viernes, 23 de diciembre de 2016

Luis Raul Montell on behalf of Jazz Global Beat thanks all his friends, relatives and allies for the support he has received throughout the year.

I wish you Merry Christmas and Prospero 2017 wishing you every kind of success in your activities.

Isla de Margarita, Venezuela 12/23/2016

www.jazzglobalbeat.blogspot.com
jazzglobalbeat@gmail.com

martes, 6 de diciembre de 2016

New Book: Bob Porter "Soul Jazz"



Soul Jazz is a history of jazz and its reception in the black community in the period from the end of World War II until the end of the Vietnam War. Previous histories reflect the perspective of an integrated America, yet the United States was a segregated country in 1945. The black audience had a very different take on the music and that is the perception explored in Soul Jazz.
 
Bob Porter is a record producer, writer and broadcaster in the fields of Jazz and Blues.  He has worked for such prominent record labels a Prestige, Savoy and Atlantic.  He has produced more than 175 albums and several hundred reissues.  He has contributed to DownBeat, JazzTimes, Jazz Journal (London) and currently writes a book review column for the Journal of the International Association of Jazz Record Collectors.  He is a two-time Grammy winner, was awarded the Marion McPartland Award for Excellence in Jazz Broadcasting and is a member of the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame.  He currently is the host of three separate radio programs on WBGO Newark.



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Attention Media
For Review Copies and Bob Porter Interview Requests
Contact

Jim Eigo Jazz Promo Services
Ph: 845-986-1677 /
jim@jazzpromoservices.com
www.jazzpromoservices.com

 

lunes, 28 de noviembre de 2016

Big Picture Holiday new CD ¨Shimmer and Melt¨



Saxophonist and bandleader Avram Fefer has been performing and recording internationally since 1990. After spending the decade as a soloist with a number of different groups, his first several recordings as a leader were singled out as among the Best of 2001 and Best of 2002 in publications such as Downbeat Magazine, the Village Voice (New York), Cadence magazine, the Chicago Weekly Standard, and JazzPortugal. Now, in the spring of 2005, Fefer has four new releases to add to his body of recorded work.


The brand new Kindred Spirits and Heavenly Places (both Boxholder Records) document his ever-deepening musical relationship with piano legend Bobby Few. Though both recordings feature the duo of piano and saxophone, they present two very different aspects of the musicians' vocabulary and repertoire. Kindred Spirits presents a couple of originals alongside classics by Monk, Mingus and Ellington---displaying the duo's embrace of melody, whereas Heavenly Spirits catches them letting loose, with more room for development and improvisation. Accompanying the release of these two discs, Bobby Few will be coming to the states in May '05 and will join Avram on a 10-concert tour through the Northeast and Midwest.

Also just released, Painting Breath, Stoking Fire (CIMP) is Fefer's new CD featuring another duo---this time with virtuoso bassist and unsung hero, Michael Bisio. They perform a 58-minute, twelve part suite as a vehicle for improvisation and interaction of varying combinations of woodwinds and contrabass. Fefer plays, in order---alto flute, bass clarinet, clarinet, alto sax, and tenor sax as he accompanies Bisio on an extended, episodic tone poem. Fefer is also featured on Bisio's new quartet release, Connections (CIMP), where he is heard primarily on clarinet.

Avram Fefer was born near San Francisco, but his early years were also spent in Pittsburgh, Stockholm, and Washington D.C. before the family finally settled near Seattle, Washington. He received a liberal arts degree at Harvard University and studied music at Berklee College and New England Conservatory. He then moved to Paris, France (1990-95) where he established himself as a saxophonist, composer, bandleader and teacher.

