Sonny Bradshaw honored in South Florida
MIRAMAR - The 800-seat Miramar Cultural Arts Center was officially opened last Sunday (Nov. 16) with performances by Jamaican music legends, Sonny Bradshaw O.D., and saxophonist, Dean Frasier, at the Caribbean Jazz Gala.
Miramar City Mayor, Ms. Lori Moseley said that it was important to crown the US $20 (m) Art Center’s opening with the Caribbean Jazz Gala indicating that Miramar City was home to a large Caribbean population, including Jamaicans.
In a tribute to the musical giant, Sonny Bradshaw was honored by that City Commission with a presentation of a proclamation by Mayor Moseley for his outstanding contribution to the development of music in his homeland, as well as on the international circuit spanning some 60 years.
Monday, November 24, 2008
"Yes We Can!!" with Riffin'
RIFFIN’ RUNDOWN FOR WEEK 11/24/08, 8.35PM , AT NEWSTALK 93FM
Live stream at www.newstalk93fm.com
MONDAY: Aspects of faith, or a lack of it, are developed into a six movement suite by the New Jazz Composer’s Octet. More of Sonny Rollins “Live”
TUESDAY: Making a joyful noise, Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams sings, and Sarah Vaughan too.
WEDNESDAY: Underappreciated, tenor saxophonist, Booker Ervin, in a sparkling set, that showcases his formidable skills.
THURSDAY: Young trumpeter, Christian Scott from New Orleans in a live set at Newport
FRIDAY: Flipping the script, on the Irish rock trio, The Script, that telescoped their love for black music, into their own hit music. Music visits to Northeastern Brazil, Dubbing In Addis. A song about the topical question of “hanging” by Perfect, and Coco Tea’s “Yes We Can”.
Live stream at www.newstalk93fm.com
MONDAY: Aspects of faith, or a lack of it, are developed into a six movement suite by the New Jazz Composer’s Octet. More of Sonny Rollins “Live”
TUESDAY: Making a joyful noise, Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams sings, and Sarah Vaughan too.
WEDNESDAY: Underappreciated, tenor saxophonist, Booker Ervin, in a sparkling set, that showcases his formidable skills.
THURSDAY: Young trumpeter, Christian Scott from New Orleans in a live set at Newport
FRIDAY: Flipping the script, on the Irish rock trio, The Script, that telescoped their love for black music, into their own hit music. Music visits to Northeastern Brazil, Dubbing In Addis. A song about the topical question of “hanging” by Perfect, and Coco Tea’s “Yes We Can”.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
A 'Good' Bent @ Red Bones
Its been a couple of years in the making, but guitarist Rupert Bent Sr's debut opus, "Badly bent" is finally ready for public consumption. The 16-track disc will premier Thursday (Nov 20) at red bones the Blues Cafe in Kingston.
Another Sad Loss: Drummer Tony Reedus
Woody Shaw's "Master of the Art" which, until recent unfortunate circumstances I had in my possession, was but one of the great albums to feature drummer Tony Reedus who sadly, has left us.
Tony Reedus: 1959 - 2008
A man with a big heart and a big beat, drummer Tony Reedus cared for other
people the way he cared about making a band swing.
"He was true blue, he'd do anything for you," said pianist Mulgrew Miller,
who knew Mr. Reedus as a youth in Memphis, where the drummer was born, and
later employed him in his trio in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
"He was supersensitive," said his wife, violinist Jenise Grice-Reedus. "He'd
see a person who was sad and would go talk to that person, and would have
another friend for life."
"He was a funny guy," said organist and pianist Mike LeDonne, with whom Mr.
Reedus regularly performed. "Just a sweetheart, that's what Tony Reedus was,
and great to work with."
Mr. Reedus died Sunday of a pulmonary embolism en route by ambulance to
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in the Richmond Hill section of Queens. He
had collapsed at John F. Kennedy International Airport after getting off an
American Airlines flight from Bologna, Italy, where he had been performing
with LeDonne. He was 49.
Mr. Reedus lived in Irvington with his wife and their 5-year-old daughter,
Cameron. He had been troubled with undetermined gastrointestinal issues
since August.
A superb musician, Mr. Reedus picked up the drums when he was 13 and broke
into the upper echelon of jazz just seven years later, performing and
recording with innovative trumpeter Woody Shaw. In a story in The
Star-Ledger in 2006, he likened joining Shaw to a baseball player "going
from single-A to the Show."
