Vocalist Mary Stallings comes to The RRazz Room from February 2 to 5. Showtimes are 7pm on Friday and Saturday and 5pm on Sunday. Her band will include David Udolf on piano, Akira Tana on drums and Ron Belcher on bass. I last saw Mary at Yoshi’s Oakland and her show was amazing.

According to the New York Times, “perhaps the best jazz singer singing today is a woman almost everybody seems to have missed.” That woman is Mary Stallings, a Bay Area native who established a name for herself as one of the finest jazz singers of the 1960s, performing with such luminaries as Dizzy Gillespie, Cal Tjader, Billy Eckstine, and Count Basie.

After taking a hiatus from her recording career in the 1970s to raise her daughter and work as a clothes designer, Stallings stepped back into the national jazz spotlight in 1999 when the owner of the famous Village Vanguard nightclub in New York heard a recording of her singing and eventually tracked her down at her home in San Francisco. Ever since then, jazz fans have had the pleasure of rediscovering Stallings, whose voice and phrasing continued to mature and improve during her long sabbatical. In 2006 she was presented with the San Francisco Jazz Festival’s Beacon Award for her contributions to jazz in the Bay Area.
“I had a huge voice when I was just eight years old,” says Mary Stallings about her beginnings as a singer. It was a voice too big to ignore – spanning almost four octaves. Few could. By the time she was 11, she had made her first solo recording and while still in high school she joined Louis Jordan’s Tympani Five. She came of age in the big band era, and was invited to tour as vocalist with most of the major names of the time. “It was the best musical education I could have had,” explains Mary, “I was fired from lessons for playing everything from memory.” Instead, her education came a bit more unconventionally, including stints with the Grover Mitchell – Earl “Father” Hines band, three years touring the U.S. and Europe with Count Basie, and sharing the bill with Joe Williams, Tony Bennett and Ella Fitzgerald. “I met all the heroes of the music and then got a chance to work with them,” she says.

Although Mary took time off from touring and recording during the ’70′s, she never stopped singing. So when she re-emerged back onto the jazz scene reinvigorated, with a sound that gave homage to her past but held a freshness and vigor, she immediately caught the attention of the music press, who called her “stunning” and a “jazz vocal sensation.” During this period, she released several critically acclaimed CDs, one which made many of the year-end “best-of” lists, another that went to the top 10 on the Gavin Jazz Chart. Today, Mary Stallings combines the grace and grandeur of experience with an undiluted passion for performing in her Live At The Village Vanguard release. With its blend of old and new, smoky standards and take-your-breath-away ballads, the CD, in many ways, reflects this current milestone in Mary’s career. “This is the right time for me to be singing these songs,” she says. “I pick songs that feel delicious to me, songs that I relate to at the time, songs that I love. That’s what you’ll find here.”

Photo Credit: James Knox

A Special Jazz Salute to Black History Month – February 1 thru March 4, 2012 – Jazz Heritage Center Lush Life Gallery – 1320 Fillmore Street – San Francisco. Opening reception and panel discussion on February 2 from 6-9pm. The panel discussion will be from 6-7pm in the Jazz Heritage Center Media Room and moderated by Norman K. Brown. Please come out!!!

I am pretty excited to be in the company of fellow artists, James Gayles and Jim Dennis for this exhibit.

The 27th Annual Fillmore Jazz Festival Expands Entertainment With Outstanding 2011 Musical Program

(San Francisco, CA) Every summer on July 4th weekend in San Francisco, Fillmore Street is home to the largest free jazz festival on the West Coast: The Fillmore Jazz Festival. The 27th Annual Fillmore Jazz Festival will showcase the Bay Area’s best talent from up and coming jazz fusion and Latin flavored acts to seasoned crooners belting out jazz standards. Eat, drink, and shop while you stroll, dance and groove to your favorites.

This Year’s festival is expected to draw an even larger audience of jazz aficionados as the musical programs were developed by with Jason Olaine, Artistic Director for Yoshi’s and Bobbie Webb, a longtime festival favorite. The musical entertainment will be on three stages. Jason Olaine, has assembled a solid jazz lineup on the Sutter and California Street Stages and for the first time ever the Jazz Festival has designated a Jazz Artist in Residence, Marco Benevento and a World Music Artist in Residence, Jackeline Rago.

The musicians performing on the California and Sutter Street stages include Ottmar Liebert, Fairh Ako, Mingus Amungus, Jenna Mammina, Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, Nigerian Brothers, The VNote Ensemble, California Honeydrops, Marco Benevento Acoustic Trio, Marco Benevento Electric, Jackeline Rago, Marcus Shelby, Mingus Amungus, Kim Nalley, Weather Wane, Venezuelan Music Project, Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet, Los Pinguos, Marckus James & The Wasssonrai and more.