Paris offered many new sources of inspiration and growth including a vibrant African and Arabic music scene and a wealth of American expatriate jazz musicians. His own bands were featured regularly in many of the city's top jazz clubs and he performed with fellow ex-pats Jack Gregg, Bobby Few, Graham Haynes, Archie Shepp, Kirk Lightsey, Oliver Johnson, John Betsch, Sunny Murray, and Rasul Siddik among others. He played in countries in Europe, Africa and the Mideast and is featured on diverse recordings, including by rap originators, the Last Poets (Scatterap/Home), and with jazz legend Archie Shepp on drummer Steve McCraven's Song of the Forest Boogeraboo [World McC Music]. He was also one of the founding members and featured soloists of the French acid jazz group, Beigels Daisy Toasts, recording two top-selling CD's for Virgin Records in 1994 and 95.
af pic 2.jpg

Since moving to New York, Fefer's diverse musical interests have kept him busy. Unlike many musicians who tend to align themselves with one part of the music scene or another, Avram has spent much time developing a unique sound that crosses genres. The influence of Ornette Coleman and Miles Davis-inspired funk was evident in the band The Tone Poets, featuring the instrumental pyrotechnics of Reggie Washington, Dave Fiuczynski, Jonathan Crayford and Marlon Browden. His embrace of electronic, ambient, and drum 'n bass music was brought to bear in the groups Squelch and Auto*Dope, both of which featured extensive improvisation, groove, and the unique tape manipulations of Bruce Grant (Huge Voodoo). His love of world music has been drawn upon in a variety great bands, including those of Cameroonian bassist Francis M'Bappe, ex-Fela drummer Tony Allen, Moroccan singer Abdeljalil Kodssi, and on the 2004 release, New Destiny , by the Afro-Hungarian jazz group, Dallam-Dougou.

As a section player and soloist, Fefer has been featured in a number of large ensembles, including the David Murray Big Band, Butch Morris Orchestra, Joseph Bowie Big Band, Mingus Big Band, Frank Lacy's Vibe Tribe, and the Rob Reddy Octet. His jazz compositions have been played by Roy Campbell, James Zollar, Curtis Fowlkes, Sean Conly, Ben Allison, William Parker, Tomas Ulrich, and Brad Jones, among many. He continues to perform with numerous jazz and new music ensembles as well as his own Afro-Latin band, Free Spirit.

His trio, with Chad Taylor on drums and Eric Revis on bass, was recently featured at the 2003 Montreal Jazz Festival, while his duo with pianist Bobby Few performed at the 2004 Free Music Festival in Antwerp, Belgium, and will be playing at the 2005 Burlington Jazz Festival in Vermont. Past festival performances include the JVC Jazz Festival at Carnegie Hall, the Heineken Jazz Festival, the Verizon Jazz Festival, the Knitting Factory What is Jazz Festival, the Tel-Aviv Jazz Festival, the Casa del Popolo Festival in Montreal, the Willaimsburg Jazz Festival, and several others whose names he can't remember.

In addition to his life as a jazz musician, Avram greatly enjoys teaching music privately in downtown Manhattan and has collaborated on projects with dancers, poets, painters, and actors. He has also performed and/or composed scores for theater, television, film and computer-interactive media.




www.avramfefer.com

www.katesmithpromotions.com            katesmithpromotions.kate@gmail.com

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miércoles, 23 de noviembre de 2016

The Marksman Returns: Mark Whitfield is back with his first album in 7 years with sons!

Guitarist Mark Whitfield Releases Long-Awaited New Album ‘GRACE’ 1/24/17
Featuring the Whitfield Family Band

Going for Radio Adds January 3, 2017


Featuring: Mark Whitfield - Guitar; Davis Whitfield - Piano & Keyboards; Yasushi Nakamura - Bass; Mark Whitfield Jr. - Drums; Sy Smith - Vocals on “Grace”

Esteemed guitarist and composer Mark Whitfield proudly announces the January 24 release of “Grace”, his 15th album as a leader. Whitfield’s first release in seven years, “Grace” is a celebration of love and legacy, family and future, as the elder Whitfield ushers in a new era of musical excellence in the form of his descendants: pianist Davis and drummer Mark Jr.

Like father, like sons. Whitfield burst on to the jazz scene with his critically acclaimed 1990 debut “The Marksman” for Warner Bros. Heralded then as “The Best Young Guitarist In the Business” by the New York Times, Whitfield stayed true to the sentiment with a fruitful career spanning over two decades and including tenures with a litany of jazz and pop music greats.

