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).

More Info

Related posts:

1. Chick Corea Puts Out New Album “Duet”: A collaboration with Japanese pianist Hiromi
2. Sonny Rollins To Play The Tarrytown Music Hall: Benefit concert for Hudson River Sloop Clearwater
3. Jazz Pianist Bill Carrothers & His Trio To Play The Village Vanguard July 14th-19th

Acceptance Speech

Artist Background

Solo Recordings:
William Edward Childs (best known as Billy Childs) is a composer and jazz pianist from Los Angeles. Childs’ solo jazz recording career began in 1988, when he released Take for Example, This…, the first of four critically acclaimed albums on the Windham Hill Jazz label. He followed that album with Twilight Is Upon Us (1989), His April Touch (1992), and Portrait of a Player (1993). A long friendship with Chick Corea resulted in Chick’s asking Billy to join his new (at the time) label, Stretch Records, upon Childs’ departure from Windham Hill Jazz. His next album, I’ve Known Rivers on Stretch/GRP (now Stretch/Concord) was released in 1995. Childs then followed withThe Child Within, released on the Shanachie record label in 1996.

Work As Arranger:
In 2000 Childs arranged, orchestrated and conducted for Dianne Reeves’ project The Calling: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan, helping that recording to a 2002 Grammy award for “best jazz vocal CD.” Other artists and producers for whom Childs has arranged include Sting, Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Botti, Gladys Knight, Michael Bublé, David Foster, Phil Ramone, and Claudia Acuña.

Jazz Chamber Ensemble:
Around 2001 Billy had an idea for a group which would have, at its nucleus, piano, acoustic guitar, and harp. It was a sound partly influenced by Laura Nyro’s collaborations with Alice Coltrane (on “Christmas and the Beads of Sweat”) and partly influenced by a desire to merge the classical and jazz music genres. The Jazz-Chamber Ensemble was the result and the group consists of: piano, bass, drums, acoustic guitar, harp and woodwinds. Sometimes the core group is augmented by string quartet, woodwind quintet, or both. In 2005, the ensemble released its first CD, Lyric, Jazz-Chamber Music, Vol. 1. The CD was nominated for three 2006 Grammy awards (best jazz CD, best instrumental composition, and best instrumental arrangement), winning for best instrumental composition, “Into the Light”.

More Info

Related posts:

1. Terence Blanchard Wins Grammy For “Best Jazz Instrumental Solo”: Album recorded at 2007 Monterey Jazz Festival
2. Tim Davies Nominated For Grammy: “Counting To Infinity” Up For Best Instrumental Composition
3. The 2009 Grammy Nominations Are Out: Who’s nominated in the jazz category?

Two Shade showcases Clayton’s compositions, with 11 original pieces, and a great take on the Dizzy Gillespie tune “Con Alma”. For more information, and to check out the project, please visit www.artistshare.com/twoshade.

Artist Information:

Born in the Netherlands in 1984, Gerald Clayton grew up mainly in Los Angeles with a musical family that includes his father, bassist/composer John Clayton, and uncle, saxophonist Jeff Clayton. At the age of six Gerald began eleven years study of classical piano with Linda Buck before enrolling in the Jazz Studies program at the University of Southern California. In college in Los Angeles and a year at the Manhattan School of Music, Gerald studied piano and composition under Shelly Berg, Billy Childs, and Kenny Barron.

Professionally, Gerald has had the honor of performing nationally and internationally with some of the most established names in Jazz such as Lewis Nash, Al Foster, Terrell Stafford and Clark Terry. Duo piano concerts with Gerald have featured artists as celebrated and diverse as Hank Jones, Benny Green, Kenny Barron, Mulgrew Miller and Tamir Hendelman. Gerald also relishes playing with Jazz’s next generation of innovators: Ambrose Akinmusire, Dayna Stephens, Kendrick Scott and many others.

Gerald Clayton’s dynamic and award-winning sound has been praised in print by JazzTimes and The Los Angeles Times. The New York Times has saluted his “Oscar-Peterson like style” and “huge, authoritative presence” and Down Beat Magazine’s 2008 Readers’ Poll named him one of the top up-and-coming pianists to watch.

As a composer, his work has been commissioned by the Jazz Gallery in New York City and performed overseas by the BBC Orchestra. He has been honored with a Level 1 award by the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts (NFAA), the title “Presidential Scholar in the Arts,” and second place in the Thelonious Monk Institute Jazz Piano Competition. Dodging early pressures to emerge as a prodigy, Gerald instead honed his talents and his resolve to ensure that this next generation is never lacking for intricate, swinging pieces and performances that are steeped in tradition while always facing the future.

