Highlights In Jazz Presents The Joe Bushkin Centennial Concert Thursday, May 4th 8 pm at Tribeca Performing Arts Center

Jack Kleinsinger’s Highlights In Jazz New York’s Longest Running Jazz Concert Series Now In Its 45th Year
Concludes its 2017 Season
with The Joe Bushkin Centennial Concert
Featuring Wycliffe Gordon, Jay Leonhart,
Harry Allen, Eric Comstock,
Ted Rosenthal, Spike Wilner,
Nicki Parrott, Steve Johns and John Colliani,

Under The Musical Direction Of Bob Merrill

Plus As In All Highlights In Jazz Concerts
A Surprise Guest
Thursday, May 4, 2017 8pm
 
All Shows At
Tribeca Performing Arts Center
Borough of Manhattan Community College
199 Chambers Street, New York, NY 10007
Box Office 212-220-1460
www.tribecapac.org

Jack Kleinsinger’s Highlights In Jazz, New York’s longest running jazz concert series, concludes its record breaking 45th season at 8:00 PM on Thursday, May 4, 2017 at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, 199 Chambers Street, New York City, with The Joe Bushkin Centennial concert, celebrating the rich musical legacy of the legendary pianist/composer with an all-star revue featuring Wycliffe Gordon, Jay Leonhart, Harry Allen, Eric Comstock, John Colliani, Nicki Parrott, Ted Rosenthal, Steve Johns and Spike Wilner, under the musical direction of Bob Merrill, plus, as in all Highlights In Jazz shows, a surprise special guest. In a year that celebrates the centennials of jazz icons Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald and Thelonious Monk, Joe Bushkin, sadly, has remained largely overlooked. Bushkin, whose role as pianist with a host of great players, including Louis Armstrong, Bunny Berigan, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Bobby Hackett, Lionel Hampton and Lester Young, as well as his role as accompanist to vocalists, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and Lee Wiley, brought him much acclaim in his day and a secure place in music history.  But Bushkin’s legacy also includes a voluminous songbook of original compositions that remain as fresh today as when they were first recorded years ago. Musical director for this centennial celebration, trumpeter/vocalist Bob Merrill, the late Bushkin’s former musical collaborator (and son-in-law) notes, “Joe was indeed a great pianist, but he was also a great songwriter.  Our mission is to make that case and breathe new life into these classics.” Merrill’s forthcoming album, Tell Me Your Troubles: Songs by Joe Bushkin, Vol. 1 features his new arrangements of a dozen Bushkin classics, including favorites, such as “Oh, Look at Me Now," “There’ll Be a Hot Time in the Town of Berlin,” “Wise to Myself,” “ Girl Wanted,” “Lovely Weather,” “Goin’ Back to Storyville”  and the album’s title track.  Merrill proudly declares, “Now we get to perform them, live, all in one concert, with many of the great players that played them on the album, and also with Joe back in the day.” Featured artists for this historic concert will include trombonist/vocalist Wycliffe Gordon, saxophonist Harry Allen, bassist/vocalist Nicki Parrott, drummer Steve Johns and pianist/vocalist Eric Comstock, as well three more pianists steeped in the Bushkin legacy, John Colliani, Ted Rosenthal and Spike Wilner, and of course, as in all Highlights in Jazz concerts, there will be a surprise special guest. Merrill declares, “It will be a special night celebrating Joe Bushkin’s gifts as a songwriter on the occasion of this centennial birthday tribute." Highlights In Jazz will return in 2018 for its 46th season.

All Shows At

BMCC TRIBECA Performing Arts Center 
Borough of Manhattan Community College
199 Chambers Street, New York, NY 10007
http://tribecapac.org

By car take FDR Drive south to end, through underpass onto West Street, 
north to Chambers.
By Subway take 1, 2, 3, 9, A, C, E, J or M train to Chambers or N, R to City Hall stop. Walk west on Chambers.
Box Office 212-220-1460
Ticket Prices
$50.00
$45.00 (student rate with valid ID)
or by mail order.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the box office.
You are now able to use your credit card at the Tribeca PAC Box Office located on 199 Chambers Street, or by calling (212) 220-1460 and now online at Tickets.Tribecapac.org

Please send a check made payable to: Highlights In Jazz

Please mail orders to:
Highlights In Jazz 

7 Peter Cooper Road, Apt. 11E  New York NY 10010
(Please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope)

http://www.highlightsinjazz.org

Highlights in Jazz Media Contact
Jim Eigo
Jazz Promo Services
272 State Route 94 South #1
Warwick, NY 10990-3363
Ph: 845-986-1677 / Fax: 845-986-1699
Cell / text: 917-755-8960
Skype: jazzpromo
jim@jazzpromoservices.com
www.jazzpromoservices.com