Following in the footsteps of their father, and their uncle (the great jazz drummer Troy Davis), Mark Jr. and Davis have established themselves as “ones to watch” on their respective instruments. Both “grew up on the bandstand” alongside their father and both picked up their instruments at a young age. “I was attached to him by the hip! Anytime I could be there, I’d be there. You know, in all those clubs where I wasn’t supposed to be as a five-year-old — I was there,” recalled Mark Jr in an interview with Revive Music in 2013.

After sharing the stage on so many occasions, Mark brought his sons into the studio along with “honorary Whitfield family member” bassist Yasushi Nakamura and guest vocalist Sy Smith to record “Grace”. “I wanted to share my love of music with my sons, and use this love to forge a bond between the three of us that would enrich our lives, enlighten our consciousness and support us through the toughest of times,” says Mark. The result is “Grace”, a collection of nine personal compositions; each telling a unique story that chronicles the last two decades as a family. 


“Grace” kicks off with the biographical “Afro Samurai”, inspired by Mark’s triage of young curiosities: music, skateboarding and “terrorizing all who dared to come near my garage with my less than stellar kung fu skills!” These three disciplines are represented by the three distinct solo sections. “Blue D.A". which first appeared on Whitfield’s 1994 album “True Blue”, is reimagined here as a tribute to the late, great Kenny Kirkland, who can be heard on the original. The title track presents the first “extended family” collaboration with a special appearance by cousin Sy Smith. “I wrote a song as a reaction to the violence that has plagued our society for years and seems to have worsened severely in recent months and we turned to our cousin... composer, lyricist and songbird extraordinaire, Sy Smith, to bring it to life,” said Whitfield. “Double Trouble” serves as an homage to Mark’s mentor George Benson, who encouraged him to join the Jack McDuff Quartet and is inspired by a tour situation gone wrong.

Whitfield and co. slow things down for “Space Between Us”, a tender ballad where Whitfield’s playing resonates with every stroke, but picks us back up for “Fortress”, another call to Benson and a nod to contemporary Kevin Eubanks. “The 1st guitar record I ever owned was George Benson's Breezin'. I wore the old vinyl LP down to the grooves learning every single note that the aforementioned Benson played,” said Mark, adding, “...then I made the boys listen to over & over so they could clearly understand the genius of the man they refer to as "Uncle George"!

The final third of “Grace” includes “Undiscovered”, a testament to self discovery. Says Mark, “As teacher, bandleader & composer I endeavor to create musical situations that promote the right environment for the group to discover new pathways to reach higher levels of self expression. If nothing else, Davis' piano solo is the embodiment of that which I hoped to create!” The penultimate tune “The Socrates Curse” brews a perfect storm between Davis’ transformative solo and Mark Jr’s volcanic rhythmic explosion. ‘Grace’ reaches its conclusion with “Pulse Pt2”, an easy groove off into the sunset.

ABOUT MARK WHITFIELD:
Mark Whitfield graduated from Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music in the spring of 1987. Shortly thereafter, he returned to his to his native New York to embark on a career as a Jazz Guitarist that afforded him the opportunity to collaborate with legendary artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, Herbie Hancock, Carmen McRae, Gladys Knight, Burt Bacharach, Jimmy Smith, Clark Terry, Shirley Horn, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Joe Williams, Stanley Turrentine and his greatest teacher and mentor George Benson.
In 1990 the New York Times dubbed Whitfield “The Best Young Guitarist in the Business”. Later that year, Warner Bros. released his debut album “The Marksman”. The success of his debut release led to a recording career that has produced a total of 14 solo recordings and a myriad of collaborative efforts with some of the most important artists in recent years; Sting, Steven Tyler, D’Angelo, Mary J. Blige, John Mayer, Chaka Khan, Jill Scott, Diana Krall, Christian McBride, Chris Botti, Roy Hargrove and Nicholas Payton.

