April 2005 Archives

Photo Credit - James Knox

Vocalist Clairdee will be performing at Yoshi's on May 18 at 8 and 10pm for the CD Release Party of her new album, Music Moves. The album was recorded at Yoshi's last April. I attended a couple of the shows that were used for this recording so I can guarantee that you will definitely be in for a treat. Her album will be available at performances starting on May 18 and in stores nationwide on June 28.

I ran into Clairdee and her husband Ken French (who is also her pianist and music director) before the Shirley Horn concert last evening (which was excellent and I will tell you about it later!!) and they gave me the postcard that is shown above. I had the great good fortune of taking the photo used for the postcard at one of her performances last year. It will also be used for the album cover on Clairdee's upcoming release and on her website. She and Ken had been keeping this a secret from me for awhile until everything was finished. I was totally speechless and overjoyed at the same time. It is a great photo of a songbird with a beautiful spirit. Thank you Clairdee and Ken!

SAN JOSE JAZZ SOCIETY TO HOST FOUR DAY MULTI-CULTURAL ARTS EVENT

FESTIVAL OF CULTURES: JUNE 9-12, 2005

Sponsored by Arts Council Silicon Valley

Distinctive Multi-Cultural Arts Festival Features Twelve Extraordinary and Diverse Groups: Jazz, Indian Dance, Filipino Dance, Chinese Classical Music, Mexican Folklorico, Hip Hop Dance, Japanese Taiko and more

SAN JOSE, Calif. April 20, 2005 – The San Jose Jazz Society, renowned for its annual Comcast San Jose Jazz Festival, will present the 2005 Festival of Cultures, sponsored by Arts Council Silicon Valley with additional support provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Community Foundation Silicon Valley. Featuring twelve performing arts groups from in and around the Bay Area, including jazz, Brazilian, Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Brazilian, and hip-hop, the June 9 through 12, 2005 festival will bring together San Jose’s diverse cultures under one roof at the California Theater in downtown San Jose, California.

"We are fortunate to live in one of the most richly diverse communities in the world," said Bruce Davis, executive director of Arts Council Silicon Valley presenting sponsor of the event. "The California Theater will be the backdrop for this unique and distinct group of artists which literally spans the globe on talent, drive and creativity. This event promises to be both thrilling and inspiring for people of all ages and cultures."

The Festival of Cultures opens Thursday June 9 at 8pm with "Modern Jazz Meets The Great Brazilian Songbook," a concert previewing the 16th annual Comcast San Jose Jazz Festival in August. Headlining the concert will be one of the foremost interpreters and composers of Brazilian music today, vocalist Claudia Villela. Villela perform fresh interpretations of Brazilian jazz standards by Jobim, Gilberto, Donato, and more with a 7-piece ensemble of the finest Brazilian/jazz musicians in the Bay Area. As part of the Jazz Festival preview, the concert will open with a special modern jazz set by 24-year-old jazz pianist and San Jose native Dahveed Behroozi with his trio.

The Festival of Cultures continues on Friday, June 10 at 8pm with "Dance Underground" a vibrant dance showcase collaboration featuring San Jose-based "Visual Rhythm Dance Company" with special guests: Filipino hip hop group Nu Origins, theatrical hip hop group Mobility, and San Jose’s Asian hip hop group Bsyde, accompanied by vocalist Jacqueline Herrara.

Saturday’s events continue the cultural exploration with "Pacific Overtures I & II" beginning with a matinee at 2:00 pm featuring the Bay Area’s Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra, followed by the Tahitian dance group, Kawailehua Hula Ohana. Evening festivities begin at 8pm and feature one of the Bay Area’s premiere South Indian classical dance organizations, the Abhinaya Dance Company of San Jose. 2005 marks the Abhinaya’s 25th anniversary in the Bay Area. San Jose-based Kaisahan, San Jose’s Filipino-American folk dance company, follows to close the second day of the Festival.

The Festival of Cultures closes on Sunday, June 12, with "Rhythm is the Root" a 2pm matinee featuring a unique pairing of Mexican and Japanese cultures. Watsonville-based Mexican folk dance company Xochipilli Grupo Folklórico de Santa Cruz makes their San Jose debut, followed with a bang by one of the most powerful and exciting drum acts in the Bay Area, San Jose Taiko.

