August 2009 Archives

It is a good week when three new jazz piano releases are coming out on Tuesday, 8/25.

Jazz piano legend McCoy Tyner's new release, Solo: Live From San Francisco (Dig) [LIVE] was recorded live during the SFJAZZ Spring Season in May 2007. I attended this magnificent concert and am very excited about this album which includes, "Naima," "You Taught My Heart To Sing," "I Should Care," "Sweet And Lovely," and "In A Mellow Tone."

Young jazz piano virtuosos Eldar and Robert Glasper also have new releases on Tuesday.

Eldar's Virtue features mostly original compositions by Eldar performed with bassist Armando Gola and Ludwig Afonso. Eldar also welcomes guest appearances by trumpeter Nicholas Payton and saxophonists Joshua Redman and Felipe Lamoglia.

Pianist Robert Glasper presents both sides of his musical persona with Double-Booked, his third album for Blue Note Records, which will be released on August 25. The album bridges Glasper's parallel careers as the leader of an acclaimed jazz trio and a first-call sideman with hip-hop artists such as Mos Def, Q Tip and The Roots. Moving nimbly from the acoustic Robert Glasper Trio to the hip-hop fusion Robert Glasper Experiment, the young keyboardist puts his versatility front and center. Special guests on the album include vocalist Bilal and a cameo apprearance from rapper Mos Def.

Vocalist/songwriter Lizz Wright is bringing her sweet music to the Bay Area.

9/18 Dizzy's Den stage at the Monterey Jazz Festival at 8:30pm
9/19-20 Yoshi's Oakland - Shows at 8 and 10pm

Photo Credit: James Knox

Memphis Minnie's Bar-b-que Joint of San Francisco Presents

EXCLUSIVE EAST BAY SCREENING

AWARD-WINNING NEW DOCUMENTARY ABOUT

HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS NEIGHBORHOOD AND ITS MUSIC

Screening and Discussion with Iconic

New Orleans Newspaperman and Author Lolis Eric Elie

Special Appearance by Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir

All Proceeds Benefit the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music

OAKLAND--The winner of "Best Documentary" at the 2008 San Francisco Film Festival, Faubourg Tremé: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans gives viewers a riveting introduction to of a little-known part of American history set in the fascinating New Orleans neighborhood where jazz was born.

Scheduled to coincide with the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, this exclusive, one-night-only event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Saturday, August 29, at the Kaiser Center Auditorium, 300 Lakeside Drive, 2nd Floor. On hand to discuss the film with audiences will be its co-producer, co-writer and central narrator, nationally renowned New Orleans newspaperman Lolis Eric Elie. Director Dawn Logsdon and producer Lucie Faulknor will also bring their perspective and expertise to the panel discussion.

Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir will make a special appearance. Also featured are the Oakland Public Conservatory Youth Marimba Band and The Frederick Douglass Youth Ensemble.

All proceeds benefit the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music, the East Bay's leading source for affordable music education and performance for local youth and families. The event is made possible by Memphis Minnie's Bar-b-que Joint of San Francisco, which Gourmet Magazine said "may well be the finest barbeque restaurant in the state."

"American music would undoubtedly don a different swagger without the city of New Orleans, and the Tremé district in particular," said Angela Wellman, founding director of the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music. "This event is a perfect opportunity for our community to celebrate jazz and the city that birthed it, and to support the Conservatory's efforts to nurture jazz study, scholarship, and appreciation for generations to come."

Arguably the oldest black neighborhood in America, Faubourg Tremé was home to the largest community of free black people in the Deep South during slavery. In the film - which critics have called "revelatory" and "flat-out brilliant" - Elie takes audiences on a tour of his city, and explains why this most un-American of American cities must be saved. But the neighborhood's recovery after Katrina is just another chapter in its singular history.

"In the early 1800s, while most African Americans in the South were toiling on plantations, free black people in Tremé were publishing poetry and conducting symphonies," Elie said. "Long before Rosa Parks, Tremé leaders organized sit-ins and protests that successfully desegregated the city's streetcars and schools. And jazz, the area's greatest gift to America, was born from the embers of this first American Civil Rights movement."

The mission of the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music is to connect East Bay youth and their families the world-class instruction and performance of private conservatories at affordable rates. The Oakland Public Conservatory of Music exists to provide local audiences access to and an appreciation of our rich, shared and diverse American musical heritage.

Faubourg Tremé: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans was executive produced by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer/musician Wynton Marsalis and Stanley Nelson (Jonestown, Murder of Emmett Till); directed by Dawn Logsdon; co-directed and written by Lolis Eric Elie; produced by Lucie Faulknor, Lolis Eric Elie and Dawn Logsdon; edited by Dawn Logsdon, Sam Green (Weather Underground) with original music composed by Derrick Hodge (of Terrence Blanchard's Band).

Tickets for the screening are $25 in advance, $30 at the door and can be purchased at

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/76969.