ABOUT THE WHITFIELD FAMILY BAND:
Along the way the “Whitfield Family Band” was born, literally. In 1994 The Mark Whitfield Quartet appeared on the Thanksgiving Day broadcast of Good Morning America. This performance featured a very special guest drummer, 4 year old Mark Whitfield Jr. It was obvious even then that he was destined for greatness. Following in his father’s footsteps he attended the Berklee College of Music and graduated in 2011 with honors. He went on to study for his Masters Degree at the Manhattan School of Music while simultaneously embarking on a career as a drummer extraordinaire. He has quickly earned a reputation as one of the best young drummers in Jazz and was nominated for a Grammy in 2014 as part of the ensemble featured on Kenny Garrett’s 2013 release “Pushing the World Away”. Not to be outdone by his older brother, Davis Whitfield, a prodigious pianist, earned a Presidential Scholarship and graduated from the Berklee College of Music with honors in 2014.



www.markwhitfield.com

www.lydialiebman.com

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viernes, 18 de noviembre de 2016

Monty Alexander Harlem Kingston Express Nov. 24-27 - Chicago's Jazz Showcase

-THE LEGENDARY JAMAICAN PIANO MASTER-
MONTY ALEXANDER  
HARLEM KINGSTON EXPRESS

November 24-27
Jazz Showcase - Chicago
   
 
 
  
Monty Alexander

 
    
Monty Alexander elated the audience at this summer's Newport Jazz Festival with his Harlem Kingston Express and promises the same uplifting music soul on November 24-27 at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago!  Windy City get ready! 

Monty moved to Miami from Jamaica in 1961!  He's since traveled the globe with his rhythms and good vibes.  Alexander's two Motema Music Harlem-Kingston Express releases got rave reviews from the press. The New York Times described him as "an effervescent pianist and one of Jamaica's proudest musical exports." The Wall Street Journal has by turns called him "maybe the first-and certainly the most successful-musician to combine Jamaican music with North American jazz" and said that, "Alexander's blend of jazz and reggae makes for an outrageously good time."

Monty has recorded more than 75 albums as a leader and was awarded the title of Commander of Distinction by the Jamaican government in the year 2000. In the summer of 2012 Monty Alexander was awarded the prestigious German Jazz Trophy, "A Life for Jazz" and in November 2012 he received the Caribbean American Heritage Luminary Award from the Institute of Caribbean Studies in Washington, D.C.
 
Musicians
Monty Alexander - piano
with:
Hassan Shakur, acoustic bass
Obed Calvaire, drums
Karl Wright, drums/percussion (Jamaica)
Joshua Thomas, electric bass (Jamaica)
Andy Bassford, guitar (Jamaica)

Jazz Showcase
Hotel Blake
500 S. Dearborn St.
Chicago, IL  60605
November 24-27 - 8pm & 10pm
  

 
Monty Alexander Harlem-Kingston Express
Monty Alexander Harlem-Kingston Express 

 
Press Contact: Scott Thompson PR
www.scottthompsonpr.com        scott@scottthompsonpr.com

www.jazzglobalbeat.blogspot.com           jazzglobalbeatgmail.com

lunes, 14 de noviembre de 2016

Braxton Cook - Sax & Vocals - New Release "Somewhere In Between"


BRAXTON COOK  

"Somewhere In Between" 

Saxophonist/Vocalist Jazz, R&B, Soul Hot, New Cutting Edge!
Album Drop Date 1/31 
 
"SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN"
BRAXTON COOK:
A 25-year-old with an old soul. Sunny personality, with homemade qualities, and a love of relationships between music passion, family and friends. Braxton's positivity acts as a way to create a message and theme in his music and overall brand.

"The concept behind this album is Love. I know that sounds cliché, but before jumping to conclusions, just know that this album is not the typical happy-go-lucky love story. This album is about my two, sometimes conflicting, loves: the lifelong love I have for music and the love for my girlfriend of 3 years. It's also about the struggles I have had trying to find the balance between the two. This battle to find balance between both relationships has played a pivotal role in making me who I am and my musical evolution. This album will feature both my saxophone as well as my vocal debut. I've decided to name this project "Somewhere in Between" because I so often times find myself caught in between my two loves and similarly between my two favorite styles of music, Jazz and RnB. I feel that we as people have to follow our own hearts and clear our own paths in life. This album is about trusting that intuition.