About the Festival of Cultures

The Festival of Cultures, formerly known as the "Performing Arts Series" and "Downtown Arts Series" founded by the City of San Jose, is a multi-arts, multi-cultural event, sponsored by Arts Council Silicon Valley with additional support provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Community Foundation Silicon Valley. The Festival of Cultures is designed to bring the community and ethnic performing arts groups together. The San Jose Jazz Society is producing the event. Known primarily as the presenter of the Comcast San Jose Jazz Festival, the San Jose Jazz Society serves more than 170,000 youth and adults through education and performance programs throughout the year. For more information, please visit www.sanjosejazz.org

MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES NEXT GENERATION JAZZ ORCHESTRA

YOUNG MUSICIANS FROM ALL ACROSS USA AND CANADA TO PERFORM ON INTERNATIONAL TOUR AND AT MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL PRESENTED BY MCI
SEPTEMBER 16 - 18, 2005 IN MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA

WINNER OF MJF'S COMPOSITON COMPETITON ALSO ANNOUNCED WITH WORLD PREMIERE BY NEXT GENERATION JAZZ ORCHESTRA SLATED FOR 48TH ANNUAL MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL

April 20, 2005; Monterey, California; The Monterey Jazz Festival has announced members of the 2005 Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, the Festival's international high school all-star big band. Created as a part of the Monterey Jazz Festival's continuing commitment to jazz education, the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra includes some of the top high school level jazz students from all parts of the U. S. and, for 2005, even boasts one member from Canada. The Next Generation Jazz Orchestra represents the very highest level of musicianship as evidenced by past members of the ensemble (formerly known as the MJF High School All-Star Big Band) including pianists Benny Green and Patrice Rushen, bassist Larry Grenadier, drummer Chad Wackerman, saxophonists Joshua Redman and Dave Koz, to name a few.

Under the tutelage of Mr. Paul Contos, renowned saxophonist and flautist who serves as the director of the Orchestra, the ensemble is dedicated to the study and performance of the most challenging big band literature available. The Next Generation Jazz Orchestra will embark on a performance tour during the summer, to include gigs in New York at Sweet Rhythms on July 3 and in Lincoln Center's "Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola" on July 4. The tour will cross the border for a performance at the Montreal Jazz Festival on July 6. In addition, NGJO performances are slated for the 48th annual Monterey Jazz Festival presented by MCI, September 16 - 18, 2005.

Members of the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra were selected through a rigorous audition process that included review by a national panel of judges comprised of professional jazz musician/educators. For the first time ever in the 35 year history of its high school all-star band, the Monterey Jazz Festival invited auditions via video tape in addition to in-person auditions, which took place during the Next Generation Festival, April 8 - 10 in Monterey.

In conjunction with the announcement of the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, the Monterey Jazz Festival has also recognized the winner of the Next Generation Festival's Big Band Composition Competition. Adam Bravo, a Junior at Mission Viejo High School in Mission Viejo, California, wrote the winning piece, "Perpendicular to Reality". Shelly Berg, noted pianist/educator and a judge for the competition, commented that the piece was "an amazingly mature composition." "Perpendicular to Reality" will be performed by the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra in a world premiere at the 2005 Monterey Jazz Festival.

SAN JOSE JAZZ SOCIETY ANNOUNCES HEADLINE ACTS FOR 2005 COMCAST SAN JOSE JAZZ FESTIVAL PRESENTED BY SOUTHWEST AIRLINES

World's Largest Free Jazz Festival to Feature Hank Jones, Eliane Elias, Eddie Palmieri, Ernestine Anderson, Soulive, Poncho Sanchez, The Bad Plus, Karrin Allyson, Jason Moran and more

165,000 people expected to attend four-day festival in downtown San Jose

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 18, 2005 -- The San Jose Jazz Society (www.sanjosejazz.org) today announced headliners for the 16th Annual Comcast San Jose Jazz Festival, presented by Southwest Airlines. The free Festival, August 11-14, 2005, will feature scores of premiere jazz artists on nine stages in downtown San Jose, Calif. With more than 165,000 people expected to attend the four-day event, the San Jose Jazz Festival is the largest free jazz festival in the world.