"It was music on such a high level," said Mr. Reedus.
He played on Shaw's albums "United" (Columbia) and "Master of the Art"
(Elektra/Musician).
Mr. Reedus also played and recorded with such masters as trumpeter Freddie
Hubbard, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, saxophonist Benny Golson, and guitarist
Dave Stryker. Mr. Reedus also was a leader who made three solo albums.
Mr. Reedus was noted for his all-around drum kit acumen -- in particular,
his ride cymbal beat. "He had a real wide beat, and his feel on the cymbal
was unique," said Stryker, whose organ trio included Mr. Reedus for several
years. "He felt great to play with, just really swinging, dancing."
Of the importance of that beat, Mr. Reedus said in 2006, "It's a heavy
feeling that makes people want to pat their feet, sway back and forth. When
people come to see you play, they want to escape, they want to feel good.
Music is a celebration of life that comes from the heart."
Mr. Reedus returned to college in the middle of his career, earning a B.A.
in music from Rutgers University-New Brunswick in 2005. "The day he
graduated was one of the happiest days of his life," said Grice-Reedus, who
plays with the Garden State Philharmonic and the Plainfield Symphony and
leads the Ebony String Quartet.
Another was the birth of his daughter. "He loved being a father, being
married," said Stryker.
Linda Grice, Mr. Reedus' mother-in-law, said: "He loved his family; he took
good care of my daughter and my granddaughter."
Mr. Reedus' survivors include his brothers Chris and Keith, both of Memphis.
Tony Reedus: 1959 - 2008
A man with a big heart and a big beat, drummer Tony Reedus cared for other
people the way he cared about making a band swing.
"He was true blue, he'd do anything for you," said pianist Mulgrew Miller,
who knew Mr. Reedus as a youth in Memphis, where the drummer was born, and
later employed him in his trio in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
"He was supersensitive," said his wife, violinist Jenise Grice-Reedus. "He'd
see a person who was sad and would go talk to that person, and would have
another friend for life."
"He was a funny guy," said organist and pianist Mike LeDonne, with whom Mr.
Reedus regularly performed. "Just a sweetheart, that's what Tony Reedus was,
and great to work with."
Mr. Reedus died Sunday of a pulmonary embolism en route by ambulance to
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in the Richmond Hill section of Queens. He
had collapsed at John F. Kennedy International Airport after getting off an
American Airlines flight from Bologna, Italy, where he had been performing
with LeDonne. He was 49.
Mr. Reedus lived in Irvington with his wife and their 5-year-old daughter,
Cameron. He had been troubled with undetermined gastrointestinal issues
since August.
A superb musician, Mr. Reedus picked up the drums when he was 13 and broke
into the upper echelon of jazz just seven years later, performing and
recording with innovative trumpeter Woody Shaw. In a story in The
Star-Ledger in 2006, he likened joining Shaw to a baseball player "going
from single-A to the Show."
"It was music on such a high level," said Mr. Reedus.
He played on Shaw's albums "United" (Columbia) and "Master of the Art"
(Elektra/Musician).
Mr. Reedus also played and recorded with such masters as trumpeter Freddie
Hubbard, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, saxophonist Benny Golson, and guitarist
Dave Stryker. Mr. Reedus also was a leader who made three solo albums.
Mr. Reedus was noted for his all-around drum kit acumen -- in particular,
his ride cymbal beat. "He had a real wide beat, and his feel on the cymbal
was unique," said Stryker, whose organ trio included Mr. Reedus for several
years. "He felt great to play with, just really swinging, dancing."
Of the importance of that beat, Mr. Reedus said in 2006, "It's a heavy
feeling that makes people want to pat their feet, sway back and forth. When
people come to see you play, they want to escape, they want to feel good.
Music is a celebration of life that comes from the heart."
Mr. Reedus returned to college in the middle of his career, earning a B.A.
in music from Rutgers University-New Brunswick in 2005. "The day he
graduated was one of the happiest days of his life," said Grice-Reedus, who
plays with the Garden State Philharmonic and the Plainfield Symphony and
leads the Ebony String Quartet.
Another was the birth of his daughter. "He loved being a father, being
married," said Stryker.