For me, my sound and musical identity has always been in between the soul music that I grew up on and the jazz that I have studied and grown to love. So I wrote this song to say, that it's okay to be a little different. We should embrace our uniqueness and follow through with it." - Braxton Cook

SOUNDS LIKE: "Black American Music": laid back, mellow, soulful, honest, inspired by jazz, soul and R&B, singer-songwriters.

"I want people to be musically moved like John Coltrane. Moved by the music and spiritual experience." - Braxton Cook




Braxton Cook website, click here.
Braxton Cook blog, click here.

Braxton Cook contact: braxtoncookmusic@gmail.com

Press & Publicity:
Scott Thompson PR
scott@scottthompsonpr.com
www.scottthompsonpr.com 


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jueves, 10 de noviembre de 2016

AL STRONG QUINTET Celebrates LOVESTRONG VOL. 1 Wednesday, November 30th @ SMOKE, NY


AL STRONG QUINTET
Celebrates
LOVESTRONG VOL. 1
Wednesday, November 30th
Sets 7pm, 9pm & 10:30pm
@ SMOKE
2741 Broadway
New York, New York 10025
Between 105th and 106th Streets

featuring
Al Strong- Trumpet
Stacy Dillard-Sax
Wilerm Delisfort-Piano
Ameen Saleem-Bass
Jeremy 'Bean' Clemons-Drums


Recognized for his musical versatility and distinctly robust sound, emerging trumpeter, arranger, and composer, Al Strong’s debut album LoveStrong Vol. 1 is unparalleled in its ability to evoke a range of emotions.  This collection of both original compositions and contemporary renditions of jazz standards incorporates progressive jazz, soul, gospel, and afro-beat grooves, displaying Strong’s intuitive musical command.  Categorically, Strong invites the listenership to journey with him through the music, a journey that encompasses stories of adversity, triumph, mystery, and love. 
 
Strong’s desire to share his music with the world began with a modest look into himself and the art being created around him.  Realizing the hauntingly familiar melodies in his head would not let him rest until fully manifested, he knew LoveStrong had to be birthed.  This tantalizing piece of art is a sonic breath of fresh air, offering an album reminiscent of the old ways, a work requiring the audience only to hit play.  From top to bottom one immediately feels the warmth of this recording, with no inclination to stray from the designated playlist. 
 
Though firmly rooted in the tradition of greats like Louis Armstrong and Count Basie, Strong and his gathering of musicians achieve a type of lush interplay that only comes from truly being in the moment. 
Strong’s focus on displaying a distinctly modern sound is founded in his beliefs of living in the present and being able to take bold risks with the music.  Undoubtedly, the organic synergies evident amongst musicians on this record flawlessly convey these convictions with style and grace.  Strong credits the natural bond and blend between the musicians as a fundamental component of LoveStrong Vol. 1, describing the experience as “more than a series of recording sessions, but rather a family reunion.” 
 
 LoveStrong Vol. 1 features 10 tracks, including 4 intrepid arrangements of jazz standards and 6 original compositions.  Album highlights include:
 
“Getaway 9,” an original tune and delightfully up-tempo journey that tells the story of being on a road trip with your closest friends, while capturing all of the conversation that ensues.  The dialogue amongst instruments draws the audience in for more detail, but almost immediately the tenor saxophone interjects in the conversation.  Next, Strong takes a nuanced approach to his blowing, stretching the time and creating tension and release with the ensemble. 
 
One of America’s most beloved nursery rhymes comes to life with Strong’s rendition of “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.”  The opening statement begins with a small children’s chorus singing the melody in what can appear as free form.  The flugelhorn and flute begin to make sparse entrances with the playfulness one would expect in a nursery rhyme.  This high-energy waltz is sure to have you feeling nostalgic about your childhood.
 