"This year's Jazz Festival promises to have all of the traditional aspects people know and love, as well as some great new events," said Steve Saperstein, general director of the San Jose Jazz Society. "We have an amazing lineup of top jazz performers in all jazz styles. This year, we are very excited about the after-hours Jazz Beyond stage, guaranteed to keep people up with a new and unique fusion of music, visual art and technology."

Premiere jazz artists take the stage

The Festival features a diverse lineup of jazz luminaries, including top Latin pianist Eddie Palmieri, percussionist Poncho Sanchez and the Latin Band, the buzzworthy and innovative trio The Bad Plus, cutting-edge pianist Jason Moran, legendary vocalist Ernestine Anderson and much more. This year's lineup also includes two NEA Jazz Masters, pianist Hank Jones and drummer Louie Bellson.

Jazz + Ideas = Jazz Beyond

This year marks the opening of a new attraction at the Jazz Festival, the "Jazz Beyond" stage, made possible by generous support from the James Irvine Foundation. Performances will be from 8:30 pm to 2:00 am on Friday, August 12, and Saturday, August 13. At Jazz Beyond, the frontiers of jazz will be explored by artists who push boundaries, using both traditional live instrumentation and electronic sampling, DJ turntables, looping and other effects.

"This dynamic new stage is an exciting opportunity for jazz music to reach across genres to electronic musicians and electronic music fans," said Michelle Amador, performer and artistic director of Jazz Beyond. "There's an important dialog going on right now between jazz and electronic music, and by shining the spotlight on cutting-edge artists in both genres, we?ll help pave the way for new developments in jazz. Jazz has always prized innovation and this stage put that idea to the test it will be an experience that Festival patrons won't soon forget."

CALENDAR LISTING

Run Dates:
Now through September 6, 2005 Media Contacts:
Michael Coats,
Coats Public Relations
(707) 935-6203
michael@coatspr.com

Harry Hamilton,
City of Oakland
(510) 238-2107
hhamilton@oaklandnet.com

Labor Day weekend:
September 3-5, 2005
City of Oakland’s 5th Annual Art & Soul Festival
11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Frank H. Ogawa Plaza/City Center/14th & Broadway, downtown Oakland
Admission Fee: $5; children 12 and under free.

City of Oakland’s 5TH ANNUAL ART & SOUL FESTIVAL

The Bay Area’s best new festival returns! Three big days of live rock, blues, jazz, gospel and more on four concert stages. Fifth anniversary festival blends exciting national and local acts with extraordinary cultural diversity in art, poetry, music and food. Stroll through eclectic artisan booths. Sample delicious, exotic foods. Children of all ages revel in the festive Family Fun Zone. Listen to readings by acclaimed authors. Admission: $5 per day; children 12 and under free. www.artandsouloakland.com or (510) 444-CITY.

# # #

Editor’s Note: This is an initial calendar listing. A more detailed release with headliners and other event details will be issued later.

Press Release
Immediate Release

New Jersey Performing Arts Center Presents

Guitarist, Ron Jackson and Friends with special Guest, Organist, Dr. Lonnie Smith

Ron Jackson: www.ronjacksonmusic.com
Date: May 14, 2005
Time: 7:00 pm

Location: New Jersey Performing Arts Center
NJPAC is conveniently located in the heart of the Newark Downtown Arts District,on the Newark riverfront between Military Park and McCarter Highway -- near Gateway Center, Newark's Penn Station, and the Ironbound District. Easily accessible by car or by public transportation.

Ticket Price: $22.00 (Children: $9.00)

Ticket Purchasing Options: www.njpac.org

Phone: 1-973-642-5229.

Guitarist, Ron Jackson, “projects the art of jazz guitar in the traditional manner by obvious nods to Wes and Charlie, but adopts a contemporary attitude with Metheny, Scofield and Klugh adding their influences." (Jazz Times) Jackson is joined by Dr. Lonnie Smith, “One of the most influential organists to ever man the helm of the B-3”, (All About Jazz).

Jackson's resume is so vast it is hard to capture it all on paper. He was the winner of the 1996 Heritage Guitars, International Jazz Guitar Competition. He has performed and recorded in over 30 countries as a bandleader and ensemble performer, and is well established in the international jazz scene. His recordings have featured prominent sideman like pianists; Benny Green and Lafayette Harris, Bassist; Lonnie Plaxico, Essiet Essiet, Drummers; Cecil Brooks III, Dion Parson and Yoron Israel.