All proceeds benefit the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music.

Visit the Conservatory online at www.opcmusic.org

To view a trailer or for more information about the film, go to http://www.tremedoc.com.

This film is a co-production of Serendipity Films, LLC, Independent Television Service (ITVS), WYES-TV12 New Orleans and Louisiana Pubic Broadcasting (LPB) in association with the National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC).

Media Contact: Laurie Cahn

415-824-2857

415-608-4092 (c)

Photos and interviews available

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 12, 2009

www.montereyjazzfestival.org

Media Contact: Timothy Orr
Direct Line: (510) 652-1122
MJF Phone: (831) 373-3366 X252
timorr@montereyjazzfestival.org

Arena Tickets Available For 52nd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival Presented By Verizon, September 18 - 20, 2009

Rare Opportunity For Heirloom Purchase Guaranteeing Seats For Years

Three-Day Arena Package Includes Exclusive Access To 5 Shows Of World-Class Music On The Legendary Jimmy Lyons Stage

Plus Access To 8 Other Grounds Venues

Great Seats Available For Exclusive Arena Performances Including Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke And Lenny White Trio; Dave Brubeck Quartet, John Scofield And The Piety Street Band, Pete Seeger, Susan Tedeschi, Hank Jones And Joe Lovano Quartet, George Duke

August 12, 2009, Monterey, CA; Offering a rare opportunity for fans to purchase and retain Arena seats, the Monterey Jazz Festival has announced that Arena Packages for the 52nd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival are still available. An Arena Package provides intimate access to exclusive world-class music on the legendary Jimmy Lyons Stage, the site of countless musical memories and historic events since 1958.

"Arena Tickets are like an heirloom purchase -- patrons can renew their seats every year," says Timothy Orr, Marketing Associate for MJF. "In times like these, upgrades, which in previous years would have been difficult, are now possible. The Arena is where you feel the weight of history, and this offers our fans a chance to be a part of that history."

Arena Packages are on sale now by phone at (925) 275-9255 and on the Monterey Jazz Festival's website, montereyjazzfestival.org. Arena Packages are available starting from $225, and include one reserved seat for each of five concerts on the Arena/Jimmy Lyons Stage, access to all performances and activities on eight additional stages throughout the Grounds throughout the weekend, plus conversations, exhibitions, panel discussions, international shopping, food and beverages, and more.

Photo of legendary jazz pianist Hank Jones at Monterey Jazz Festival 2006 by James Knox

07/06/2009

Prasant Radhakrishnan - tenor saxophone
David Ewell - upright acoustic bass
Sameer Gupta - drums

I had the pleasure of recently hearing the band, VidyA, at Yoshi's Oakland. VidyA, which means knowledge in Sanskrit, intertwines South Indian classical music (Carnatic music) and jazz. The result of this pairing of genres was intoxicating. They played original compositions from their recently released self-titled album, Vidya.

Bandleader/saxophonist Prasant Radhakrishnan told a melodious story with each note. It was beautiful, lush, warm and romantic. His band which includes David Ewell (Marc Cary, Howard Wiley) and Sameer Gupta (Marc Cary) were very succinct. There were great moments of call and response between Prasant and Sameer as well great solos from each player throughout the evening.

"At age 13, bandleader/saxophonist, Prasant Radhakrishnan - now 26 - began rigorous studies with Carnatic saxophone pioneer and maestro Kadri Gopalnath and has earned acclaim among the elite musical circles of Chennai, the mecca of Carnatic music. He has performed hundreds of concerts across India, North America and Japan, both on his own and with Gopalnath. While Radhakrishnan has immersed himself deeply in his Indian cultural roots, as a first-generation American, jazz is also a native art form for him. He became intrigued with jazz in high school; later, as a student in the Jazz Studies program at the University of Southern California, Radhakrishnan began creating compositions integrating the two musical worlds, ultimately leading to the Carnatic/jazz tapestry of VidyA. So for Radhakrishnan, jazz and Carnatic music are an entirely holistic pairing. The sound of VidyA is one he hears in his mind's ear and seeks a way to re-create, as he continues to delve into these disparate, yet complementary elements of his Indo-American identity."

For more information on VidyA:

www.prasantmusic.com
www.vidyamusic.com

Photo Credit: James Knox

One of the things I love about the Bay Area is that the music festivals and local events are jumping from now through end of September. If I have missed any, please let me know. :-)

This is the final weekend of the Stanford Jazz Festival with the Stanford Jazz Workshop All-Star Jam on Friday and Dena DeRose and Steve Davis on Saturday.

The East Bay Express Best of the East Bay 2009 Party is Friday evening from 5pm to midnight at Oakland Museum of California.

The 20th AT&T San Jose Jazz Festival is this weekend from Friday through Sunday in Downtown San Jose. Only $15 per day for three days of great music featuring Allen Toussaint, Sharon Jones, Wayne Wallace, Tierney Sutton, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Bill Henderson, Sony Holland, Bettye Lavette, Jon Santo, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Buster Williams, Patrice Rushen, and many more.