 

MACEDONIA: Ohrid Jazz Breeze 2017

We welcome you to Ohrid Jazz Breeze 2017

Spring has just got over us and we are so proud to announce that after a lot of hard work of more than two years we have succeeded in making a great event in one of the most attractive places in the world.   As a matter of fact, Lonely Planet has endorsed the city of Ohrid the 5th best place to travel to in 2017. The travel will be even more interesting as we have organised a new jazz festival on the banks of  this beautiful city and lake.  Ohrid Jazz Breeze is the name of the event and this year the world renowned band Fourplay will open the event Ohrid Jazz Breeze as part of the 57th edition of the famous Ohrid Summer Festival.  It is a festival with classical music, artwork, theatre, and films.  The Festival, which will stretch over the entire summer is like a nirvana for holiday guests that want to explore the different art forms of the world at this great city with 365 churches. UNESCO is also patron of the city so you will be in an amazing environment of beauty and art. Furthermore Ohrid Jazz Breeze will present a weekend programme from July 21st, July 22nd, and July 23rd. 2017.  You will find a wealth of amazing musicians on the billboard from Denmark, The Netherlands, Finland, USA and UK this year. We can mention a few: TAO from Denmark, Project Hideaway with Xantone Blacq and Patches Stewart , Larry Dunn & Friends. Larry has put an amazing band together for the occasion and the music will be amazing. Larry who is an original member of Earth Wind and Fire ( so we are sure we may have few tunes coming to your ears from the huge EWF heritage). For VIP travel packages and VIP passes for the show and shows write to info@alliancerecordsinc.com

Fourplay                      with the Macedonian Philharmonics will be opening OSF on July 12th,2017

The city of 365 churches can offer spectacular       sights, here the Church of St. Kaneo the Baptist.

St. Sofia church will be    hosting plenty of shows with classical music          through the 40 days link

USA: Regina Carter -Ella: Accentuate the Positive (2017)

A hundred years after her birth, there are still plenty of lessons to be learned from listening to Ella Fitzgerald. But that s not the only takeaway that Regina Carter has gleaned from Ella s storied career. On her new album, Ella: Accentuate the Positive, the virtuoso violinist reveals the many aspects of Fitzgerald that have influenced her own remarkable path in music. That translates to an album that avoids the more obvious song choices in favor of more obscure though no less rewarding tunes from deep inside Ella s bountiful catalogue. Instead of trying to echo Fitzgerald s own choices and arrangements, or attempting the near-impossible task of evoking her beloved voice on the violin, Carter has done what has always set her apart followed her own dauntless instincts, resulting in a singular new take on both familiar and hidden classics.

Carter s enchantment with Ella Fitzgerald continued from childhood into adulthood and she grew to realize how much technique and virtuosity were involved in producing a sound so warm and inviting. The ability to spark that connection was central to Carter s choice of songs for Ella: Accentuate the Positive. From the gospel-tinged performance on the opening Ac-cen-tchu-ate the Positive to the airily funky arrangement of Crying in the Chapel and the bluesy take on I ll Never Be Free that sets the tone for the slinky groove of All My Live.

Regina Carter draws from a diverse well of influences that include classical, jazz, Motown swing, funk, and world music among others. Over a span of more than two decades, she has established herself as an enduring and creative force in jazz, thanks to a string of highly acclaimed solo and collaborative recordings, a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship and a relentless tour schedule that has taken her to all corners of the globe. She has performed with a variety of high-profile jazz and pop artists including Aretha Franklin, Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige, Billy Joel, Dolly Parton, Max Roach and Oliver Lake. A master of improvisational jazz violin, Carter s performances highlight the often overlooked potential of the jazz violin for its lyric, melodic and percussive potential.

JazzWorldQuest The Free mp3 List & Playlist Update

The Free mp3 List
Free promotional mp3 downloads – jazz and world music

Musician: Allan Licht
(USA)
Track: Sometimes
Album Name: Sometimes
Year of release: 2015
Musician/Label Website: www.allanlicht.com
Link to CD store

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Musician: Daniel Chia
(Singapore)
Track: CALI STYLE
Album Name: IN THE MOMENT
Year of release: 2017
Composer: Daniel Chia
Musician/Label Website: https://www.danielchiaofficial.com

ITALY: Music by Marco Lo Russo in italian films TV and fiction RAI Television

PRESS RELEASE

Music by Marco Lo Russo in italian films TV and fiction RAI Television

In addition to the recent single EP 7 Days, musical production by the Label Rouge Sound Production by Marco Lo Russo, who ranked among the finalists songs of the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 Lithuania, musical productions and compositions by accordionist, composer and producer Marco Lo Russo have been included in films, documentaries, television productions, italians fictions, even during this season, by RAI.