A quarter of the age of Jazz, Gerald Clayton stakes his claim in the history and the present of this vital music with the following words, “Tradition and innovation can peacefully coexist.” In libraries and on drawing-boards around the country this statement might be true, but with Gerald behind the piano this coexistence is anything but peaceful.

More Information

Related posts:

1. If You Haven’t Heard The Music Of Gerald Clayton, You’re Missing Out
2. Clayton Brothers Nominated For Grammy
3. Jazz Pianist Max Haymer Releases “Pickpocket Witness”

Honored at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center for his musical contributions, Billy Taylor is a performer, composer, educator, author and broadcast media personality. He has played and recorded with many legendary performers, and earned a doctorate from the University of Massachusetts in addition to his 16 honorary degrees. Taylor is known for his work on “CBS Sunday Morning” and National Public Radio, including hosting “Billy Taylor’s Jazz from the Kennedy Center.”

Performance Details:
Paterson University
Shea Center for the Performing Arts
7:30 pm
Tickets $4
More Information

Also be sure to swing by his website at www.billytaylorjazz.com for a special viewing that features 88 different videos from his remarkable life in Jazz. With “88 Years…88 Keys…88 Videos” as the title, the theme is pretty clear. Great musician and educator – give his site a visit!

Related posts:

1. Press Release: Jazz Pianist & Composer Fahir Atakoglu Performs At Nighttown
2. Jazz Pianist Gerald Clayton & Trio Releases Debut Album “Two-Shade”: So far a great success!
3. Jazz Vibraphonist & Composer Stefon Harris To Play OCPAC 2 nights in April

One of his recent releases goes so far as to make modern jazz of such mundane tunes as “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” “Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” and the Oscar Meyer Weiner theme song (check out Play Day on his Bridge Boy Music label).

Bill Carrothers and his international Trio check in for six nights at the Village Vanguard in Manhattan, July 14th-19th, 2009.
(Sets at 9:00pm & 11:00pm)

While it is not uncommon to see Carrothers in conert (especially in the Twin Cities areas) it is definitely rare to have the opportunity to enjoy what European audiences are able to access often — Bill Carrothers’ International Trio, with Belgian bassist Nicolas Thys and drummer Dre Pallemaerts. A long overdue booking at the Village Vanguard (July 14th-19th) prompted a mini tour, including a stop in Chicago at the Green Mill and at the Artists Quarter in St. Paul. This is arguably the collaboration that best fits his simultaneously off-kilter and accessible music.

More Information About His Upcoming Performance At The Village Vanguard.

Location:
Village Vanguard
178 Seventh Avenue South
New York, NY
(212) 255-4037
http://villagevanguard.com

Related posts:

1. Village Vanguard Is Your Place For Jazz In New York
2. Francisco Mela & Quartet To Play The Village Vanguard
3. Village Vanguard Hosts Jenny Scheinman & Jason Moran

The Latin roots and influences Arturo O’Farrill so diligently and eloquently reflects today didn’t come about via some discovery in the 1940s. Sure, when Dizzy Gillespie encountered the captivating rhythms of Cuba in that golden age of jazz, he began to highlight them, especially after hiring percussionist Chano Pozo. The rhythms spread rapidly, as Dizzy was a major figure whom people religiously followed. But O’Farrill notes that the influences were there at the beginning of jazz and are a part of its essential fabric.

What Has He Been Up To?

He’s led two Latin big bands, one celebrating his father’s music (the Chico O’Farrill Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra) and the other—the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra—examining more broad influences. The latter’s Una Noche Inolvidable (An Unforgettable Night), (Palmetto Records, 2005) was nominated for a 2006 Grammy and its Song for Chico (Zoho Music, 2008) – pictured on the right – won the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album.

Arturo O’Farrill deals with the whole breadth of jazz in his projects, whether with small or large groups. But he’s a keeper of the Latin flame, for sure. A recent live performance of the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra showed it as all-inclusive. Different styles of music had their moments in various numbers. Different Latin rhythms. Straight bebop. Wild and mild. And there was humor as well. It’s an exciting aggregation but, even on the heels of its Grammy win, the best may be yet to come.

Background:

O’Farrill was educated at the Manhattan School of Music, Brooklyn College Conservatory, and the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. Growing up in New York City (he was born in Mexico), he had the typical piano influences common to young aspiring musicians: Bill Evans, Chick Corea, Herbie Nichols and Thelonious Monk, among many others. He also likes classical pianist Arturo Benedetti Michalangeli.

