All Your Jazz » Events

Pianist Hiromi Uehara To Play Benefit For Disaster Relief in Japan

drumminfabe — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 17:28:33 +0000

Wednesday, March 30th world renowned pianist Hiromi Uehara will be the featured artist for a benefit concert in honor of the disaster relief in Japan. The show will take place at The Falcon in Marlboro, NY.

Her performance at the Falcon will be a very specail night with all proceeds going to the Japanese Red Cross to help the disaster relief effort. Suggested donations $50. Call (845) 236-7970 to make a dinner reservation.

Since the beginning of the decade, pianist-composer Hiromi Uehara has supported her impressive body of work with an ambitious tour schedule that has electrified audiences throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia with performances that have pushed the limits of piano jazz to new frontiers of compositional and technical skills.

Heralded as one of the brightest lights on the piano jazz landscape, the Japanese prodigy has not only lived up to the initial praise for her early efforts but surpassed it entirely. And now to celebrate her “travel journal” and the youth of her 20’s, the Pianist embarks on her first solo piano recording.

More About Hiromi

Details:

The Falcon
1348 Rte 9w
Marlboro, NY 12542

Suggested donation $50. All proceeds from the benefit will go to the Japan Civic Force & the Japanese Red Cross. Doors will open at 6:00 pm for dinner – reservations suggested (call 845-236-7970).

Opening the show will be a set of music by the soulful Akie Bermiss at 7:00 pm.

Hiromi will perform at 8:00 pm.

More Info

Performance Review: Chick Corea & Gary Burton In Orange County

drumminfabe — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 13:44:38 +0000

Friday, March 4th, the famous duo of Chick Corea and Gary Burton entertained hundreds at the Segerstrom Center For The Arts in Orange County, CA. Having performed together since 1972, these guys not only know there way around the music, they make it seem like one seamless 4-handed performance. Previewing tunes that will appear on their next album, while still referencing some of the great standards, they wowed the crowd, eventually returning to the stage for an encore.

Like the 2 have done together for nearly 40 years, pianist Chick Corea & vibraphonist Gary Burton put on a show! This one-night, one-time set was a special treat for jazz fans in L.A. and Orange County, having the opportunity to get a small preview of what is to come on their next album while enjoying some of the stuff that made them jazz greats over the years.

The Set List

The set list was very interesting – as one could expect from these two – featuring standards from some of the greatest jazz legends as well as some original works and even some avant garde pieces. Some of the tunes that really stood out include a rendition of the Beatles’ infamous “Eleanor Rigby”, Thelonious Monk’s often overlooked work “Light Blue”, and a Chick Corea original tribute to late pianist Bud Powell, entitled “Bud Powell”.

Also on the list were some interesting works, featuring a piece called “Allegria” (soon to be released on their next album). This piece begins with hand tapping on the piano, enters into a battery of altered-time sections, and when all seems to be chaotic and lost, the two reunite at the end as if it were the most simple of songs. Another favorite of mine was an original based on the inspiration of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Yes, a classical composer! Switching from swing to straight-time, meshing dominants and tonal chords with embellished jazz sounds, it was amazing to hear how a piece could borrow from two completely different styles of music, traditionally never mixed.

Their Style

As was mentioned by Gary Burton, their next album features more of an artist-led approach, rather than a song-based approach. They will be featuring a lot of the most popular standards, but most of the tunes will be the lesser-known or often overlooked ones. In addition, the references, inspirations, and tributes to musicians and composers of various genres really does justice to music as a whole, tying everything together in one unique and mind-blowing package.

The way that Corea and Burton capture the essence of so many styles, artists, and time periods really has to do with their unique perspective on music as a whole. While so many artists tend to think within the boundaries of the already-existing groundwork, the two feed off the ways in which the music can be of multiple domains.

The best way that they do this is by embracing the natural function of the two instruments (piano and vibraphone) and taking it to the next level. In fact, one of the most difficult things they do is change from lead to accompaniment – in an instant. Both are skilled regarding melody, harmony, and rhythm, allowing them to utilize their instruments in multiple ways. Through this, they continue to expand upon the forms that can be created, the genres that can be melded together, and the sounds that captivate.

Overview

To say that these two guys are on the same page would be an understatement. They perform as if they were one person – with 4 hands – going in and out of time, changing roles from lead to accompaniment, and feeding off each other’s ideas the whole time. The most amazing thing is that while the audience knows they are concentrating – and believe me they have to in order to play like they do – it’s entertaining to watch because it seems so fun and effortless.

