Recent Posts by marycurtin
4 post(s) found
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Sep 11, 2008
marycurtin
4 post(s)
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Topic: What's Happening? / A Tribute to 'Trane featuring Guru's Jazzmatazz & Superproducer Solar 31st John Coltrane Memorial Concert: “A Tribute to ‘Trane” featuring special guests Guru’s Jazzmatazz with Superproducer Solar; joined by DJ Doo Wop, Brownman, and David Scott. Hosted by Eric Jackson. Presented by Northeastern University’s Center for the Arts (CFTA) and the John Coltrane Memorial Concert (JCMC). September 27, 8 pm. Northeastern University, Blackman Theatre, Ell Hall, 360 Huntington Ave., Boston [conveniently located near the Ruggles stop on the Orange Line or the Northeastern stop on the Green Line (E train)]. Tickets: $25 general admission; $20 non-NU students, seniors, NU Faculty/staff/WGBH Members; $10 NU students with ID. For advance tickets: 617-373-4700, www.gonu.com/tickets/index.shtml. Box Office hours: Mon.-Fri. noon-6 pm and one hour prior to the show. For general information, visit www.jcmc.neu.edu and www.centerforthearts.neu.edu. It is most fitting that the producers of the JCMC have invited legendary hip-hop messenger Guru along with featured artist Solar to perform a special tribute to John Coltrane for the JCMC’s 31st anniversary which opens Northeastern University’s Center for the Arts 2008-2009 season. An acknowledged hip-hop icon through his work with Gangstarr, Guru has illustrated his love for and understanding of the jazz legacy through his critically acclaimed hip-hop and jazz fusion series, Jazzmatazz, which features collaborations with musicians such as Roy Ayers, Donald Byrd, Lonnie Liston Smith, Ramsey Lewis and Branford Marsalis. Guru is the first and only rapper to perform at the Royal Albert Hall in London. And Guru’s Jazzmatazz is the first hip-hop ensemble to play all of the prestigious European jazz festivals, including the Blue Note Festival, the Hague Festival, and Montreaux, to name a few. Guru represents the continuum of Black American music in the 21st century. His innovative and creative use of the syntax and semantics of Black culture expression known as hip-hop is at the cutting edge of contemporary music. Combined with his understanding of the musical and spiritual legacy of John Coltrane, his artistic performance at the 31st JCMC promises to be innovative, captivating, and compelling. Guru’s performances are rooted in the on-going evolution and expansion of the tradition of Black musical expression which includes innovation and unpredictability. He is cognizant of his responsibility as exemplar of 21st century Black American music. His JCMC repertoire will include interpretations of Coltrane’s “Acknowledgement,” part one of “A Love Supreme” suite, as well as the popular “My Favorite Things.” Both Guru and Solar are honored to appear as guest artists for the world’s oldest annual performance tribute to the musical and spiritual legacy of John Coltrane. They are humbled by the opportunity and are looking forward to the performance. This will also be a homecoming for Guru, who was born and raised in Roxbury. Further background on Guru, Solar, and JCMC: Guru “Since the inception of Jazzmatazz, one of the main focuses has been that it has something for every generation and music lover. It’s timeless. On the Jazzmatazz series: “…I thought, ‘What if we got jazz greats in the studio to make a hip-hop record?’ Jazzmatazz was born from that. I wanted to bring the generations together. I didn’t like that old people thought hip-hop was violent noise, and I wanted young people to know that they had a history that was worth checking out. Jazz was hip-hop before there was hip-hop. It made sense to blend the two together. I wanted to create something that was timeless – Jazzmatazz is my attempt at a timeless work of art. Gangstarr’s influence has been big but I think that the effects of Jazzmatazz have been farther-reaching and significant. Solar and I are working on a new Jazzmatazz record, which will push things farther than we had ever thought possible.” In the past, Guru’s Jazzmatazz endeavors have enabled him to collaborate with a who’s who list of legendary musical icons including Roy Ayers, Donald Byrd, Chaka Khan, Isaac Hayes, Herbie Hancock, Branford Marsalis and popular cross-over favorites Macy Gray, The Roots, Erykah Badu and Angie Stone. Even early on, Guru’s work was recognized by Spike Lee who commissioned Guru’s Gangstarr duo to compose a piece (“Jazz Thing”) for the film “Mo’ Better Blues,” which pays homage to jazz greats and features saxophonist Branford Marsalis. When asked how he has been able to stay such a viable force in the music industry, Guru states matter-of-factly: “be honest with yourself, be original, be open to criticism and don’t be afraid to reinvent and recreate yourself.” He continues: “The Jazzmatazz series has always been about charting new territories, blurring genre lines, and collaborating with artists to create music that’s timeless and relevant.” Solar “Jazz to me is one of the greatest art forms ever to hit the planet … Jazz was a fusion. You had cats that were classically trained, you had cats that were from the Caribbean that brought the African rhythms with them; you had cats from the south that migrated into Harlem and then you had black folk that had grown up here in the North. For more information on Guru, Solar, and their collaboration, log onto www.gurusjazzmatazz.net/site.html and www.guru7grand.net. John Coltrane Memorial Concert (JCMC) History The first John Coltrane Memorial Concert (JCMC) was performed in Boston on July 17, 1977, in the Friends of Great Black Music Loft, a performance space for creative arts established by master percussionist Syd Smart. The annual concert then developed through the collective efforts of Syd Smart, bassist Hayes Burnet, and saxophonist Leonard Brown. In 1986, the JCMC moved to Northeastern University, which has served as its home for over two decades, providing a stability that has been essential to the continuation and growth of this unique and important cultural event. From the beginning and now into its 31st year of producing concerts, the JCMC’s purpose has been to reflect on the rich musical and spiritual legacy of ‘Trane through contemporary interpretations of his works, to inspire us all to work toward developing our full capacities as human beings, and to work for world peace. The list of invited guest artists includes McCoy Tyner, Frank Foster, Shirley Scott, George Coleman, Mulgrew Miller, Alvin Batiste, Yusef Lateef, Brother Blue, Danilo Perez, Michael Harper, Pharoah Sanders, Alan Dawson, Terri Lyn Carrington, and Ravi Coltrane The JCMC is the world’s oldest annual performance tribute to the musical and spiritual legacy of John Coltrane and draws a very diverse audience from throughout New England. Since its inception, over 20,000 people have attended the JCMC. Established in 1994, the John Coltrane Memorial Concert Educational Outreach Program (JCMCEOP), has collaborated with Boston and Cambridge elementary and secondary schools to bring live creative music to youth. Under the leadership of Dr. Leonard Brown and Dr. Emmett Price of Northeastern University’s Departments of African American Studies and Music, the JCMCEOP has impacted over 10,000 students. The current participating schools are: Paige Academy in Roxbury; Roland Hayes Division of Music at Madison Park; Health Careers Academy; Cambridge Rindge & Latin High School; Josiah Quincy Upper School; Conservatory Lab Charter School; South End Technology Center@Tent City; and Balfour Academy. The goal of JCMCEOP is to introduce the legacy of Black American creative improvisational music to diverse urban school populations. Through music, the program promotes positive self-image, willingness to learn, and commitment to excellence. The John Coltrane Memorial Concert is proud to acknowledge this year’s sponsors which at press time are Northeastern University, Color Magazine, WGBH Radio, and the Boston Phoenix Media/Communications Group. For updates on sponsors and other pertinent information, log onto www.jcmc.neu.edu. # |
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Jun 3, 2008
marycurtin
4 post(s)
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Topic: What's Happening? / JazzBoston's 2009 Jazz Week dates set: mark your calendar JazzBoston has announced that the dates for Jazz Week 2009 will be Saturday, April 25, to Sunday, May 3. During the recently concluded Jazz Week 2008, which ran from April 26 through May 4 and was officially proclaimed by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, thousands of music fans took in hundreds of jazz performances in the Greater Boston area. Called an event that has grown in size and stature by the Boston Herald, Jazz Week 2008 included free concerts of all styles by visiting international artists and Boston-based musicians alike, family and multi-media events, and one-of-a-kind performances. During Jazz Week 2008:
Images from Jazz Week 2008 can be viewed on the JazzBoston website at jazzboston.org/about/jazzweek2008-photos.asp. JazzBoston gratefully acknowledges the support of its Jazz Week 2008 sponsors: the Regattabar, this year’s primary sponsor; Scullers Jazz Club, Marsalis Music, The Beehive, the Boston Pops JazzFest, John Hancock, Live Nation, and Swing City; and media sponsor WGBH 89.7 FM. For more information about the city’s ongoing vibrant jazz scene, with daily concert updates on Boston’s most comprehensive jazz events calendar, go to jazzboston.org. JazzBoston is an all-volunteer 501©(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to building and serving audiences for jazz music, expanding performance opportunities for jazz musicians, and raising Boston’s profile as a jazz city — a city that is already a magnet for fans and musicians from all over the United States and the world. |
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Apr 4, 2008
marycurtin
4 post(s)