O’Farrill played piano with the Carla Bley Big Band from 1979 through 1983. He also performed with a variety of others, including Gillespie, Steve Turre, Freddy Cole, Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band, Lester Bowie and Harry Belafonte.

O’Farrill has also become iinvolved in education and hopes to do what he can to present the music as art in an accessible fashion.

“The Afro Latin Jazz Alliance has residencies in
the New York City public school system. I travel
all over the country. We do a lot of educational
work. I’m also a professor of jazz studies at
Purchase University, the State University of New
York. I’m very committed to education. Not jazz
education—just education of the mind. I
challenge students. I give them different
interpretations of the history of jazz. I tell them
they are living pages in the history of jazz. Jazz
was not invented by one person. It was not
limited to one geographic area.”

But he continues to push for the recognition and appreciation of the Latin elements that are part of his heritage, and the heritage of the music.

“It is incredibly important to fight for cultural
truth. What’s interesting to me is that if you put
(the music) into the hands of a guy like Chico O’Farrill
or a really gifted composer … in his hands, you get
this thing where he creates pieces that as much
listenable-to as danceable-to. It’s almost the perfect
blend of what jazz is. It’s music for the head, it’s music
for the feet, it’s music for the heart, it’s music for the
hands. It transcends the experience of passive listening.”

For more information about Arturo O’Farrill, visit his website.

Related posts:

1. The Afro Cuban Latin Jazz Project Releases Album “Encuentro”: To Play Catalina’s In Hollywood
2. Latin Jazz Giants Orchestra To Play The Mayan In Los Angeles
3. Arturo Sandoval All-Star Band To Play Yoshi’s In Oakland: Dec. 26th-28th

On Friday, May 15th, New Haven’s Firehouse 12 will present a two-set performance by Brooklyn-based pianist/composer James Carney and his longstanding working ensemble, the James Carney Group. Carney and the band, which features trumpeter Ralph Alessi, trombonist Josh Roseman, bassist Chris Lightcap and drummer Mark Ferber, will preview segments of his new virtual film score, Ways & Means, commissioned by Chamber Music America and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and perform music from his most recent release, 2007’s Green-Wood (Songlines Recordings).

Artist Information:

Critics have called Carney “an inventive composer and compelling musician” (John Murph, JazzTimes), “a smart keyboardist and a broadly imaginative conceptualist and composer” (Nate Chinen, New York Times) and “a strong-minded musician and composer whose work sweeps up the full history of American music (jazz, pop, classical) and turns it into something special and personal” (Will Layman, PopMatters.com). AllAboutJazz-New York’s Terrell Holmes adds, “His excellent composing transcends the established musical borders and stares down current definitions of what jazz should be.”

Born and raised in Syracuse, Carney spent 18 years in Los Angeles working as a jazz musician and film/television composer before moving to New York in 2004. A former rock/pop keyboardist, classically trained tuba player and student of such notable jazz figures as John Carter, Charlie Haden and James Newton, he has developed a distinctive poly-stylistic approach to making music, which treats tradition and the avant-garde with equal regard. Highlights of his two-decade career include numerous awards, commissions and grants, five recordings as a leader, and collaborations/sideman work with Tim Berne, Gerald Cleaver, Nels Cline, Ravi Coltrane, Christian McBride and Tyshawn Sorey among many others.

Performance Details:

- Show Time(s): 8:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.
- Ticket Prices: $10 – $15

Location:
Firehouse 12
45 Crown St.
New Haven CT 06510
(203) 785-0468
http://www.firehouse12.com

Related posts:

1. Firehouse 12 Hosts George Colligan Trio
2. Firehouse 12 In New Haven Hosts Saxophonist Jimmy Greene & Quartet
3. Iridium Jazz Club Welcomes Eddie Daniels & Bob James

Acclaimed Jamaican jazz pianist Monty Alexander will perform two nights at Spazio’s in Sherman Oaks. Friday, February 20th celebrates the 35th Year Reunion of the Monty Alexander Trio featuring John Clayton and Jeff Hamilton. Saturday, February 21st he will play alongside The “Jazz and Roots” ensemble, with both a reggae and jazz rhythm section working together featuring Courtney Panton (electric bass), Wendel Ferraro (guitar/vocals), Hassan Shukur (bass), Herlin Riley and Santa Davis (drums). There are two sets per evening, at 8:00 p.m. and 10 p.m. and tickets are $35. These are two very different and special shows.

In a career spanning five decades, pianist Monty Alexander has built a reputation exploring the worlds of American jazz, popular song, and the music of his native Jamaica, finding in each a sincere spirit of musical expression. In the process, he has performed and recorded with artists from every corner of the musical universe: Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ray Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Clark Terry, Quincy Jones, Ernest Ranglin, Barbara Hendricks, Sly Dunbar, and Robbie Shakespeare, among many others.

