazz music and by many of their peers in the form of various awards and accolades (including this year’s Gold Award at the BBC Jazz Awards), released hit albums, toured the world and performed with fellow big names too numerous to list here, suffice to say that it would be the envy of any professional musician performing today. Having just celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary and continue to both play to delighted crowds and serve as icons of British music.
23rd: Laurence Cottle Big Band and Claire Martin, £20/£26/£36
Laurence Cottle’s powerful electric bass playing is well known on the national circuit, and he is acknowledged as much for his compositional skills as for his technical ability on the instrument. A solid background as a session player for artists as diverse as Black Sabbath, Sting, Cher and Eric Clapton, his main love has always been leading from the back as a jazz player, and it is his Big Band that he brings to the Ronnie’s stage for this occasion, playing a mixture of his own tunes and standards. He is joined by Claire Martin, acclaimed and award-winning singer and broadcaster who is a regular visitor to the club. Claire lends her smoky, sultry and sassy vocals to the proceedings for an evening of powerhouse UK jazz entertainment.
24th – 26th: John Beasley, Jeff Tain Watts , Buster Williams, Bennie Maupin - All Star Band!, £25/£30/£40
Ronnie Scott’s is used to having big names pass through its doors, but it isn’t often that a line-up such as this comes anyone’s way. The combination of pianist John Beasley, drummer Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts, bassist Buster Williams and reeds player Bennie Maupin is a dream come true for jazz fans the world over, and their performance here is a special moment for London’s best jazz venue. Their collective CVs probably contain the names of most of the jazz musicians who have played in the last fifty years, and they are stunning players in their own right, with dozens of recordings and thousands of performances between them. Their music is the product of four lives spent at the very top of their game, honed by years of tireless practice and perfected on bandstands across the world. An unmissable opportunity to witness a truly all star ensemble.
27th: Future Talent Gala Fundraiser 2008
Founded by Katharine, Duchess of Kent in 2004, Future Talent is a very special music charity that provides opportunities for children from disadvantaged backgrounds throughout the UK to learn, enjoy, and benefit from a musical education. Hosted by James Pearson from the Ronnie Scott’s All Stars, the evening will feature performances by very special guests as well as winners of this year’s Future Talent Champions Awards which were announced earlier this year. For more information or to purchase tickets please contact Future Talent on 020 7388 8848 or visit http://www.futuretalent.org/ronniescotts/
28th & 29th: Julian Joseph, £20/£26/£36
As well as being an ambitious and highly skilled pianist whose work has placed him at the top of many a jazz fan’s pile, Julian Joseph is also a celebrated broadcaster, sharing presenting duties on BBC Radio 3’s Jazz Line-Up with fellow Ronnie’s visitor Clare Martin, who performs earlier in the month with Laurence Cottle. As comfortable in a big band set up as he is playing in smaller ensembles, his music takes in both contemporary and traditional influences – his last big project was a jazz opera based on the life of George Bridgetower, the virtuoso violinist who rose to prominence in the 18th and 19th Centuries as one of the first black musicians to receive widespread acclaim and recognition in Britain. Also an active contributor to jazz education, Joseph comes to Ronnie Scott’s to play a selection of the music he has crafted during the course of his career.
30th November – 4th December: Abdullah Ibrahim, £35/£40/£50
Earlier in November Ronnie Scott’s was privileged to offer the remarkable collaboration of John Beasley, Bennie Maupin, Jeff Watts and Buster Williams playing together. Now the club welcomes another member of jazz’s elite, this time eschewing the company of his peers to present a solo concert of his latest material, as Abdullah Ibrahim launches his latest album Senza. Ibrahim has secured his place in the jazz halls of fame, having been brought to the world’s attention after being ‘discovered’ by Duke Ellington, who in 1965 brought him to New York from his native South Africa where he quickly immersed himself in the scene and began playing alongside artists such as Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane. His music has always connected very deeply with his homeland and his previous work displays African musical roots from both jazz and other genres, and his affectation for the avant-garde scene has lent his playing a sense of esoteric lyricism held by few others. Senzo (Japanese for ‘ancestor’) catches him in a different light, exploring the possibilities of the solo piano in a subtly reflective but explorative light, and it is this side of him that he will be showcasing for his residency at Ronnie Scott’s.
Set Times
Doors open 6pm
Monday to Thursday
'Q' busts Wynton's chps over hip-hop
QUINCY SAYS WYNTON IS A HIP HOP HATER: Trumpeter admits it's a genre 'for which I don't have much respect.'