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Topic: What's Happening? / Robert Pinsky and Rakalam Bob Moses featured in Jazz Week 2008 Benefit Concert Pinsky-Moses Pairing Among Highlights Of 185 Events Set For Jazz Week ’08 In Boston (Boston, MA) With more than 185 events scheduled to take place all across the city and beyond from April 26 to May 4, music lovers will have a wide array of sounds to experience during Jazz Week ’08, officially proclaimed once again by Mayor Thomas M. Menino. The cast of artists appearing at nearly 70 venues during the nine day celebration of the music includes Miguel Zenon, Myanna, Terri Lyne Carrington, Eguie Castrillo, Jason Palmer, Najee, Dave Bryant, Frank Wilkins, Garrison Fewell, Yoko Miwa, Arni Cheatham, Greg Hopkins, Ray Santisi, Rachel Price, Kurtis Rivers, Al Vega, Grace Kelly, Semenya McCord, Pierre Hurel, and James Merenda. Jazz Week preview events on April 25 will feature Kenny Garrett, Dominique Eade, Jim Hobbs and the Fully Celebrated Orchestra, Andre Ward, and Laszlo Gardony. For information about Jazz Week and the complete Jazz Week events calendar, with new events added regularly, visit www.jazzboston.org/jazzweek or call (866) 439-9396. “A Kaleidoscopic View of Jazz in Boston” Benefit Concert May 3 On Saturday, May 3, at 8 p.m., JazzBoston’s second annual Jazz Week benefit concert, “A Kaleidoscopic View of Jazz in Boston,” will be held at Berklee Performance Center. In a rare treat for music and poetry aficionados alike, the concert will feature former U.S. poet laureate Robert Pinsky in only his second jazz performance ever, with internationally renowned percussionist Rakalam Bob Moses. Also appearing: George Garzone and Friends; the Coltrane EOP Quartet with Leonard Brown, Tim Ingles, Alvin Terry, and Emmett Price; the Marianne Solivan Quartet with Eric Hofbauer, Dmitry Ishenko, and Mike Connors; and the Berklee City Music All-Stars Quintet. MC for the festivities will be Eric Jackson, host of WGBH Radio’s “Jazz with Eric in the Evening.” Proceeds from the stylistically wide-ranging event will go to three outstanding jazz outreach programs in the Boston Public Schools — the John Coltrane Memorial Concert Educational Outreach Program, the New England Conservatory Community Performances and Partnerships Program, and the Berklee College of Music City Music Program, which will be represented onstage. Specific Concert Listing Information: New Venues Participating in Jazz Week ‘08 Jazz Week has grown in 2008, further extending its reach into communities citywide and beyond. Participating for the first time are the Plough & Stars, Vernissage Restaurant, Sally O’Brien’s Bar & Grill, Roxbury Community College, Starbucks, Boston University, Boston College, ARTSomerville, 711 Bistro & Sushi Bar, Biff’s Lounge, the Sherborn Inn, Outpost 186, the Middle East, Redline Restaurant, and the Mission Bar & Grill. During the nine days of Jazz Week, you’ll be able to hear great jazz in those venues and others, including: Wally’s Jazz Cafe, the Center for Latino Arts, The Beehive, Scullers Jazz Club, the Lily Pad, the Regattabar, the Nave Gallery, Ryles, the Real Deal Jazz Café, the Piano Factory, Acton Jazz Cafe, Slade’s Bar & Grill, the Colonial Inn, the Roslindale Congregational Church, New England Conservatory, Newton South High School, Lucky’s Lounge, and Les Zygomates Wine Bar & Bistro. “Jazz Week @ the Boston Public Library” For the second year in a row, JazzBoston will present “Jazz Week @ the Boston Public Library,” a series of free weekday and evening seminars covering a range of topics for audiences of all ages and backgrounds at the Main Library in Copley Square. This year’s topics include:
“Jazz Week @ Borders” You can hear some of Boston’s most talented young musicians during “Jazz Week @ Borders,” a series of free weekday jazz concerts at the bookstore’s Copley Square location, 511 Boylston St., from April 28 to May 2. The series is presented by JazzBoston in partnership with Borders and Berklee College of Music’s Professional Performance Division and takes place Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 6 p.m., Tuesday at 1 p.m. A special “Jazz Week @ Borders” event will be held on Saturday, May 3, at 2 p.m. in the Copley Square bookstore when renowned jazz writer Bob Blumenthal appears for a book-signing to mark the publication of “Jazz: An Introduction to the History and Legends Behind America’s Music.” “Jazz Week @ Fenway Park” Red Sox Nation celebrates the music when Boston-based tenor saxophonist Elan Trotman performs the national anthem during Jazz Week ‘08. Pre-game entertainment inside the gates will be provided by a jazz ensemble from the Boston Arts Academy. Jazz Week Sponsors JazzBoston gratefully acknowledges the support of returning sponsors the Regattabar, this year’s primary sponsor, Scullers Jazz Club, The Beehive, the Boston Pops JazzFest, and print sponsor BostonNOW; and we welcome the first-time support of Marsalis Music, John Hancock, Live Nation, and Swing City. JazzBoston and Jazz Week JazzBoston, founded in early 2006, provides coordination and overall promotion for Jazz Week events, which are produced independently by participating musicians, presenters, clubs, educational institutions, and other organizations. The goal of this collaborative effort is to build audiences for jazz by spreading the word about Boston’s vibrant jazz scene and shining a spotlight on the city’s many talented resident musicians. For more information, go to www.jazzboston.org. #JazzBoston is an all-volunteer 501©(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to building and serving audiences for jazz music, expanding performance opportunities for jazz musicians, and raising Boston’s profile as a jazz city — a city that is a magnet for fans and musicians from all over the United States and the world. |