- More information about Monty Alexander

Location:
Spazio’s
14755 Ventura Blvd (Suite D)
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
(818) 728-8400
http://spazio.la/jazz.php

Related posts:

1. Jazz Pianist Monty Alexander To Perform At Birdland January 21st – 24th
2. Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra With Guest Artist Ernie Andrews At Spazio
3. Artists Quarter To Give 2-Day Concert In Memory Of Pianist Bobby Peterson

First released back in 2007 in Japan, Duet was the top selling jazz album of the year. February 3rd, 2009 marked the release in the U.S., and reviews are already making it to the top of the charts. An inspirational album that highlights a fantastic collaboration between 13-time Grammy Award winner Chick Corea and rising jazz pianist Hiromi, it features original tracks from both artists as well as many popular covers.

One of the most striking features about this collaboration is the fact that such collaboration came from 2 different generations of musicians. Combining their styles, which are quite different, produced an intriguing hybrid that sets it a part from many contemporary jazz albums. A duet album is always an interesting work because it involves the surrender of each artist as individuals and forces both to think outside the box.

Both Corea and Hiromi have the own originals that are featured on the 2-disc album, and we can also find a couple of originals that were the result of the collaboration between the two artists. In addition there are many covers which look back and re-discover the works of great artists such as Thelonious Monk (“Bolivar Blues”) and Lennon-McCartney (“Fools On The Hill”).

Audio Samples from the album:

“How Intsensive”
- Quicktime
- Windows Media

“The Fool On The Hill”
- Quicktime
- Windows Media

If you are not familiar with the works of Chick Corea or Hiromi, we can only say that this is one that won’t escape your attention. The album is a great example of how two artists’ talents can be combined to form one cohesive and intricately knitted work. Varying in tempo, meter, and key, each track seamlessly jumps in and out of time, always leaving the listener awaiting the reunification of the main theme.

Unlike many contemporary works, however, it is not an uncomfortable feel that normally arises when the listener becomes lost. Instead of it being a treasure hunt, where the listener must do much to meet the artists half way, it can be thought of as an exploration. For the advanced listener and fan of either of these two artists, there is never a dull moment. And for those who simply want to enjoy the music without paying special attention to the details, it definitely fits the bill.

While the album features several covers of classic tracks, you can be sure that you have not heard them quite in this way. An arsenal of creativity, unique writing style, and stellar performance ability, these two artists offer a new twist on some of the standards that you have enjoyed over the years.

The best thing about this album is that it is enjoyable to listen to multiple times. We don’t mean that you’ll put it back in after 6 months; rather you can listen to it multiple times in the same day. You can get more and more out of it every time you listen. And as we have already mentioned, it can be used in various contexts – from background dinner parties to listening in your car on the way to work. Having listened it to a dozen times since the release, we can definitely recommend this album to just about every type of jazz listener out there.

—–
- For more information about the album, please visit On Target Media Group
- Information about Chick Corea
- Information about Hiromi
- Additional Information, click here
—–

Video:

Related posts:

1. Chick Corea Puts Out New Album “Duet”: A collaboration with Japanese pianist Hiromi
2. Performance Review: Chick Corea & Gary Burton In Orange County
3. Chick Corea & John McLaughlin Combine To Release CD Version Of 2008 European Tour

With topics ranging from the seductive world of Los Angeles (”Angel Town”), male/female dynamics in today’s society, (”Be Careful”), a symbolic song of loss, (”Goodbye Philadelphia”), loneliness and love in New York City (”Cinderella Beautiful”), each song tells a unique tale. These stories musically paint characters, both familiar and uncommon, that leave one with the feeling of having walked all day on the streets of Manhattan.

Track List: East Of Angel Town

1. Angel town
2. Goodbye Philadelphia
3. Be Careful
4. Cinderella Beautiful
5. Make It Out Alive
6. December Boys
7. U B U
8. Another Falling Star
9. Broken Children
10. Man On A Mission
11. Always Watching You
12. Witch’s Brew
13. The Country Life
14. Love Is Gone
15. Come Tomorrow

Video:

—–
-Artist Information here.

-More About Peter Cincotti here.

-Further information, visit Online Target Media Group.

-View Complete Info Sheet.
—–

Related posts:

1. Singer-Songwriter-Pianist Peter Cincotti To Put Out New Album: “East Of Angel Town” scheduled for January 27th release
2. Greg Skaff Releases New Album “East Harlem Skyline”
3. Red Rock Hot Club To Release New Album “Gypsy Daydream”