È arrivata la felicità, Una grande famiglia, Un viaggio sfacciatamente unico, Centovetrine and Donna Detective and also on DVD in the collection Storia della TV, Lo sceneggiato are some of the productions that include the music of Marco Lo Russo as soundtracks. All RAI fiction have met with great favor with audiences having, in the cast, big names such as between the actors involved: Alessandro Gassman, Lucrezia Lante della Rovere, Luca Ward, Lina Bernardi, Claudia Pandolfi, Ninetto Davoli, Ettore Bassi, Edwige Fenech, just to name a few; Donna Detective fiction has been distributed abroad by the name of Lady Detective. This confirms that the Made in Italy sound by Marco Lo Russo not only takes the form of international tours and concerts but also develops an artistic musical creativity of musical compositions increasingly exported abroad. Recall that Marco Lo Russo attended the opening day of the World Youth Day Youth 2016 in Poland, in the presence of Pope Francis, as well as events, international jazz festivals and concert tours by Cuba, Africa, from Mexico to Canada up in USA.

http://www.marcolorusso.com/en/music-productions-sound-design-by-marco-lo-russo-film-fiction-tv-and-eurovision/

And just from the United States, Indianapolis, came international recognition Just Plain Folks Music Awards 2017 for music production Modern Accordion by Marco Lo Russo. The album Modern Accordion, electro-acoustic album where jazz accordion of the contemporary italian composer Marco Lo Russo blends between world music and musical genres such as chill out, the deep, tango and EDM. Posted by Flipper Music, music production, it has received considerable attention internationally by critics and the press. Modern Accordion was selected by Just Plain Folks Music Awards in 2017 from over 17.400 albums from around the world. Modern Accordion it was the thematic CD for the International Video Contest held at FONDIfilmFESTIVAL in the city of Fondi, Latina -ITALY-, on whose music tracks, international video-makers met to discuss on subjects as diverse producing videoclips, as well as being a show with dance and electronic music repeatedly replicated Overseas. Much appreciated to represent is the official videoclip Moon over Catamarca shot in the charming polish city of Krakow.

Modern Accordion is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Beatport and Spotify.

More informations on the Just Plain Folks Music Awards 2017 http://www.marcolorusso.com/en/music-production-modern-accordion-cd-finalist-nomination-at-just-plain-folks-music-awards-2017/

 web site: http://www.marcolorusso.com
you tube: http://www.youtube.com/lorussofisa
soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/marco-lo-russo
twitter: https://twitter.com/LoRussoFisa
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoRussoMarco 
linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/marcolorusso
instagram: http://www.enjoygram.com/marco_lo_russo_rouge

ROUGE – Rouge Sound Production
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RougeSoundProduction

Ass. Marco Lo Russo Music Center
https://www.facebook.com/lorusso.music.center

Official Marco Lo Russo fans club
https://www.facebook.com/marcolorussofans

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JazzWorldQuest Update: Jazz Knowledge

 JazzWorldQuest Update: Jazz Knowledge

The End of Art and Jazz (from Philosophyofjazz.net)
Paulina Tendera
Jagiellonian University, Philosophy, Adjunct
Abstract:In the second half of the twentieth century, there was a great deal of talk about a phenomenon known in the art world as “the end of art.” This concept referred to significant, sometimes revolutionary changes in the perception of the work of art and changes in its manner of existence (its ontology). The very notion of the “end of art” was justified and inspired (though not entirely validly) by the philosophy of Georg Hegel. Art critics, wishing to exploit this idea, explained the incompatibility of their own comments with the original thought of Hegel in historical terms: Hegel had written…

CONTINENTAL DRIFT: 50 years of jazz from Europe – Conference Proceedings
Haftor Medboe
Edinburgh Napier University, Music, Faculty Member
Abstract: Following popular exposure in France to the proto-jazz of James Reese Europe and his 369th “Harlem Hellfighters” Infantry Regiment during the latter years of WW1, the jazz bug took hold and, in the period that followed, spread throughout Europe. This new mu- sic from the USA, drawing on the ethno-cultural melting pot of New Orleans, provided a soundtrack to the new order that was forged following the two world wars. Its spread marked the beginning of Europe’s complex relationship to jazz, a music associated vari- ously with exoticism, vice, youth, cultural decay, liberation, US imperialism,…

Schopenhauer’s Metaphysics of Music Illumines A Love Supreme
Jon Avery
Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Philosophy and Religious Studies, Emeritus
This is the lecture portion of a multi-media presentation on the use of Schopenhauer’s philosophy of music to understand A Love Supreme.