Dr. Lonnie Smith is internationally known as one of the premier jazz keyboardists in the history of the idiom. A dominant talent and pace-setting proponent of the Hammond B3 Organ, Smith is a widely recognized pianist. Lonnie has been at the forefront of the jazz scene since 1969 when he was named “Top Organist,” by Downbeat Magazine. Most recently, he was awarded the “Organ Keyboardist of the Year” award 2002 & 2003 by the Jazz Journalist Association.

Jackson and Smith will be back by seasoned veterans, Don Braden (saxophone), Mike LeDonne (piano), Art Martin (baritone saxophone), Earl McIntyre (trombone), Dion Parson (drums), Valery Ponomarev (trumpet), Joris Teepe (bass) and Roseanne Vitro (vocals).

This concert is a part of the Family Time performance, recommended for ages 13 and up. Presented in association with WBGO/Jazz 88.3FM.

Kari-On Productions
P.O. Box 436
Evans, GA. 30809
706.294.9996
karionprod@knology.net

JAZZ ASPEN SNOWMASS CELEBRATES 15TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON

JAS JUNE FESTIVAL (JUNE 23 - 36) FEATURES BOZ SCAGGS, DAVID BYRNE, ISSAC HAYES, STEEL PULSE, BOBBY MCFERRIN & DIANNE REEVES AMONG OTHERS!

JAS LABOR DAY FESTIVAL EXTENDED TO FIVE DAYS!! (SEPT 1 - 5)

"Reward your yearlong labors with a trip to Jazz Aspen" - Elle Magazine

New York, NY - March 31, 2005 -- Jazz Aspen Snowmass announces its 15th Anniversary Season with a series of events to bookend your summer vacation plans. The JAS June Festival will kick off the season June 23 - 26 at Rio Grande Park in downtown Aspen and will celebrate a return engagement by Boz Scaggs as well as other headlining acts including David Byrne with the Tosca Strings, Issac Hayes, British reggae masters Steel Pulse, Bobby McFerrin, Diane Reeves and more.

Now in its 15th season, the JAS June festival was inspired by the legendary Marciac Festival in France, which is located in a charming village among the rolling hills of Gascogne. Similar in design, Jazz Aspen is nestled in the scenic and breathtaking Rocky Mountains where music devotees enjoy four days of music from top performers in a lively mountain town.

In addition to the headlining acts, performances will be held in smaller venues around Aspen, including a special new 15th year kick-off concert featuring the veteran jazz giant Ramsey Lewis Trio, as well as the internationally recognized jazz guitar sounds of John Scofield, in a "Tribute to Ray Charles" at the Hotel Jerome Ballroom. Additional shows included the funk and jazz of keyboardist Robert Walters 20th Congress and the wildly inventive Crescent City sounds of Bonarama, a group of seven trombones from New Orleans.

Gospel will fill the air once again in a "free" concert in the tent featuring JAS alumnus Ricky Dillard's New Generation Chorale, a 30+ member Gospel Choir from Chicago, in their third JAS appearance. Additional free stage artists will be announced shortly.

In addition, this year's incredible JAS Labor Day festival, which has become a stalwart among the summer concert scene, will be extended to five days for the first time in the festival's history and will be the biggest Labor Day Festival yet. "We have full intentions of beating last summers attendance records," stated festival producer Jim Horowitz.

The JAS Labor Day festival takes the opportunity each year to depart from its year-round-jazz-oriented programs and sister festival held in June to present a festival that celebrates all genres of music from roots, pop, bluegrass, rock, reggae, etc. The JAS Labor Day line-up will be announced shortly.

JAS June Festival tickets will go on sale to JAS Club members Wednesday March 30th and to the public Monday, April 4th. Tickets, priced from $35 and up, will be on sale through the JAS Box Office at 866 527 8499 ( JAS TIXX ) , or at www.jazzaspen.org.

For more information on JAS please contact Allison Elbl at PFA, 212.334.6116 or aelbl@pfamedia.net. Please also visit www.jazzaspen.org for regular updates.