It’s rare when an artist captures the wrenching feeling of heartbreak into one fine instrumental piece of music.  On “Lilly’s Lullaby,” Strong does just that, crafting a beautiful melody around his ensemble who play with such power and sensitivity.  Joey Calderazzo’s improvisation is a beautiful addition to an already piercingly honest work.
 
Original “Ci’s Blues” showcases LoveStrong’s down home roots.  The solo guitar intro sets the stage for a wall of sound and collective improvisation.  The sweet cries of Strong’s horn are indicative of the vocal inflections born out of the Black church experience.
 
Strong’s arrangement of “My Favorite Things” is unlike what one would expect from a widely celebrated holiday favorite.  Breaking away from tradition, this arrangement chooses to use the afro-beat style as its canvas.  With time for the melody to breathe in between statements, Strong comes out blazing with a wildly amazing pair of sound effects on trumpet.
 
“Fond of You” is a lighthearted 3-horn original composition written to pay homage to Art Blakey.  The song illustrates powerful playing from Strong and his ensemble as they look to a master for guidance on the true meaning of swing.
 
Next LoveStrong Vol. 1 brings the listener’s mood back into a more intimate setting with “Liquid,” a soothing ballad that induces a sense of pure ecstasy.  Strong’s classic flugelhorn intro quietly screams passionate fluidity, as the highs and lows of his horn resound with great affection. 
 
“Voyage,” the classic Kenny Baron jazz standard is treated with grace and adventure as this arrangement begins in a half-time rhumba style, only to later morph into a completely up-tempo, high energy-version, where the collective conversation determines the next direction.  The listener can truly take the “voyage” with this ensemble.
 
Strong showcases his harmon mute sound on the original tune, “Was.”  This ballad gains its beauty not only from Strong’s masterful approach to phrasing, but also swooping acoustic guitar passages, and alluring Fender Rhodes work. 
 
LoveStrong comes to a joyous close with the jazz standard, and album single, “Blue Monk.”  This feel good arrangement promises to have you out of your seat and on the dance floor.  The intro begins with yet another bold guitar statement surrounded by a party atmosphere that is reminiscent of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?”  Once the band jumps in, the party picks up even more with an array of New Orleans styled counterpoint between the baritone, alto, and tenor saxophones, and Strong leading the way.  After the delivery of the melody, we find a tasteful solo section trading between piano and organ.  The trumpet solo enters as patient as ever, until Strong climaxes with the rhythm section to close out his solo.  Dueling saxophones have their say, as they converse on their instruments like old friends.
 
Overall, LoveStrong Vol. 1 is an honest message about what is so desperately needed in today’s world: treating all mankind with kindness and love.  Strong achieves in his debut album what many artists spend their careers attempting to grasp, crafting a piece of work that is an inviting body of music to all, attracting everyone from new listeners of the genre to jazz aficionados.  Listeners who have embraced the jazz genre since the time of “Bird” will hear both the lineage of tradition combined with a desire to push the boundaries, as did the great Charlie Parker.  Unquestionably, LoveStrong Vol.  1 is sure to be a household favorite. 




 

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martes, 8 de noviembre de 2016

MAGOS HERRERA @ JOES PUB Thurs, Nov 10th 7:30PM

MAGOS HERRERA
@JOES PUB
Thursday, November 10, 2016, 7:30 pm
425 Lafayette St (bet. E. 4th St & Astor Pl)
New York, NY 10003

With special guests:
Melissa Stylianou- Voice &
Chico Pinheiro-Guitar
Featuring:
Sam Minaie-Bass & Alex Kautz-Drums


"...She's stretching the very notion of jazz singing, pushing past the diva pleasantries into a sound that's bold, thrilling and effortlessly global." NPR

Born in Mexico City and currently based in New York City, celebrated Magos Herrera has one of the most distinctive voices on the Latin American jazz scene.

She is known for her beguiling rhythmic scatting and deeply captivating singing. Herrera is an accomplished singer-songwriter who is extremely popular throughout Mexico and Latin America. Her career highlights include releasing eight acclaimed albums; collaborating with artists such as Javier Limón, Lionel Loueke, John Patitucci, Aaron Goldberg, Fito Páez, Gregoire Maret, Tim Ries, among others and hosting TV and radio programs. A Grammy nominee for best jazz album in 2011, Herrera is also a spoke person for the UN campaigns "UNITE" to stop violence against women and  "He For She" to promote gender equality and has received "Berklee's Master of Latin Music Award" award in recognition of her contribution to the development and exposure of Latin American and her original music in a contemporary context around the world.