USA: 1 of 148 Trumpeter/Vocalist Bob Merrill's "Tell Me Your Troubles: Songs by Joe Bushkin, Vol. 1" Set for May 19 Release by Accurate Records

Trumpeter/Vocalist Bob Merrill
Celebrates the Musical Legacy of
Pianist/Songwriter Joe Bushkin with
"Tell Me Your Troubles:
Songs by Joe Bushkin, Vol. 1,"
Set for May 19 Release by Accurate Records

  

First Volume of Two-Album Tribute Project
Features Rhythm Section of
Howard Alden, Nicki Parrott, & Steve Johns
Plus Guest Appearances by Singer Eric Comstock,
Bucky Pizzarelli, Harry Allen, Wycliffe Gordon,
& Virtuoso Vocal Accompanists
Laurence Hobgood & John Colianni at the Piano

Merrill to Serve as Musical Director
For Bushkin Centennial Concert
At BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, NYC,
Thursday, May 4

    

April 24, 2017

Coinciding with the centennial of pianist/composer Joe Bushkin's birth, the release on May 19 by trumpeter and singer Bob Merrill of Tell Me Your Troubles: Songs by Joe Bushkin, Vol. 1 (Accurate Records) celebrates the musical legacy of a man who was revered by many of America's foremost entertainers for his wizardry at the keyboard and skills as a tunesmith. He also happened to be Merrill's father-in-law.

Bushkin penned songs with his longtime lyricist John DeVries or the great Johnny Burke in the repertoires of the likes of Sinatra (Joe's "Oh! Look at Me Now" was Frank's first hit), Bing Crosby, Nat "King" Cole, Benny Goodman, Louis Jordan, and countless others. This first volume of a planned two-album commemorative project pays reverential tribute to Bushkin's oeuvre and its special blend of mood and merriment on contemporary interpretations of 10 songs ranging from the popular to the obscure. The album opens and closes with archival spoken word salutes to Bushkin by Sinatra and comedian Red Buttons.

Cut from the same engaging entertainer's cloth as Bushkin -- not to mention trumpeter-singers like Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Prima, and Chet Baker -- Merrill was already performing crowd-pleasers like "Oh! Look at Me Now" and "Boogie Woogie Blue Plate" (a 1947 hit for Louis Jordan and his Tympani Five) before he met his future wife Christina and bonded with her gregarious father. "These songs have such a timeless, universal appeal," says Merrill. "I really hope the album exposes them to a new generation. Maybe Harry Connick, Diana Krall, Michael Bublé, or even Lady Gaga will give them new life."

Tell Me Your Troubles is full of classic tunes and rediscoveries, charismatic vocals, swinging solos, and sparkling arrangements and presents Merrill at his elegant best, whether showcasing his brass palette of trumpet, cornet, and flugelhorn or his smooth Tormé-like vocals, easy articulation, and natural enthusiasm. In addition to the A-List rhythm section of guitarist Howard Alden, bassist Nicki Parrott, and drummer Steve Johns, the album features an illustrious list of guest artists including saxophonist Harry Allen, trombonist/singer Wycliffe Gordon, cabaret star Eric Comstock, guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, and pianist Laurence Hobgood.

A previously unreleased performance of "Oh! Look at Me Now!," from Bushkin's final recording session in 2003 with Merrill, Howard Alden, and drummer Duffy Jackson, is one of the album's standouts. "Joe's tempo for the song had increased over the years," says Merrill, "but I suggested we slow it down to the tempo of Sinatra's later version, from the 1957 album Swingin' Affair on Capitol." (Pictured at left: Bushkin and Merrill, 2003.) 

"I got to spend a lot of time with Joe, always looking over his shoulder, absorbing stuff by osmosis," recalls Merrill, who coaxed Bushkin out of retirement in the early 1990s and performed with him at festivals and clubs such as New York's Tavern on the Green and L.A.'s Jazz Bakery until his passing in 2004 at age 87. He also produced and wrote liner notes for CD reissues of four Bushkin albums, including last fall's release of Live at the Embers (Dot Time Legends) from 1952.

Born in Manhattan in 1958, Bob Merrill traces his early interest in jazz to the fact that Benny Goodman lived in the penthouse of the building he grew up in on the Upper East Side. After his father took him to a Tonight Show taping where he heard Doc Severinsen, Merrill devoted himself to the trumpet (Bushkin's second instrument). He studied with William Vacchiano, first trumpet of the New York Philharmonic, and received improv tips as a teen from Red Rodney. Merrill attended both the New England Conservatory of Music (studying with Jaki Byard, in whose Apollo Stompers he played) and Harvard, where he co-founded a jazz concert series at the Hasty Pudding Club and led a house band for such visiting artists as Illinois Jacquet, George Coleman, Lee Konitz, and Warne Marsh.

