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

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2. Antoinette Montague To Perform For The Fund Raiser for Rutgers Law School & the Association of Black Law Students
3. Press Release: Jazz Vocalist Antoinette Montague releases her 2009 performance schedule

Highlights & Schedule

• Thursday’s Grand Opening Night will feature a stunning tribute to Frank Sinatra with the Patrick Williams’ Orchestra conducted by Terry Woodson, in SINATRLAND. Said one reviewer of the “10-star tribute to the Chairman” album- “If you like a well-disciplined big band sound, you gotta hear the Sinatraland Orchestra. You’ll love it!” Closing the evening will be a big band tribute to Benny Goodman with clarinet virtuoso- Ken Peplowski!

• Friday evening will kick off with Ken Peplowski, Gilbert Castellanos, Bill Cunliffe, Paul Keller and Lewis Nash in swinging set of the Great American Songbook, followed by the legendary Jimmy & Tootie Heath quartet featuring Cunliffe and Bob Magnusson. Jackie Ryan and the Tamir Hendelman Trio will follow and closing this second great night of straight ahead jazz will be famed drummer Jeff Hamilton and his Trio which features Tamir Hendelman and Christoph Luty!

• Saturday night will open with one of the most recorded drummers in jazz- Lewis Nash and his Friends, followed by trumpeter and vocalist Byron Stripling who will be joined by Dan Barrett, Paul Keller, Jeff Hamilton and Bill Cunliffe. Marlena Shaw and the Bill Cunliffe Trio will be next and closing the evening will be the Holly Hofmann Quartet with Strings in a tribute to Duke Ellington! Holly will feature Mike Wofford on piano, Christoph Luty on bass and Jeff Hamilton on drums, along with special guest- Byron Stripling.

• Sunday Evening will start by featuring one of the hottest young guitar players on today’s jazz scene- Graham Dechter who will be joined by veterans Jeff Hamilton, John Clayton and Tamir Hendelman. And continuing with
some comedy relief will be Dave Frishberg who is certain to perform many of his classic hits including “Peel Me a Grape”. Byron Stripling and Marlena Shaw will team up for the first time and bringing the weekend to a swinging
close will be the renowned Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.

More Info

Details

Tickets are now available for the complete four night, three-day package including one Jazz Brunch. Prices are $350/375. Individual reserved seats are priced at $65/$70 for evening performances and $40/50 for the Grand Opening Sessions, $30 each for “Friday, Saturday & Sunday By the Pool” and $50 for each Jazz Brunch. For tickets to the 10th Annual Newport Beach Jazz Party, call the Jazzline at 949.759.5003 or for complete artist appearance times and an order form visit our website at newportbeachjazzparty.com.

Those wishing to have a weekend getaway may also enjoy the Marriott Newport Beach Hotel & Spa special rate of $154 per night for a standard room, $164 for Pool/Music View, $174 for Ocean Music View and $179 for Concierge. For hotel reservations call Marriott at 949.640.4000 and ask for the Newport Beach Jazz Party rate.

Free self-parking will also be available for attendees.

The Newport Beach Marriott
900 Newport Center Dr.
Newport Beach, CA
newportbeachjazzparty.com

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This performance coincides with the opening of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Conference at the New York Hilton, which has put a special focus on jazz this year. For those who love the lilting, tropical sounds of vibraphonist Cal Tjader this evening will be a hot ticket.

Performance Background

Sammy Figueroa

Cal Tjader, who recorded almost 80 albums in his long career, and collaborated with Eddie Palmieri, Willie Bobo, Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente and many others, was one of the great innovators of Latin jazz. His sound, combining the celestial quality of the vibraphone with the intricate swinging rhythms of mambo and salsa, helped establish Latin Jazz as a genre and is considered to be the foundation of “cool jazz” and acid jazz.

- Other Jazz Styles

Artist Info

A classic tribute band , “Sally’s Tomato” strives to capture every nuance of Cal Tjader’s “Willy Bobo” period and is perhaps the first genuine Latin tribute band (as opposed to a ‘cover’ band). The group’s name, “Sally’s Tomato” (from a song that Tjader composed and recorded for the film “Breakfast At Tiffany’s”), reflects the playfulness and lightness of the music. The band will perform Tjader classics such as The Continental, Soul Sauce, Mambo Terrifico, Cuban Fantasy, Alonso and Tu Creas Que.

‘Sally’s Tomato’, formed in November 2008, debuted at the Miami Book Fair and was an instant success, obtaining an enthusiastic following and the blessings of Cal Tjader’s children. Sammy Figueroa, who has been living in South Florida since 2001, gathered together some great musicians for this special project, among them Richard Bravo on timbales, Brian Potts on vibraphone, Alexander Hoyt on piano and Freddy Lugo on bongos. The band will be joined by New York-based bassist Waldo Chavez.