October 7, 2008
Quincy Jones has been trying to get trumpeter Wynton Marsalis to incorporate the study of hip hop into Jazz at Lincoln Center, the program for which Marsalis is artistic director. But, it hasn't been an easy sell.
"Wynton doesn't want to hear any other kind of music," Jones told the New York Daily News' Rush & Malloy. "He won't let students play other kinds of music."
Jones went on to say that "no trumpeter in America wants to play like Wynton in his style. Every great trumpeter - Louis Armstrong, Roy Eldridge, Miles - borrows from someone before him and adds his own thing. But nobody wants to play like Wynton. …Wynton knows how I feel."
Apparently not.
"We've never had that discussion," Marsalis told the columnists.
He admitted, "Hip hop is a form of music for which I don't have much respect. But I always recommend that my trumpet students play all kinds of music — funk, classical, all kinds of jazz. That's what my father taught me. He used to say, ‘Earn your prejudices. Don't be prejudiced against something you don't know about.'
"Before [Run DMC member] Jam Master Jay got killed, he and I were talking about having a deejay academy in my House of Swing. But it's incumbent on the hip-hop community to develop their own musical initiative. There's no need for a jazz person to be called upon to do it."
October 7, 2008
Quincy Jones has been trying to get trumpeter Wynton Marsalis to incorporate the study of hip hop into Jazz at Lincoln Center, the program for which Marsalis is artistic director. But, it hasn't been an easy sell.
"Wynton doesn't want to hear any other kind of music," Jones told the New York Daily News' Rush & Malloy. "He won't let students play other kinds of music."
Jones went on to say that "no trumpeter in America wants to play like Wynton in his style. Every great trumpeter - Louis Armstrong, Roy Eldridge, Miles - borrows from someone before him and adds his own thing. But nobody wants to play like Wynton. …Wynton knows how I feel."
Apparently not.
"We've never had that discussion," Marsalis told the columnists.
He admitted, "Hip hop is a form of music for which I don't have much respect. But I always recommend that my trumpet students play all kinds of music — funk, classical, all kinds of jazz. That's what my father taught me. He used to say, ‘Earn your prejudices. Don't be prejudiced against something you don't know about.'
"Before [Run DMC member] Jam Master Jay got killed, he and I were talking about having a deejay academy in my House of Swing. But it's incumbent on the hip-hop community to develop their own musical initiative. There's no need for a jazz person to be called upon to do it."
Smokin' in NYC with Eric Reed
Just in case any of you plan to be in the Big Apple this weekend, among many great
jaz bills is the pianist Eric reed and his group a Smoke Jazz & Supper Club (www.smokejazz.com for address & other details) Joining Reed will be tenorist Seamus Blake, bassist Dezron Douglas and Drummer Quincy Davis. Thurs (Oct 9) Thru Sat. (Oct 11) 8:00, 10:00 and 11;30pm
jaz bills is the pianist Eric reed and his group a Smoke Jazz & Supper Club (www.smokejazz.com for address & other details) Joining Reed will be tenorist Seamus Blake, bassist Dezron Douglas and Drummer Quincy Davis. Thurs (Oct 9) Thru Sat. (Oct 11) 8:00, 10:00 and 11;30pm
New Releases from Porter Records
THREE NEW TITLES OUT NOW!
------------------------------------------------
Andrew Raffo Dewar "Six Lines of Transformation/Music for Eight Bamboo Flutes"
Two strong pieces by Andrew Raffo Dewar that explore the realms of complex composition and extended acoustic drone.
------------------------------------------------
Interplay "Apology to the Atonists/Tritone Suite"
Debut release by Philly based collective that explores, poetry, jazz, improv, percussion and electronics.
-------------------------------------------------
Earpeace "Earpeace EP"
A hip hop release that blends forward thinking lyrical content with equally creative music.
------------------------------------------------
Upcoming releases for October 21st:
- Odean Pope "Plant Life" (with Sunny Murray)
- Khan Jamal "Cool"
- Dawid Szczesny "In Between EP"
------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------
Andrew Raffo Dewar "Six Lines of Transformation/Music for Eight Bamboo Flutes"
Two strong pieces by Andrew Raffo Dewar that explore the realms of complex composition and extended acoustic drone.
------------------------------------------------
Interplay "Apology to the Atonists/Tritone Suite"
Debut release by Philly based collective that explores, poetry, jazz, improv, percussion and electronics.