Legendary vocalist/pianist Andy Bey comes to Yoshi's this Saturday at 8pm and 10pm and Sunday at 2pm and 8pm. His most recent album, American Song, has received critical acclaim and a Grammy nomination. Andy is a rare gem and if you have not had the opportunity to hear his music, you will definitely be in for a treat. Andy will also be performing at the Jazz Bakery in LA from April 27-May 1 and at the Monterey Jazz Festival in September. If you are wondering which shows I will be attending, I will only miss the Sunday afternoon matinée. There are still a good amount of tickets available for all shows. See you there!

Twenty-six year old Jones fills the lead trumpet chair as he puts finishing touches on his second CD release for Mack Avenue Records.

After six months of performances with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Sean Jones has announced that he has decided to accept the esteemed ensemble's offer to become a permanent member as lead trumpet player.

"It is a great honor and privilege to perform with musicians of this caliber and diversity. I have learned a great deal from Wynton as well as from the rest of the band and I look forward to performing and learning much more from them in the future," says Jones.

Jones has just completed mixing Gemini, his second CD for Mack Avenue Records, which is scheduled for release on June 28, 2005. Gemini features a wide array of original compositions that, as Jones says, "represent the various sides of my musical nature, from blues to funk, to fusion, acid jazz, and gospel." Jones' first recording as a leader, Eternal Journey (also on Mack Avenue,) reached #5 on the Jazz Week chart.

Jones also recently joined the faculty of Duquesne University, where he will continue to teach while maintaining his rigorous performance schedule. In addition to his upcoming performances with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Jones also will continue to perform with his own eponymous quintet, as well as with other small and large ensembles. A full performance schedule can be found on his website, www.seanjonesjazz.com.

The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis (LCJO), composed of 15 of the finest jazz soloists and ensemble players today, has been the Jazz at Lincoln Center resident orchestra for over 10 years. Jazz at Lincoln Center features the remarkably versatile LCJO in nearly all aspects of its programming: the LCJO performs and leads educational events in New York, across the U.S., and around the globe; in concert halls, dance venues, jazz clubs, public parks, river boats, and churches; and with symphony orchestras, ballet troupes, local students, and an ever-expanding roster of guest artists.

Mack Avenue Records is the Detroit based independent label that is home to such jazz legends as Gerald Wilson, Terry Gibbs and Oscar Castro-Neves, as well as to talented newcomers such as Ron Blake, Sean Jones and Ilona Knopfler. For additional information on the label and its artists visit www.mackaverecords.com

Cary Goldberg
GoMediaPR
310-676-1692
gomediapr@earthlink.net

March 31, 2005; Monterey, California; With an appetizing array of over 500 artists appearing on 7 stages for 3 nights and 2 days of nonstop jazz, the 48th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival Presented by MCI offers fans a taste to please every palette. From reunions reflecting its storied past to today's "New Grooves", from vocal masters like Tony Bennett to newcomers like Madeleine Peyroux, from the world premiere of commissioned music to the Festival premiere of its Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, the world's longest running jazz festival serves up a generous helping of world class jazz, September 16 - 18, at the magnificent forested Festival site in Monterey, California.

Tickets are now on sale from the Ticket Office (925/275-9255) and online at www.montereyjazzfestival.org. Arena Packages start at $180 for a reserved seat to all 5 Arena Concerts plus access to all Festival concerts, events and attractions for the entire weekend. Grounds Tickets are priced at $30 for Friday, $40 for Saturday or Sunday and $95 for all three days. Grounds Tickets include daily access to all Grounds concerts, events and activities on 6 stages spread throughout the Monterey Fairgrounds, plus simulcasts of all Arena concerts in The Jazz Theater.

The Festival's opening night Arena concert on the Jimmy Lyons Stage will witness the return of Sonny Rollins to the Monterey Jazz Festival, his first appearance since 1997, playing the same stage where he helped launch the MJF in 1958. In another nod to the Festival's past, saxophonist John Handy will revisit his classic 1965 performance, recorded live at the MJF, with a "40th Anniversary Reunion" featuring many members of the same '65 quintet. Spanish Harlem Orchestra will add some spice to the Friday night lineup with their 2005 Grammy award winning salsa style.