Merrill released his first album as a leader, Catch as Catch Can, in 1997, the same year he was featured on American Movie Classics leading the AMC Orchestra on the series Gotta Dance! His second album, Got a Bran' New Suit, featured pianist Bill Charlap among others. It was followed by Christmastime at the Adirondack Grill, and then the wildly eclectic Cheerin' Up the Universe (2015), which featured pianist John Medeski and trombonist Roswell Rudd.

On Thursday May 4, Merrill will preside over a Joe Bushkin Centennial concert at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center (199 Chambers Street, Manhattan), part of Jack Kleinsinger's Highlights in Jazz series. Featured performers include several from the new CD's cast (Wycliffe Gordon, Eric Comstock, Nicki Parrott, John Colianni, Harry Allen) as well as pianists Ted Rosenthal and Spike Wilner.  

Photography: Pam Setchell

Web Sites: bobmerrill.net / accuraterecords.com 

    

Media Contact:

Terri Hinte
hudba@sbcglobal.net
510-234-8781

USA: JD Allen - Radio Flyer(2017)

 

JD Allen’s previous recording Americana won widespread critical acclaim for it’s ground breaking melodic and harmonic explorations and for its impressive emotional intensity. While that album presented Allen’s ideas with a somewhat contemplative hand, Radio Flyer moves with a more unbridled enthusiasm, testing the possibilities jazz has for individual expressionism and improvisational freedom. With guitarist Liberty Ellman on hand the quartet presents Allen’s seven original compositions bristling with energy while maintaining a cohesive, comprehensive unity of thought and purpose. “JD Allen’s writing for the tenor saxophone is effortlessly idiomatic, embroidered aria-like melodies and singular solo reflections give way to sinuous vocalastics and spirited dances. Textures are harmonically and unbelievably rich, yet never clogged.” – Raul da Gama “The JD Allen Trio is an almost telepathic, three-headed machine...But it’s important to emphasize that Allen himself is the best saxophonist under 60 in jazz, destined to be ranked with John Coltrane, Joe Henderson, Sonny Rollins, and Wayne Shorter. So if you haven’t been paying attention, the time to start is now.” – Burning Ambulance 

USA: CAROL SUDHALTER - CAMILLERI FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN and UPCOMING DATES

Carol Sudhalter and the Astoria Big Band have launched a fundraising campaign for the computerization and eventual publication of the library of Charlie Camilleri's big band arrangements.  To hear a full explanation of this project, or to make donations, go to this link For direct donations contact Carol at sudsaxter@gmail.com or 917 667 5331.

Carol Sudhalter Director, Mix n Match Music Director, Astoria Big Band/Astoria Jazz Band http://sudhalter.com

USA: RANDY INGRAM-The Wandering Import (2017)

 

2017 release. Pianist-composer Randy Ingram has put himself in a position to reveal more about his musical identity by scaling down to record The Wandering, a sophisticated, personal and enlightening duo album with bassist Drew Gress. For Ingram's debut performance at Mezzrow, bassist Drew Gress was his ideal duo partner. Ingram soon decided to record a duo album with Gress. They performed additional gigs and lined up a date at Brooklyn Recording with engineer Michael Perez Cisneros.

ISRAEL: Avishai Cohen - Cross My Palm With Silver (2017)

 

A year after his impressionistic, critically-lauded ECM debut Into The Silence, trumpeter Avishai Cohen s Cross My Palm With Silver introduces a program of new pieces which put the focus on the ensemble, on teamwork, with a quartet of the highest caliber. The adroit, almost telepathic interplay among the musicians allows Avishai Cohen to soar, making it clear why he is one of the most talked-about jazz musicians on the contemporary scene. All of these people together are my dream team , says the charismatic trumpeter of fellow players Yonathan Avishai, Barak Mori and Nasheet Waits, who share his sense for daring improvisation and his feeling for structure. I feel we're in a perfect place with the balance. It's open and there s so much room for the improvisation to take the music any place we can. At the same time the composition is very specific and the vibe is very direct and thought about. As with Into The Silence, Cross My Palm With Silver was produced by Manfred Eicher at Studios La Buissonne in the south of France. 