-------------------------------------------------
Earpeace "Earpeace EP"
A hip hop release that blends forward thinking lyrical content with equally creative music.
------------------------------------------------
Upcoming releases for October 21st:
- Odean Pope "Plant Life" (with Sunny Murray)
- Khan Jamal "Cool"
- Dawid Szczesny "In Between EP"
------------------------------------------------
Monday, October 06, 2008
Riffin' across the seas - whether 'smooth' or rough
RIFFIN’S RUNDOWN FOR WEEK 5/10/08, 8.35PM, AT NEWSTALK 93FM, MONDAY TO FRIDAY.
STREAMING LIVE AT WWW.NEWSTALK.COM.JM
MONDAY: Saxophonist, Azar Lawrence, who is masterly on either the soprano or the tenor, “Speaks The Word”, a new album of consummate artistry. Fourplay, although considered “smooth jazz”, are deeper by far.
TUESDAY: British bassist, composer, and group leader, Dave Holland, leads his own Sextet , through a delightful set of his originals, brought to life by first rate musicians.
WEDNESDAY: “ Canto Tom Jobim”, Brazilian diva, Gal Costa, in the second of a two part tribute to Brazil’s greatest composer, Antonio Carlos Jobim.
THURSDAY: Traigo do Todo”, critically acclaimed the best album, by the late sonero from Puerto Rico, Ismael Rivera, who changed Afro-Caribbean music in the 1950’s.
FRIDAY: The tribulation and triumph of Manze Dayila, a Haitian singer, who risked her life to get to the United States, aboard a ramshackle boat on perilous seas with circling sharks. Her debut album “Sole”, is riveting.
STREAMING LIVE AT WWW.NEWSTALK.COM.JM
MONDAY: Saxophonist, Azar Lawrence, who is masterly on either the soprano or the tenor, “Speaks The Word”, a new album of consummate artistry. Fourplay, although considered “smooth jazz”, are deeper by far.
TUESDAY: British bassist, composer, and group leader, Dave Holland, leads his own Sextet , through a delightful set of his originals, brought to life by first rate musicians.
WEDNESDAY: “ Canto Tom Jobim”, Brazilian diva, Gal Costa, in the second of a two part tribute to Brazil’s greatest composer, Antonio Carlos Jobim.
THURSDAY: Traigo do Todo”, critically acclaimed the best album, by the late sonero from Puerto Rico, Ismael Rivera, who changed Afro-Caribbean music in the 1950’s.
FRIDAY: The tribulation and triumph of Manze Dayila, a Haitian singer, who risked her life to get to the United States, aboard a ramshackle boat on perilous seas with circling sharks. Her debut album “Sole”, is riveting.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Riffin'....by half
RIFFFIN’S RUNDOWN FOR WEEK 29/9/08, AT NEWSTALK 93FM, AT 8.35 PM, MONDAY TO FRIDAY.
LIVE STREAM. WWW.NEWSTALK.COM.JM
THRIVING ON RIFFS, YOU NEVER THRIVED ON BEFORE
WEDNESDAY: Guitarist, Ottmar Liebert, continues his explorations of” Nouveau Flamenco” with Luna Negra, in “The Scent Of Light”
THURSDAY: The Afro Cuban All Stars, led by Juan De Marcos, are explosively “Live” in Japan.
FRIDAY: Country Music icon, Willie Nelson, meets, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis “live” in a programme of the blues.
-30-
LIVE STREAM. WWW.NEWSTALK.COM.JM
THRIVING ON RIFFS, YOU NEVER THRIVED ON BEFORE
WEDNESDAY: Guitarist, Ottmar Liebert, continues his explorations of” Nouveau Flamenco” with Luna Negra, in “The Scent Of Light”
THURSDAY: The Afro Cuban All Stars, led by Juan De Marcos, are explosively “Live” in Japan.
FRIDAY: Country Music icon, Willie Nelson, meets, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis “live” in a programme of the blues.