Bobbie Webb, long time Fillmore District icon, radio personality and a musician himself will be performing at the show. He has created a lively program for The Eddy Street Stage with familiar Festival favorites and a few new acts that include: Jaye and Friends, Alvon & The All-Stars, Bobbie “Spider” Webb and The Smooth Blues Band, Lagos Roots, Future Perfect Band, Me & You, Kaye Bohler Band and Scary Larry.

According to the President of the Fillmore Merchants Association Thomas Reynolds, “We are excited about expanding our program by working with Jason Olaine and Bobbie Webb—both well known figures in the jazz community. Festival attendees will be seeing new performers along with some of our regular favorites.”

The festival annually attracts more than 90,000 people from all over the City, the Bay Area, and beyond. Visitors gather to celebrate and enjoy a musical tradition of live jazz, rhythm and blues, and gospel as well as local culture and fine cuisine in the heart of the city by the bay.

This year the Festival celebrates its 27th anniversary by once again blending art and soul from sunup to sundown, from Jackson to Eddy, presenting the music of old favorites as well as new ‘up and comers’ on multiple stages. Festival attendees can also browse 8 blocks of fine arts and crafts, enjoy gourmet food and beverages, and participate in cooking demos by the Fillmore’s finest chefs.

Art and crafts include photography, painting, woodwork, metalwork, jewelry, pottery, clothing, hats, and children’s toys – over 200 artists and craftsmen. Delicious “street food” includes oysters, calamari, fish & chips, grilled chicken, bbq pork, jambalaya, tri-tip and organic fruits and veggies, fine wine, and beer.
There will be hourly cooking demos featured at the Fillmore Center Plaza, hosted by Savor the Moment, featuring chefs from noted local restaurants such as 1300 on Fillmore, Yoshi’s, Dosa, and more.

The Festival will also offer the famous Swing Dance completion presented by North American Open & Northern California Open Swing U School.

From Asian to Cajun, from hoppin’ dance music to smooth jazz, from fine art to kitsch gifts, there is something for everyone on July 4th weekend in the Fillmore. Don’t miss it!

Presented by the Fillmore Street Merchants Association and the Fillmore District CBD.

Major sponsors include California Teas, Ford Motor Company, Comcast, Metromint, KBLX Radio, KCBS Radio, KTVU TV, Vespa & Sprint, Zip Car, The Fillmore Center, Japantown Garage, and many more.

Produced by Steven Restivo Productions, LLC

www.SRESproductions.com ~ 800-310-6563
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Chick-Fest 2011 celebrates the friendship and music of Leon ‘Chick’ Freeman and John ‘Terry’ Hilliard. These great musicians have been playing music together for over 50 years. Hilliard is also a member of the Junius Courtney Big Band, who will be in concert at Yoshi’s Oakland with show at 8 and 10pm. Chick-Fest will host “The Big Latin Jazz Jam Session” @ La Penca Azul Restaurant in Alameda on Sunday, July 3 at 3pm.

Are you ready?

For the next 10 evenings, Healdsburg, CA will be filled with jazz. There is something for everyone.

This is the 13th Annual Healdsburg Jazz Festival and it is not to be missed. I have had the pleasure of hearing some of the finest in jazz at this festival.

Festival season now begins!!!

Friday, June 3
Opening Night
Fred Hersch and Julian Lage
plus the Noam Lemish Quartet
8 pm at the Raven Theater

Saturday, June 4
One Voice: An Afternoon of Vocal Jazz
Madeline Eastman, Kenny Washington, Rhonda Benin,
Ed Reed, Nicholas Bearde, Jackie Ryan
and many more
4-8 pm at Jackson Theater, Santa Rosa 

Sunday, June 5
Latin Jazz in Concert
John Santos, Arturo Sandoval, Pete Escovedo,
Brazilian stars Claudia Villela, Romero Lubambo, Ricardo Peixoto
and many more
1 – 6 pm at Jackson Theater, Santa Rosa

Monday, June 6
Jazz & Wine Dinner at DCK
John Stowell, Randy Vincent, Kai Devitt-Lee
7 – 10 pm, Dry Creek Kitchen

Tuesday, June 7
Jazz in the Healdsburg Plaza
San Francisco Jazz Festival High School All-Stars
6 – 8 pm, free

Wednesday, June 8
Brazilian Jazz at the Bakery
Sandy Cressman, Natalie Cressman and more 
7 – 10 pm, Costeaux French Bakery

Thursday, June 9
Motéma Music Night
Geri Allen, Marc Cary, Babatunde Lea and more
7:30 pm, Raven Theater

Friday, June 10
Sangam:
Charles Lloyd, Zakir Hussain, Eric Harland 
8 pm, Raven Theater

Saturday, June 11
Jazz All-Star Evening
Denny Zeitlin, John Heard Trio, George Cables, Bobby Hutcherson,
Craig Handy, Ray Drummond and more
8 pm at the Raven Theater

Sunday Morning, June 12
Jazz Spirituals Concert
Ruth Naomi Floyd, Bennie Maupin, and more
11 am at the Raven Theater

Sunday Evening, June 12
An Intimate Evening with Charlie Haden
Film, conversation and music with Haden and Alan Broadbent
7 pm, Raven Theater

All shows available at Brown Paper Tickets

Photo of Nicholas Bearde by James Knox. Nicholas will be performing in the One Voice: An Afternoon of Vocal Jazz Concert on Saturday afternoon.