USA: The 50 Best Jazz Clubs in America

The Best 50 Jazz Clubs In America

Jazz is a true American art form. Some have even called it America’s classical music.
The best way to listen to jazz isn’t at home on your iTunes but at your local nightclub. Jazz, like any other type of music, is best heard live.
Yet, jazz is not like pop and rock music. It’s complex. It’s challenging. You need to go to jazz. Jazz does not come to you.
With that being said, we have complied a list of what we consider The Best 50 Jazz Clubs in America.
The criteria we used to choose these venues includes types of jazz and blues music performed, club ambiance and intimacy, choice of performers, reputation and more.
The following places are not only great places to listen to great jazz and blues, they are also great starting points to introduce yourself to America’s music.
If you’re already familiar with the genre, then the following 50 establishments are the type of jazz clubs you can visit to enjoy a tasty cocktail, a fine meal and some of the best live jazz and blues.

You can see the article here: http://www.clickitticket.com/best-jazz-clubs/

CUBA/CANADA:KoSA Cuba’s annual Percussion Workshop & Havana Rhythm & Dance Festival 'Fiesta del Tambor' celebrating together 16 years of musical magic!

KoSA Cuba’s annual Percussion Workshop & Havana Rhythm & Dance Festival 'Fiesta del Tambor' celebrating  together 16 years of musical magic!

Havana, Cuba, March 23, 2017:  The KoSA Cuba Percussion and Drum camp held its 16^th edition from March 5-12, 2017 in the capital city of the extraordinary island of Cuba.  Held annually by its two founders:  Aldo Mazza – a world-touring Canadian percussionist and his musician wife Dr. Jolán Kovács, KoSA Cuba is customarily planned the same week as Havana’s Rhythm and Dance Festival (Fiesta del Tambor) directed and organized by Giraldo Piloto, In fact, KoSA has, for nearly two decades, adopted the beautiful island of Cuba- the cultural jewel of the Caribbean- playing a key role in the music scene in Havana and in particular acting as an important sponsor and collaborator of the Fiesta del Tambor bringing the instrument prizes given to the national contest winners in the categories of drumset timbales, congas and bongos.  

Once again, the KoSA Cuba program was a fascinating discovery for the lucky participants coming this year from Greece, many parts of the US, Switzerland, the UK, and Canada. Although the majority of participants were attending the KoSA event for their very first time, the wonderful thing about KoSA is that those who were alumni students still had plenty of novel things to learn and explore as the history of Cuban music and its people is rich and diverse and cannot possibly be covered nor understood  in one week!    The group’s daily itinerary was seriously intense with highly informative hands-on classes taught by authentic Cuban masters both in percussion and drumset. The distinguished faculty this year included ethnomusicologist Dr. Olavo Alén, percussion greats like Juan Carlos Rojas “El Peje” (a long time drummer for Chucho Valdez, and 2010 Grammy Award winner) and his talented assistant Dayron, Tomas “El Panga” Ramos, one of the top studio musicians in Cuba, and Amadito Valdés (best known for his work with the famous Buena Vista Social Club) gave an engaging introductory clinic on Timbales and his unique style of performing and soloing.  Other star-studded teachers included the talented Yissy Garcia (currently performing and touring with the renown singer Dave Matthews), Oliver Valdès (top studio drummer in Cuba),  Miguelon Rodriguez (highly sought-after drummer in Matanzas), Enrique Pla (the original drummer for the legendary group Irakere) and of course the incomparable Giraldo Piloto founder of the famed group Klimax.  All classes this year were held at the Havana Club – a private beach club belonging long-ago to the Biltmore family.  After a day of jam-packed information, the participants could wind down  either by the beach (which was enticing them just a few steps away) or partake in daily jam sessions accompanied by the very capable bass talents of KoSA Cuba Faculty, Reinaldo Gomez Ruis.  The group also had the chance to bask in the beauty of old Havana, and do some shopping in local markets.  By night, participants were treated to jaw-dropping musical performances in downtown Havana and the party continued to the wee hours of the night dancing and partaking in traditional rumba sessions in outdoor gardens.   In addition, KoSA’s founders and the director of the Fiesta del Tambor welcomed such reputable international talents this year such as Mark Guliana, Will Calhoun, Dafnis Prieto, Marcus Santos, Nanny Assis, and Craig Haynes and not to mention the Norwegian talents of brothers Per Mathisen (bass) and Hans Mathisen (guitar)..  These international superstars wowed Cuban artists and audiences alike on a very special SABIAN sponsored night. And if that wasn’t enough, many of these legends were also “hung out” with the participants of the KoSA workshop joining in on classes learning alongside the fascinating concepts of Cuban music.  

 New this year, all evening concerts of the Fiesta del Tambor, including the special Sabian night, were filmed and will be broadcasted at a future date on drum channel (www.drumchannel.com) so stay tuned!   Cuba is a fantasy come true.  If you haven’t yet attended a KoSA Cuba Workshop, it will CHANGE YOUR LIFE guaranteed! 