-30-
Feelin' It All Over in DC
"You Can Feel It All Over" Stevie Wonder sang in his musical tribute to Duke Ellington, "Sir Duke"
now comes the renewal of the Duke Eliington Jazz fest
[October 1, Washington, DC] The Duke Ellington Jazz Festival (DEJF)
kicks off its fourth festival this evening in its traditional
invitational gala opening event at longtime venue partner, the
Inter-American Development Bank. The gala features Paquito D'Rivera,
the great saxophonist from Cuba who serves as the DEJF's artistic
advisor, and Turtle Island String Quartet performing the music of John
Coltrane, the CD for which they won the Grammy Award this year. The
festival opens to the public on October 2 and runs through October 7.The DEJF is a highly anticipated event in the nation's capital for its
impressive mix of local, national and international artists and its
presentation of over 100 programs and performances at more than 40
diverse venues in different neighborhoods of Washington, DC.
now comes the renewal of the Duke Eliington Jazz fest
[October 1, Washington, DC] The Duke Ellington Jazz Festival (DEJF)
kicks off its fourth festival this evening in its traditional
invitational gala opening event at longtime venue partner, the
Inter-American Development Bank. The gala features Paquito D'Rivera,
the great saxophonist from Cuba who serves as the DEJF's artistic
advisor, and Turtle Island String Quartet performing the music of John
Coltrane, the CD for which they won the Grammy Award this year. The
festival opens to the public on October 2 and runs through October 7.The DEJF is a highly anticipated event in the nation's capital for its
impressive mix of local, national and international artists and its
presentation of over 100 programs and performances at more than 40
diverse venues in different neighborhoods of Washington, DC.
Janine's Just Right for Christopher's
Live Music Nation
[YOUNG] LADY SINGS THE BLUES…AND MORE
As far as birthing legends go, Tuesday night at Christopher’s Jazz Café was pretty much true to form. Janine Cunningham came into the venue pretty much unheralded – except, of course, for those who had checked Griot Music’s raves online and verbally – but left the room pretty much a conqueror. Her voice, sinuously insistent to match her frame and her gently cascading locks, was key to the victory. It’s a voice which has refracted the divas of jazz past – most notably Billie Holiday – through a prism of modern expression, be it rock or dancehall.
Janine took the enthusiastic and (surpisingly) large audience on a musical cross-country, dipping into classic balladry (Dinah Washington’s What A Difference A Day Makes), roots reggae (a slowed-down version of Marley’s So Much Trouble) and great pop (Michael Jackson’s Man In The Mirror) in addition to her stirring and provocative originals, including “Warning” and the kiss-off “Parasite”. This latter has radio potential, its caustic lyrics being delivered in her sultry drawl, thus heightening the inherent tensions.
There was also a soaring, yet stripped down version of India.arie’s “Brown Skin” in which her presentation was ably supported (indeed enhanced) by her musical cohorts: Sheldon Bernard on flute; Luke Dixon on piano/keyboard; Obed Davis on drums; Keino on bass and Seretse Small on guitars. Cunningham saved another highlight for her encore, a near-delirious reading of Smokey Robinson’s classic, “Cruisin’”
The intimate setting of the urban power bar that Christopher’s proved perfectly suited for her delivery and the band remained on point throughout. That, combined with the fact that she had a capacity audience of a size worthy of her talent made the showcase (postponed previously due to the stormy weather) a September to remember.
[YOUNG] LADY SINGS THE BLUES…AND MORE
As far as birthing legends go, Tuesday night at Christopher’s Jazz Café was pretty much true to form. Janine Cunningham came into the venue pretty much unheralded – except, of course, for those who had checked Griot Music’s raves online and verbally – but left the room pretty much a conqueror. Her voice, sinuously insistent to match her frame and her gently cascading locks, was key to the victory. It’s a voice which has refracted the divas of jazz past – most notably Billie Holiday – through a prism of modern expression, be it rock or dancehall.
Janine took the enthusiastic and (surpisingly) large audience on a musical cross-country, dipping into classic balladry (Dinah Washington’s What A Difference A Day Makes), roots reggae (a slowed-down version of Marley’s So Much Trouble) and great pop (Michael Jackson’s Man In The Mirror) in addition to her stirring and provocative originals, including “Warning” and the kiss-off “Parasite”. This latter has radio potential, its caustic lyrics being delivered in her sultry drawl, thus heightening the inherent tensions.
There was also a soaring, yet stripped down version of India.arie’s “Brown Skin” in which her presentation was ably supported (indeed enhanced) by her musical cohorts: Sheldon Bernard on flute; Luke Dixon on piano/keyboard; Obed Davis on drums; Keino on bass and Seretse Small on guitars. Cunningham saved another highlight for her encore, a near-delirious reading of Smokey Robinson’s classic, “Cruisin’”
The intimate setting of the urban power bar that Christopher’s proved perfectly suited for her delivery and the band remained on point throughout. That, combined with the fact that she had a capacity audience of a size worthy of her talent made the showcase (postponed previously due to the stormy weather) a September to remember.
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