These two are always fun to watch, challenging the audience, amazing them with their talent, and making it look easy the whole time. Our recommendation is to see these guy whenever you get the chance – you won’t regret it!

Thanks to Heather Cho and the Segerstrom Center For The Arts for the chance to see this concert and write a review.

Chick Corea & Gary Burton Perform For Segerstrom Center for the Arts’ Jazz Series

drumminfabe — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 05:40:21 +0000

Legendary jazz pianist and composer Chick Corea and vibraphonist extraordinaire Gary Burton are set to combine their virtuosity on stage at Segerstrom Center for the Arts on March 4th, 2011 at 8 p.m.

See Review

An Evening with Chick Corea & Gary Burton Duets will display one of the greatest collaborations in the history of jazz. For this special one-night-only show, the Grammy-winning duo will explore jazz standards featuring fresh new arrangements by Corea.

Corea and Burton first paired in 1972 with their album Crystal Silence, which has been called “one of the seminal recordings of that decade” by NPR. Tickets to see An Evening with Chick Corea & Gary Burton Duets start at $25 and are available now.

Press Release

Concert Details

Segerstrom Center for the Arts – Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
Friday, March 4, 2011 at 8 p.m.

615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA
Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Tickets: Start at $25
In person – The Box Office
600 Town Center Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
Online – SCFTA.org
Phone – (714) 556-2787
Open 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily
TTY number – (714) 556-2746
Group Sales – (714) 755-0236

Grammy Award-Winning Jazz Trumpeter Chris Botti To Perform At OCPAC

jazzman — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 06:52:12 +0000

Trumpet sensation Chris Botti, known for effortlessly crossing boundaries between
pop and classical, jazz and rock, will bring his chart-topping talents to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for a special one-night-only concert Sunday, January 8, 2011 in Segerstrom Hall. A gifted instrumentalist, talented composer, charismatic performer and former trumpeter for Sting, Botti has risen to new heights of popularity with his critically acclaimed CDs, Live in Boston, December and Italia. Botti’s performance is being offered as a Bonus Event in the Center’s 2010-11 Jazz Series.

Since the release of his 2004 critically acclaimed CD When I Fall in Love, Botti (pronounced boat-tee) has become the largest selling American instrumental artist. His success has crossed over to audiences usually reserved for pop music and his ongoing association with PBS has led to four No.1 Jazz Albums, as well as multiple Gold, Platinum & Grammy Awards.

The New York Times said about Botti, “It’s easy to like trumpeter Chris Botti. … an image of pensive
romance, achieving stardom in the realm of adult-contemporary pop … Mr. Botti’s sumptuous, limpid
instrumental voice was the focus of the show.”

Ticket Info

Tickets to Chris Botti start at $46 and are now available online at OCPAC.org, at the Center’s Box Office
at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling 714.556.2787. For inquiries about group ticket
discounts for 15 or more, call the Group Services office at 714.755.0236. The TTY number is
714.556.2746.

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The Antoinette Montague Group Performing At The Lenox Lounge October 8th and 9th

drumminfabe — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 12:08:31 +0000

We want to inform you of 2 very special performances coming up this weekend by The Antoinette Montague Group. This Friday and Saturday night – October 8th, 9th – this fantastic group will be performing with Bill Easley, Hassan Shakur at the Historic Lenox Lounge, in New York City.

Antoinette Montague’s name and elegant physical appearance have the touch of royalty. It’s silly to take the regal comparison too far, yet her singing on her second album suggests a fitting for a tiara isn’t out of the question. Focused and with purity of intent, she skillfully advances stories that are open-hearted gifts to listeners rather than exhibits of showy technique or solipsistic disclosure.

Long under the spell of Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald, mentored by Carrie Smith and Etta Jones, Montague has the vocal command and depth of feeling to make you believe the words to songs, even potentially mawkish ones.

Performance Details

Friday, October 8 and Saturday, October 9th, 2010
(8:00 pm, 9:30 pm and 11:00 pm)

Lenox Lounge
Malcolm X Boulevard between 124th & 125th Street
New York City 10027
www.lenoxlounge.com
Reserve your space early and pass the word to all organizations

Sara Gazarek and Sachal Vasandani Make Their OCPAC Debuts To Start the 2010-2011 Jazz Series

drumminfabe — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:20:05 +0000

Sara Gazarek and Sachal Vasandani are two of today’s brightest young jazz artists, and they will combine their formidable talents to open the Orange County Performing Arts Center’s 2010-2011 Jazz Series September 24th and 25th in Samueli Theater. Each are creating jazz music that moves today’s generation.