KoSA Cuba 2017 Festival and the Fiesta del Tambor was sponsored in part by KoSA Music, Sabian, Gon Bops, Contemporanea , Yamaha, Evans, D’Addario, ProMark ,Pearl,  KoSA Cuba Travel  and Cuba Plus .  Dates for KoSA Cuba Workshop & Havana Rhythm and Dance Festival ( Fiesta del Tambor ) are March 4-11 2018.  For more information , please visit www.kosamusic.com.                        SOURCE: info@kosamusic.com

USA: International Women in Jazz Festival 2017

www.internationalwomeninjazz.org

USA: Saxophonist Elan Trotman adds EDM beats to his Caribbean-jazz fusion

Plugged In: Saxophonist Elan Trotman adds EDM beats to his Caribbean-jazz fusion

The “Electro Sax” album is released as the tropical “Island Gal’” prepares to charm radio.

BOSTON (24 April 2017): Saxophonist Elan Trotman is unwavering in his committed to wave the flag high for Caribbean music, but after releasing six soul-jazz albums and more than ten chart-topping singles that made him a permanent fixture on radio playlists, the Barbados native is “shaking it up” by going electronic on “Electro Sax,” his seventh outing which was released last Friday (April 21) by Island Muzik Productions.

Seeking a “hip radio sound that will reach beyond the masses,” Trotman assembled a creative team of up-and-coming producers – Spardakis, P-Nut, Dr. O and Da Troof - who he met at Boston’s esteemed Berklee College of Music and tasked them with putting a fresh, modern twist on the eleven new tracks that he wrote for the collection. With electronic elements evident in the production of Trotman’s tenor and soprano sax and the adventurous EDM sonicscapes, the result is an energizing, dance-happy mix of impromptu jazz sax licks, kinetic dance beats and festive Caribbean rhythms. Adding nuances to the audacious alchemy are guitarists Wayne Jones, Freddie Fox and JJ Sansavarino, and steel pan player Kareem Thompson. The first single set to seduce radio is the reggae-infused “Island Gal’,” which spotlights Trotman on soprano sax on the cut he describes as having “a sexy vibe to it.” Prince fans will appreciate the balladic tribute “Purple Emotion” that closes the set. The session’s lone cover is a tropical, dance hall take of Walk The Moon’s infectious pop smash “Shut Up and Dance.”  

“’Electro Sax’ is a true representation of where I am at in my career. It’s modern sounding with prominent hints of the island. It’s also about branching out, reaching out by making good music for the masses. It’ll definitely ruffle feathers, but that is part of being an artist - pushing boundaries and perhaps establishing new ones,” said Trotman. “The ‘tropicality’ elements are part of who I am and I’m sticking with it. It’ll always be part of my sound and I believe in it. It is part of my brand and it’s authentic to my (Barbadian) roots.”

Trotman showcases and shares the culture of his homeland at his annual Barbados Jazz Excursion, slated to take place on the Caribbean island for the fourth time in October over Columbus Day Weekend (October 6-9, 2017). The saxman performs and hosts the music festival and golf tournament that benefits his nonprofit Never Lose Your Drive Foundation and the Head Start Music Program in Barbados. Slated to perform this year are R&B and contemporary jazz mainstays Will Downing, Norman Brown, Marion Meadows, Brian Simpson, Jeanette Harris and Julian Vaughn as well as the Queen of Soca, Alison Hinds.

   

Earning a full scholarship at Berklee College of Music from the government of Barbados, Trotman has lived in Boston ever since. Named the Jazz Artist of the Year on multiple occasions by the New England Urban Music Awards and the Barbados Music Awards, he debuted as a solo artist in 2009 with “This Time Around.” Subsequent albums featured collaborations with Grammy winners Kirk Whalum, Terri Lyne Carrington and Paul Brown as well as Downing, Peter White, Jeff Lorber, Cindy Bradley, Tony Terry and Simpson. Trotman has also guested on Billboard No. 1 hits by Meadows, Simpson, Vaughn, Greg Manning and Cal Harris. He’s a popular draw on the festival and club circuit. For more information, please visit www.ElanTrotman.com. 

The songs on “Electro Sax” are:

“Happy Place”

“Electro Sax”

“Barbados Breeze”

“Island Gal’”

“Chill Cat”

“Shut Up and Dance”

“Up In The Clouds”

“orutrA”

“No Need For Trippin’”

“120 BPM”

“Move!”

“Purple Emotion”

BRAZIL: Diego Figueiredo-BRAZILIAN GUITAR SENSATION

 

https://www.diegofigueiredo.com/

Brazilian guitarist Diego Figueiredo is a virtuoso with an infectious, joyful feeling that will leave you amazed and happy. Don't miss this opportunity to discover this incredible artist.