Only sax man Howard Wiley can open with a swinging ass rendition of “Three Blind Mice” and take you right into “Take The ‘A’ Train.” I think the mice were swinging so hard they just jumped on the train. I think there was just a little “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood” in there too!!! Howard on sax, Sista Kee on piano, Ron Belcher on bass, and Malachi Whitson on drums. Special guest on trumpeter John Turk on “My Funny Valentine.” They are cooking it nice and slow. Wiley called it a “Shirley Horn style of ballad. Next up, John Turk played piano and was joined by his very young son, Miles, on drums on Musiq Soulchild’s “Just Friends.” This kid can play the drums. Howard followed with a Latin-flavored “Autumn Leaves” with amazing rhythms with an assist from Lorin Benedict with his very unique scat vocals. Wiley closed jamming Stevie Wonder’s “Master Blaster.”

Wiley will be playing at 57th Street Gallery every Friday in August. – Live from 57th Street Gallery in Oakland #jazzlives

Photo of Howard Wiley at Intersection for the Arts by James Knox

Eastside Arts Alliance presents

11^th Annual

MALCOLM X JAZZARTS FESTIVAL

Saturday, May 21, 2011

11am – 7pm

San Antonio Park, Oakland

(18^th Avenue/Foothill Blvd)

FREE

www.eastsideartsalliance.org

On the main jazz stage we will be featuring:

• 12:00pm – John Santos Sextet (http://www.johnsantos.com/)
• 2:00pm – The Grassroots Composers Ensemble
• 4:00pm – The Abraham Burton Trio* (http://www.abrahamburton.com/)
• 6:00pm – Umar Bin Hassan – from The Last Poets (http://www.umarbinhassan.com/)

On the Katherine Dunham Dance Stage we will be featuring:

• AWON OHUN OMNIRA (VOICES OF FREEDOM) – Awon Ohun Omnira ritually demonstrates the history of African Americans using the vehicle of the music of our ancestors in the form of egun (ancestor songs) Negro Spirituals and ring-shouts songs.
• LIBERATION DANCE THEATER – Since 2007, Liberation Dance Theater  (LDT) has been pushing the boundaries of cross-cultural aesthetics, all through the exuberance, soul, and physical prowess of dance.
• SHAOLIN CH’AN INSTITUTE – The Shaolin wellness practice was developed over 1,500 years through rigorous training and refinement.
• STARCHILD DANCE PROJECT – With a mission to document and preserve black dance and culture Starchild Dance Project directed by Traci Bartlow, is proud to present it’s latest work, “What’s Old is New Again”, an exploration on the connection of Lindy Hop and Hip Hop with special guest musical director Ajayi Jackson.

* VERY SPECIAL SUNDAY CONCERT AT EASTSIDE CULTURAL CENTER!

In a very rare and important visit to the Bay Area, saxophonist Abraham Burton along with bassist Eric Revis and drummer Nasheet Waits will also be bringing their dynamic trio to the Eastside Cultural Center on Sunday May 22^nd. The setting at the Eastside Cultural Center is an intimate one that embraces and encourages the musicians in ways that allows for their best performances. This really is a concert that you will not want to miss.

Every First Friday EastSide Arts Alliance has been presenting an extraordinary group of jazz musicians – THE GRASSROOTS COMPOSERS ENSEMBLE.

Join us tonight – FRIDAY, MAY 6 from 8-10pm for an evening of beautiful sounds and good company. Each concert with this group is profound and moving. Audiences have appreciated the opportunity to listen to original compositions as well as treasured classic tunes, performed live by some of the best musicians in the area. Bandleader Mark Wright on trumpet provides an accompanying commentary that provides a history of the music. Try and come check it out. It’s up to us to help keep live music happening in the Bay. Come out and show your appreciation – you won’t be sorry.

Editor’s Note: I had the pleasure of hearing The Grassroots Composers Ensemble for my first time last month and they were excellent. They are definitely a hidden treasure not to be missed. See you there!

GRASSROOTS COMPOSERS ENSEMBLE
Friday, May 6, 2011
8:00 pm $10
EASTSIDE CULTURAL CENTER
2277 International Blvd.
Oakland, CA 94606

Photo Credit: James Knox