Singer/songwriter Gazarek is known for seamlessly mingling her uniquely intimate style with the musical and improvisational elements of jazz while Vasandani is simply one of the hottest jazz vocalists/songwriters/bandleaders working today. Recently, Vasandani won the 2010 DownBeat Critics Poll for best Male Jazz Vocals in the Rising Star category. And Gazarek was voted one of the Best New Artists in the JazzTimes Readers Poll.

Sara Gazarek

(Listen To Interview)

Gazarek is a talented young artist on an amazing musical journey who has emerged as a strikingly original artist with limitless potential. In a follow up to Yours, Gazarek’s widely hailed 2005 debut focusing on American Songbook standards, she delivers a sensational sophomore effort with Return to You. Born and raised in Seattle, Gazarek grew up without much exposure to jazz.

Her preliminary jazz education started during high school and as a senior, she was awarded the first-ever Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation Outstanding Jazz Vocalist Award at the Essentially Ellington Festival in New York City.

She studied at the prestigious Thornton School of Music at USC. In 2003, Gazarek was awarded the 2003 Downbeat Student Music Award for Best Collegiate Vocalist. Shortly after the publication hit the press, she was asked to perform with Oleta Adams, Karrin Allyson, and Diane Schuur as the “as yet undiscovered talent” on the Concord Jazz Festival Tour. Simultaneously, Gazarek joined Barry Manilow, Allyson, and Schuur as a Stiletto Entertainment (management) client and was soon being booked by the industry giant, William Morris.

John Clayton, a mentor and teacher at USC, produced her first album, and insisted she develop the arrangements herself with the band she’d been performing with. She found musical soulmates in her group and the resulting record was a debut that was released to national and international rave reviews. It ranked in the Top 10 on the Billboard Traditional Jazz Charts, Top 10 on the iTunes top Jazz Album Downloads (US, UK, Switzerland, and Belgium), No. 1 on the iTunes Top Jazz Album Downloads (Germany, France), No. 5 on the Jazz Week Radio Charts, No. 4 on the HMV (Japan) chart. In addition, Gazarek was voted the No. 3 Best New Artist in the JazzTimes Readers Poll. saragazarek.com

Sachal Vasandani

Vasandani’s sophomore CD, We Move, on Mack Avenue Records was produced with a team of top-flight studio sages (John Clayton, Doug Wamble and Al Pryor). We Move finds Vasandani (who also serves as a producer) maturing as songwriter, tune stylist and bandleader in the wake of his breakout 2007 debut, Eyes Wide Open (Mack Avenue Records).

Vasandani was born in Chicago and grew up in a household where all kinds of music was appreciated. In pursuing his love for music at the University of Michigan, he began to be recognized as a talent of the future, most notably by DownBeat magazine, which awarded him Collegiate Jazz Vocalist of the Year in 1999.

After moving to New York, Vasandani quickly became a part of the jazz scene, and made a musical home in storied clubs like the Zinc Bar. And after the release of his breakthrough debut recording, he toured extensively supporting Eyes Wide Open. He opened for such disparate artists from jazz trumpeter Chris Botti to pop singer Joan Osborne.

On We Move, Vasandani has ample support from his trio comprised of pianist Jeb Patton, bassist David Wong and drummer Quincy Davis. The band has been a group since 2001. Vasandani notes that in addition to their instrumental support, two band members also contributed songs, including Patton’s “Horizons” that is paired with the romping, upswing “Once in a While” (by Michael Edwards and Bud Green) and Davis composed the music on “Ring Road (Back to You).”

In addition to his originals, Vasandani puts his spin on songs from the jazz songbook and canon,including Rodgers & Hart’s “There’s a Small Hotel” with a Vasandani intro (“Escape”) that gives the standard a fresh feel. Also on the CD are “No More,” the Hubert Laws/Jon Hendricks ‘70s song; the Bloom/Kohler tune “Don’t Worry About Me;” “Poinciana;” “There Are Such Things” (by Stanley Adams, Abel Baer, George W. Meyer); “The River of St. Marie” by Joe Williams; and Thelonious Monk’s “Monk’s Dream” (with lyrics by Hendricks). sachalvasandani.com

Performance Info:

Date: September 24th-25th, 2010 (7:30 pm, 9:30 pm)

Location: Orange County Performing Arts Center (Samueli Theater)

Tickets: $49 – will go on sale August 22nd. They will be available online at OCPAC.org, at the Center’s Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling 714.556.2787. For inquiries about group ticket discounts for 15 or more, call the Group Services office at 714.755.0236. The TTY number is 714.556.2746.