Diego Figueiredo is an extraordinary fast rising star among the world's greatest jazz guitarists. His superb technique, timing and imagination have made him one of the hottest international names right now. He has a very unique skills and his concert have been a great success in more than 50 countries around the world.



He has already released 23 CDS, 3 DVDs and a book and he has received awards twice at the “MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL” as one of the greatest guitarists in the world. Diego Figueiredo performs one amazing concert uniting technique and emotion in a fusion of Brazilian music and jazz.

​Diego Figueiredo is a brilliant musician who keeps the tradition of the true essence of Brazilian music and at the same time can be extremely virtuous , modern and innovative.

USA: New Bedford JazzFest

 New Bedford Jazzfest
June 10th, Saturday 2pm Gates Open, music till 730pm
https://newbedfordjazzfest.wordpress.com/

LINE UP INCLUDES:
Southcoast Jazz Orchestra (17 piece big band)
The Dino Govoni Quartet featuring vocalist Cassandre McKinley
Gerry Gibbs Trio (#1 album 3 weeks Jazz Charts)
Matthew Hartnett & The Gumbo All-Stars (New Orleans jam)

Also featuring:
UMass Dartmouth Student band and Global Learning Charter School Band
After JazzFest: Greasy Luck Brewery (downtown New Bedford) hosts jam session. Free admission with NBJF ticket 2 stages, full bar, food trucks, NB Art Mobile, regional artists and craft vendors

Box Office: 508-993-0772
Tickets: boxoffice@yourtheatre.org

USA: JJA Jazz Awards Nominations Announced

2017 JJA Jazz Awards Nominations Announced

The Jazz Journalists Association, a non-profit professional organization of writers, photographers, broadcasters, videographers and new media practitioners, today announced nominees for its 21st annual JJA Jazz Awards. Voting members of the JJA address a ballot of almost 200 finalists in 41 categories of excellence in music and music-related media. Jazz Awards winners will be announced online on Monday, May 15, and will receive their engraved statuettes throughout the summer at their performances across the U.S. All nominations can be viewed at www.JJAJazzAwards.org. Henry Threadgill, winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in Music, acquired the most nominations on the ballot as Jazz Musician of the Year, Composer of the Year, Arranger of the Year, Record of the Year (for Old Locks and Irregular Verbs from Pi Recordings), Multi-Reeds Player of the Year and Flutist of the Year. Threadgill won the 2016 Jazz Award for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz. Saxophonist and bandleader Charles Lloyd and pianist and trio leader Fred Hersch tied for second-most nominations. Lloyd is cited for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz, Jazz Musician of the Year, Mid-Sized Ensemble of the Year (Charles Lloyd and the Marvels) and Tenor Saxophonist of the Year. Hersch is cited for Musician of the Year, Record of the Year (Sunday Night at the Vanguard from Palmetto), Pianist of the Year and Duo-Trio of the Year. Other nominees for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz are Muhal Richard Abrams, pianist and co-founder of the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians), tenor saxophonist and composer Benny Golson, pianist Ahmad Jamal and pianist McCoy Tyner. Other nominees for Record of the Year are A Cosmic Rhythm With Each Stroke (ECM Records), by Vijay Iyer and Wadada Leo Smith, who are nominated for Duo or Trio of the Year; Madera Latino - A Latin Jazz Perspective on the Music of Woody Shaw (Hollistic MusicWorks), by Brian Lynch, nominated as Trumpeter of the Year, and Time/Life (Songs for the Whales and Other Beings (Impulse!) by Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra (arranged by Carla Bley, nominated as Arranger of the Year). This year the Up and Coming Musician of the Year category has only three nominees: pianist Joey Alexander, drummer Jerome Jennings, and trumpeter Adam O'Farrill. O'Farrill's father Arturo is a nominee for Arranger of the Year and Large Ensemble (his Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra). The JJA Jazz Awards are the only national honors for media creators and platforms featuring the music. Lifetime Achievement in Jazz Journalism finalists are Ben Ratliff, formerly of the New York Times, and an author; Will Friedwald, author and contributor to the Wall Street Journal among other publications; Ted Gioia, author, blogger and freelancer writer; Kevin Whitehead, author, freelance writer and critic on Fresh Air, and John Szwed, author, anthropologist and scholar, formerly at Yale and Columbia universities. JJA members, Awards winners and nominees, and their supporters will gather to celebrate the 21st JJA Jazz Awards at a ticketed event in New York City in early June, details to be announced.   www.jjajazzawards.org