The 9th Annual Art & Soul Oakland Festival is August 15 and 16. New weekend but the same great fun and entertainment for everyone. The lineup includes Shawn Colvin, Will Downing, Bobby Caldwell, and Walter and Edwin Hawkins.

Friends of the Golden Gate Public Library presents Jazz on Sunday Series every Sunday at 3pm at the Golden Gate Public Library, 5606 San Pablo Ave., Oakland, California.

Don't forget the AfroSolo Arts Festival 16 and the Yerba Buena Art Festival are running now through October.

Oakland City Center Concert Series - Concerts every Wednesday at noon at the Oakland Center in Downtown Oakland.

Kaiser Rooftop Garden Concert Series - Concerts every Friday at noon through September.

Sunnyvale Jazz Series

Aug. 15 - Tony Lindsay w/Tom Politzer (r&b & contemporary jazz)
Aug. 22 - Ed Johnson & ; Novo Tempo Quintet (contemporary Brazilian jazz)
Aug. 29 - Chester Smith Ensemble (organ straight ahead jazz)

This FREE event is open to the public and is located on Murphy Avenue (between Washington & Evelyn). For more information call 408-516-7217 or visit www.DowntownSunnyvale.com

SFJAZZ Summer Concert Series is underway and tickets for the SFJAZZ Fall Festival Season are now on sale.

Mt. Diablo Jazz Festival

Northern California's largest jazz festival returns to the Sleep Train Pavilion at Concord on August 22nd with a new lineup and a new name. Previously the JVC Jazz Festival, now called the Mt. Diablo Jazz Festival, this year brings Anita Baker, Boney James, Fourplay, Jazz Attack and local group Times 4 to Concord. Tickets for the Mt. Diablo Jazz Festival are on sale now at Livenation.com.

Downtown Berkeley MusicFest - August 27-29

Dancing in the streets, drumming in the avenues, and singing on the boulevards: all of these and more are yours this week as Berkeley's arts and entertainment hub springs into action for the Downtown Berkeley MusicFest! Highlighting the amazing diversity of Berkeley's downtown scene, the festival features a rich array of musical performances at venues throughout the downtown area.

Jazz at Filoli

Celebrate our 19th Season and Filoli's 100th Jazz Concert

Filoli Jazz lovers, please join us as we once again showcase six delightful Sunday afternoon jazz concerts held outdoors on the beautiful grounds of Filoli. Let us pamper you with great entertainment. Tables and chairs are set up on the tennis court surrounded by glorious oak trees. Parking is free, as well as snacks and drinks, including beer and white wine. Gourmet boxed lunches are available for purchase in advance. This year's program features an incredibly strong lineup of world class jazz musicians. After reading the descriptions below, I think you will agree that this year might just be our best ever. Concerts are from 1:30 pm -4:00 pm.

Next up at Filoli The Bobby Hutcherson Quartet - August 30

33rd Russian River Jazz and Blues Festival

The 33rd Russian River Jazz and Blues Festival has combined two great festivals into one weekend on September 12 and 13 at Johnson Beach Resort in Guerneville. The jazz lineup (September 12) includes Al Jarreau, Jonathan Butler, Richard Elliott, Jazz Attack, and Rick Braun with more acts to be announced. The blues lineup (September 13) includes The Neville Brothers, Dr. John, Tommy Castro Band, and Bernard Allison with more acts to be announced.

Montclair Village Jazz and Wine Festival

The lineup for the Montclair Village Jazz and Wine Festival on Sunday, September 13 includes Kitty Margolis, Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet, Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra, Mo'Rockin Project, and Taylor Eigsti.

52nd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival

The 52nd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival will be held September 18-20 at the Monterey County Fairgrounds in Monterey, Ca. Three days of great music. Performers include Lizz Wright, Wynton Marsalis, Chick Corea, Joshua Redman, Soulive, Dave Brubeck, Esperanza Spalding, Kenny Barron, Regina Carter, Kurt Elling, and many others throughout the festival grounds.

Rockridge Out & About Street Festival

On Sunday, September 27th, College Avenue in North Oakland's famed Rockridge neighborhood becomes the stage for musicians, street performers, fashion shows, lifestyle expos, wellness activities, and picnicking.

Sponsored by the Rockridge District Association, "Rockridge Out & About " features food, fun, education, health forums, live music, and dancing at this popular annual event. College Avenue becomes a culinary and shopping extravaganza as chefs fire up the grills and serve tasty delights and unique vendor booths and large tents showcasing the districts unique mix of locally owned retail shops businesses line over half a mile of
College Avenue. Take BART to Rockridge on September 27th to stroll, shop, wine and dine, dance, play and experience Rockridge Out & About.

Photo Credit: James Knox