Performance Details

When:
Friday, January 8th, 2010
(Midnight)

Cover:
$20 admission $10 for pre-reservations
Free admission for APAP badgeholders

Location:
Iridium Jazz Club
1650 Broadway (51st St.)
New York, NY 10019
(212) 582-2121
www.iridiumjazzclub.com

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The Phoenix has always held it’s own in part because they consistently feature great Kansas City musicians on a nightly basis. While other bars in Kansas City skimp on the music budget and present boring twenty something year old accustic guitar playing “granola” new age hippies, The Phoenix keeps it real and brings in the big jazz artists.

The corner of downtown Kansas City where the Phoenix now sits used to be known as part of the Burgeoning Garment District in 1888. The Phoenix was there from the beginning, a somewhat shady hotel that was rumored to be more of a bordello than a hotel. On the first floor there was a speak-easy type saloon owned and operated by bartender Frank Valerius, and on the second floor was a “hotel” owned by Mrs. Linna Laws.

The main competition for The Phoenix were the hotels Metropolitan and The Savoy. The Exchange Hotel, which went belly up long ago, still sits dejected across the street from the thriving Phoenix much like a dead soldier from a war fought long ago.

Review:

“The Phoenix rises again. The new owners have spiffed up the place
a bit and reworked the menu. Among the new dishes: Black and Tan Onion
Rings, Red Canyon Chili With Cheddar, Three Cheese Melt Sandwich and
Chicken Salad Sliders. One thing has stayed the same: There will be live
music Tuesday through Saturday.”
- The Kansas City Star

Details:

Hours:
Mon-Sat. (11:00 am – 1:30 am)

Live Jazz:
Tuesday-Saturday

Location:
The Phoenix
302 W Eighth St.
Kansas City, MO 64112
(816) 221-JAZZ
http://thephoenixkansascity.com

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New York’s world-renowned sextet One For All, taking its inspiration from the legendary groups of Miles Davis and Art Blakey, is an invigorating, high octane sextet that features original compositions and exceptional soloists. The band will close out 2008 with a special New Year’s performance.

The band features Eric Alexander (tenor saxophone), Jim Rotondi (trumpet), Steve Davis (trombone), David Hazeltine (piano), John Webber (bass), and Joe Farnsworth (drums).

One For All has been performing over ten years and last year they released their 11th album, Lineup on Sharp Nine Records. In the style of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers or the other great hard-bop groups of the 50’s and 60’s, One For All is a ’super group’ of the finest seasoned jazz musicianss. As their name implies, they work together for a common goal of delivering solid musical collaboration with all members contributing their individual styles.

With 17 CD’s out under his own name and appearing as sideman on countless others, Eric Alexander has made his mark on the jazz world and documented his progress as a tenor master. He has a rich tone and an aggressive, driving style that grabs the listeners attention and doesn’t let go. One can hear the influence of Sonny Stitt, Jackie McLean and George Coleman in his playing.

Details:

Includes a full meal, open bar and the great music at $125 for the early set and $225 for the late seating that includes two sets of music.
(There is only bar seating left for the 1st show)

Location:
Smoke Jazz & Supper Club – Lounge
2751 Broadway
New York, NY 10025
(212) 864.6662
http://www.smokejazz.com

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You can feel good about feeling good as the Jazz Bakery hosts a stellar quintet featuring James Moody, Kenny Burrell and Benny Green in a New Year’s Eve benefit concert. One of the surviving champions of Dizzy Gillespie’s music, NEA Jazz Master James Moody is an accomplished musician on the tenor and alto saxophones, as well as the flute, despite being born partially deaf. In addition to his instrumental prowess, Moody is an engaging entertainer, captivating audiences with his personal charm and wit.

NEA Jazz Master Kenny Burrell pioneered the guitar-led trio with bass and drums in the late 1950s. Known for his harmonic creativity, lush tones, and lyricism on the guitar, Burrell is also a prolific and highly regarded composer. Benny Green is a hard bop jazz pianist who “graduated” from Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and toured with Ray Brown until his death. Green has been compared to Bud Powell in style and counts him as an influence.

Location:
Jazz Bakery
3233 Helms Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
(310) 271-9039
http://www.jazzbakery.com

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Multi-faceted jazz guitarist Bruce Forman will be performing his original work The Red Guitar this coming Sunday, December 14th, from 2-4 pm in Rancho Cucamonga as part of a series of house concerts sponsored by the California Jazz Arts Society. A story in jazz, and about jazz, The Red Guitar is in the classical tradition of metaphorical tales demonstrating how an artist becomes possessed of his art. Combining story and performance, this intimate event will showcase Forman’s musical eclecticism and inventiveness.

Bruce will be joined on a few numbers by vocalist-guitarist Dale Boatman.
The event will also feature a Q&A session and free refreshments.

Tickets are $20.
For reservations and directions, email:
Dale175@aol.com.