Linda Grice, Mr. Reedus' mother-in-law, said: "He loved his family; he took
good care of my daughter and my granddaughter."
Mr. Reedus' survivors include his brothers Chris and Keith, both of Memphis.
Spike's Dad gets 'Bill' of Honor
The New York City Council will honor legendary jazz musician William “Bill” James Edwards Lee III, with a proclamation for his life’s work during
the Stated Council Meeting on Wednesday, November 19th at City Hall
William "Bill" James Edwards Lee III was born on July 23 , 1928 , and is an American musician. The jazz musician, composer, educator and acoustic bassist was born in Snow Hill, Alabama more than 80 years ago. He now lives in Fort Greene, Brooklyn with his wife Susan.
This profound jazzman continued in the footsteps of his parents, Arnold and Alberta. Bill Lee’s father was the first bandmaster of Bethune-Cookman College, and his mother was a concert pianist, (also Bill Lee’s grandfather (his namesake) graduated from Tuskegee Institute and founded the school Snow Hill Normal and Industrial Institute.) Today, Bill Lee is the father of five boys and a girl, including director Spike Lee ; he has composed original music for many of his son's films, such as She's Gotta Have It ; School Daze ; Do the Right Thing ; and Mo' Better Blues . His children by his first wife Jackie (deceased) are: Spike; Chris; David; Joie; and Cinque; and his youngest son, with his second wife Susan is Arnold VI.
While residing in Brooklyn for the last 50 years, Bill Lee has had the opportunity to be in the presence of the greatest performers on the planet, and has written more than eleven folk – jazz operas. He has played the bass for many artists including Aretha Franklin , and Bob Dylan . Bill Lee has recorded with Billy Wallace; Frank Strozier; Bob Dylan; Chris Anderson; Johnny Griffin; Bruce Langhorne; Chad Mitchell; Eric Weissberg; Ray Bryant; and Judy Collin; to name a few, and he wrote for Max Roach; Richard Davis; Ted Dunbar; Booker Little; Muriel Winston; Clifford Jordan; Donald Harrison; and others. Bill Lee also appeared with Billie Holiday; Sarah Vaughn; Dinah Washington; Carmen Mc Rae; Betty Carter; Dizzy Gillespie; Clifford Brown; Art Blakey; Duke Ellington; Billy Strayhorn; and hundreds of more great musicians.
Bill Lee is also the founder of the New York Bass, Violin Choir, and he continues to mentor up-and-coming musicians.
Who: New York City Council, and Jazz Musician William "Bill" James Edwards Lee III
What: Proclamation Presentation to Bill Lee at Stated Council Meeting
When: Wednesday, November 19th at 1:00 pm (beginning of the meeting)
Where: City Hall Council Chambers
the Stated Council Meeting on Wednesday, November 19th at City Hall
William "Bill" James Edwards Lee III was born on July 23
This profound jazzman continued in the footsteps of his parents, Arnold and Alberta. Bill Lee’s father was the first bandmaster of Bethune-Cookman College, and his mother was a concert pianist, (also Bill Lee’s grandfather (his namesake) graduated from Tuskegee Institute and founded the school Snow Hill Normal and Industrial Institute.) Today, Bill Lee is the father of five boys and a girl, including director Spike Lee
While residing in Brooklyn for the last 50 years, Bill Lee has had the opportunity to be in the presence of the greatest performers on the planet, and has written more than eleven folk – jazz operas. He has played the bass for many artists including Aretha Franklin
Bill Lee is also the founder of the New York Bass, Violin Choir, and he continues to mentor up-and-coming musicians.
Who: New York City Council, and Jazz Musician William "Bill" James Edwards Lee III
What: Proclamation Presentation to Bill Lee at Stated Council Meeting
When: Wednesday, November 19th at 1:00 pm (beginning of the meeting)
Where: City Hall Council Chambers
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
The Uprising continued @TheVillage
Renamed Village Blues Bar was on Sunday site of latest outing for DJ E & the Unpopular Uprising.
Mostly afro & World beat selections with a few jazz and blues (You'd think) thrown in.
Much appreciation and inquiries from the audience.
go to www.rootcause.com for more hi-lites
Mostly afro & World beat selections with a few jazz and blues (You'd think) thrown in.
Much appreciation and inquiries from the audience.
go to www.rootcause.com for more hi-lites
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