Magos singing "My love for you" at Montreal Jazz festival





 
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martes, 1 de noviembre de 2016

"Message From Saturn" Heads To Russia - Jazz Drama Program Does Sun Ra!!

Sun Ra Heads To Russia!
Euro-Asian Premiere 
November 19
"Message From Saturn"


A Space Odyssey
'I just got a message from Saturn. We are not playing enough blues!'
- Sun Ra

 
 


"Saxophonist Knoel Scott told me Sun Ra came into rehearsal and said,


'I just got a message from Saturn. We are not playing enough blues!' 
I thought about this for ten years, then joined up with Clifford Carlson to write this story." 
- Eli Yamin

Eli Yamin and friends bring the Blues to Russia for the Euro-Asian premiere of "Message From Saturn" in Yekaterinburg on November 19!


As the poster reads:
"Message From Saturn" - a joint Russian-American project in Yekaterinburg!

On November 19 the jazz musical "Message From Saturn" will premiere at the Ural Cultural Center!

The authors of the musical, Eli Yamin and Clifford Carlson (United States, New York), created this great project with educational purpose - to introduce the younger generation to the traditional jazz music of America presented in the Blues style.  Young students from the exemplary theatre collective Commonwealth Farandole, ages 10-17, will be acting, singing and dancing with dialogue in Russian and songs in English.

A jazz orchestra will support them featuring professional musicians of the Yekaterinburg-Jazz band and a string section led by the author himself musical - New York jazz pianist and composer Eli Yamin. Eli's arrival is specially organized by the Consulate General of the United States in Yekaterinburg in collaboration with the New York based non profit organization, The Jazz Drama Program.

The Director of a musical - Tatiana Levin
Choreographer - Cristina Pantykina 
Conductor/pianist - Eli Yamin
* * * 

Message From Saturn is A Space Odyssey of three young people on a galactic adventure to learn the healing power of The Blues. The musical was created for mission of The Jazz Drama Program.

The Jazz Drama Program is a non-profit organization that builds more imaginative, diverse and compassionate communities through education in jazz music, dance and theatre. 
The Jazz Drama Program trains teachers and students in a multi-discipline approach to jazz education, offers intergenerational and cross cultural performances and creates unique musicals written on socially relevant themes especially for young performers.

The Jazz Drama Program engages, inspires, and empowers young people through the jazz arts. Jazz arts for a better world!

Full PDF, click here.  
The CD of Message From Saturn, recorded at Avatar Studios in New York City was 
produced for The Jazz Drama Program by Jeff "The Jedi Master" Jones and performed by 
Eli Yamin and the Astro-Intergenerational Arkestra featuring Camille Thurman, Todd Williams, Big Nancy, the PubliQuartet and Zah! Jazz Youth.

According to the Director of the Sun Ra Archive, Michael "Dr. Bop" Anderson,
  "If we truly give our children the chance by providing them with the tools they need to work without the infliction of prejudice or indifference, they will intuitively begin to develop and begin making the necessary changes the world needs. Their creative efforts will affect the continual and generational development of humanity, the upkeep of the planet and universe. It is the creative principle for the prosperity of a universal future. The children have always held the keys (answers). I applaud the efforts of The Jazz Drama Program to make these ideas come to life in our time."

Jazz Drama Program website, click here.
Eli Yamin contact, click here: eli@thejazzdramaprogram.org

Photo 1, Eli Yamin at Avatar (by Nisha Sondhe)
Photo 2, Zah! Jazz Youth at Avatar (by Ernest Gregory)
Photo 3, Todd Williams at Avatar (by Nisha Sondhe)




  Scott Thompson PR | scott@scottthompsonpr.com
 203-400-1818 | www.scottthompsonpr.com
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