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Having received high marks for his most recent recording, Baritone Saxophonist of the Year James Carter is back on tour. Outdoing himself wherever he goes – from the Detroit Jazz Festival to Manhattan’s Jazz Standard to the Playboy Jazz Cruise – he is one of the main performers to see.

A popular act in the Twin Cities, Carter returns to the Dakota Jazz Club with his touring quintet and a set list drawn from the new release Present Tense. And he’ll likely need a valet to help carry in his musical arsenal, one of the widest arrays of woodwinds in the repertoire of a single touring artist.

About The Artist:

Carter’s career as solo artist and bandleader was launched in 1994 with his first release for Atlantic, The Real Quiet Storm, and Sony’s American issue of JC on the Set (which had been released a year earlier in Japan); a series of acclaimed recordings followed. Reflecting his growing and diverse tastes, Carter went totally electric with Layin’ in the Cut (2000), followed by a sharp left turn back to acoustics with an album celebrating the music of Django Reinhardt, Chasin’ the Gypsy (featuring cousin Regina Carter).

Although not released until 2004 on Warner Brothers, Carter returned to Detroit in 2001 to make record Live at Bakers’ Keyboard Lounge; and back with Sony, Carter released a tribute to Billie Holiday, Gardenias for Lady Day, in 2003. Carter’s most recent projects involve his organ trio (Out of Nowhere, Half Note, 2004) and Gold Sounds (Brown Brothers, 2005), setting the rock music of Pavement into jazz forms and featuring pianist Cyrus Chestnut. Present Tense (EmMarcy, 2008) is his first release in three years.

Carter’s current touring quintet of mostly fellow Detroit musicians includes trumpeter Corey Wilkes, keyboardist Gerard Gibb, bassist Ralphe Armstrong and drummer Leonard King.

About The Album:

The new release, Present Tense, finds Carter on most of his horns—soprano, tenor and bari sax, bass clarinet and flute. He’s surrounded by fine company, including trumpeter/flugelhornist Dwight Adams, pianist D.D. Jackson, bassist James Genus, and drummer Victor Lewis; along with guitarist Rodney Jones and percussionist Eli Fountain on several tracks.

In an arsenal as broad as Carter’s, the tenor sax might seem a bit mundane, but he never coasts. Carter says that the music of “Sussa Nita” was given to him by Billie Holiday in a dream. With Rodney Jones on guitar and Eli Fountain on percussion, there’s an added layer giving the track a taste of tango. Jones in particular is an underappreciated titan whose phrasing and articulation play off perfectly against the always dexterous Carter.

Victor Young’s “Song of Delilah” finds Carter skillfully weaving together two tracks of tenor for a self-propelled, hip-hoppish duet. (One James Carter is scary enough, thank you.) The original “Bossa JC” again finds the additional guitar and percussion washing the track in sunshine and swing.

Present Tense is all about connections between past and future, horn and horn, James Carter and his current team of collaborators. In some respects it reflects Carter as less the flamboyant virtuoso and more the thoughtful master of music’s fate, letting each tune evolve fully but refraining from self indulgence. As such, it may be his most successful outing yet.

Location:
Dakota Jazz Club
1010 Nicollet Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55401
(612) 332-1010
www.dakotacooks.com

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Dizzy Gillespie’s Club Coca-Cola welcomes its first spoken word artist to its stage with performer/storyteller David Gonzalez. Featuring the Latin-Jazz Sounds of the Poetic License Band.

Latin jazz meets spoken word in a performance exploding with passion, intelligence and energy. A Latin-flavored jazz and funk concert, City of Dreams brings together a quartet of some of New York’s top Latin jazz musicians for a five-night performance series. Led by Bronx-born David Gonzalez, City of Dreams presents an assortment of vivid poems spiced with Afro-Cuban grooves and soulful ballads. With the help of his excellent crew of musicians, Gonzalez’s poetry conjures, reflects, and inspires.

About David Gonzales:

With speech, sound, mime, dance and above all, inspired imagination, nationally acclaimed master storyteller/performer David Gonzalez is keeping the ancient art of storytelling alive. From London’s Royal National Theater to Broadway to hundreds of schools across North America, Gonzalez has performed to more than 5,000 audiences worldwide.

A winner of the Helen Hayes Performing Artist of the Year Award, Gonzalez is applauded for his vocal, physical and narrative talents and gift for mimicry, comic timing, and wordplay. Relying on the majesty and variety of language, the limitless landscape of imagination, the pulse of music and the beauty of art,
he creates and performs multimedia productions that capture audiences of
all ages and cultures.

For more information, please visit his site.

Ticket Information:

General Tickets $10.
Student Tickets $5.
Reservations are not taken, as this is an “after-hours” event

-After Hours Sets are a great opportunity to hear great jazz in
an informal setting until the wee hours.

-Doors open at 6pm for the 7:30pm set and at 9pm for the 9:30pm set.

Location:
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
Jazz at Lincoln Center
33 West 60 Street, Floor 11
New York, NY 10023
www.jalc.org

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