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Mar 17, 2008
marycurtin
4 post(s)
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Topic: What's Happening? / JazzBoston Announces Highlights of Jazz Week 2008, April 26 to May 4 A rare jazz appearance by former U. S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky in duet with internationally renowned percussionist Rakalam Bob Moses, a conversation about jazz, hip-hop and beyond, and performances in every style at more than 50 venues are part of this year’s Jazz Week, a citywide celebration of the music once again being coordinated and promoted by JazzBoston (www.jazzboston.org). For nine days from April 26 through May 4, JazzBoston will highlight hundreds of musicians of all generations who will appear at venues throughout the Greater Boston area — from clubs, museums, and churches to libraries, universities, hotels, and community centers. For information about Jazz Week visit www.jazzboston.org/jazzweek or call (866) 439-9396. Stay tuned for the full listing of Jazz Week events, to be posted later this month. Jazz Week Highlights •JazzBoston’s second annual Jazz Week benefit concert, “A Kaleidoscopic View of Jazz in Boston,” will be held at Berklee Performance Center on Saturday, May 3. Among those appearing will be former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky, who will read from his work accompanied by legendary drummer Rakalam Bob Moses. Pinsky, a Boston University faculty member, will be making only his second jazz appearance ever, following his debut earlier this year in New York with drummer Andrew Cyrille. Moses has worked with jazz giants including Herbie Hancock, Charles Mingus, John Medeski, and Larry Coryell. •Artists from Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory, and the John Coltrane Memorial Concert (JCMC) Ensemble will perform at the benefit, proceeds of which will go to three outstanding jazz outreach programs in the Boston Public Schools: the JCMC Educational Outreach Program, based at Northeastern University, the New England Conservatory Community Performances and Partnerships Program, and the Berklee College of Music City Music Program. Young talent from the Berklee program will be front and center when the Berklee City Music All-Stars Quintet takes the stage. Special guests, including a quartet led by singer Marianne Solivan with guitarist Eric Hofbauer performing “Songs My Teachers Taught Me,” will also be part of the bill. Additional special guests are still to be announced. •JazzBoston will once again present “Jazz Week at the Boston Public Library,” a series of free weekday and evening seminars covering a range of topics for audiences of all ages and backgrounds at the Main Library in Copley Square. This year’s topics include: •How Jazz Happens, a special interactive family event featuring pianist Pierre Hurrel with a short film about Bill Evans, is scheduled for the Regattabar at 6 p.m., Apr. 28. •Other events set so far for Jazz Week include: JazzBoston’s partnership with Borders continues this year with another “Jazz Week @ Borders” series of free after-work jazz concerts at the bookstore’s Copley Square location from April 28 to May 2. On Saturday May 3, Boston-based music journalist and author Bob Blumenthal will mark the release of his new book, Jazz: An Introduction to the History and Legends Behind America’s Music, with a special book-signing event at the Copley Square store. Jazz Week events will take place in a variety of venues, including the Real Deal Jazz Club and Café, Ryles, the Lily Pad, the Colonial Inn, Wally’s, the Regattabar, Matt Murphy’s Pub, Scullers, Wellesley College, Boston University, Boston College, and the Lizard Lounge. Jazz Week events are produced independently by participating musicians, presenters, clubs, educational institutions, and other organizations. All events are promoted by JazzBoston under the Jazz Week umbrella through an extensive print, broadcast, and Web marketing campaign. JazzBoston would like to thank Jazz Week 2008 Primary Sponsor, the Regattabar together with the Charles Hotel and The Blue Note, and Lead Sponsor, Scullers Jazz Club and the DoubleTree Guest Suites Hotel, for once again supporting this community-wide celebration of the music. More information about becoming a Jazz Week sponsor can be obtained by writing to jazzweek@jazzboston.org. For continuous updates on Jazz Week 2008, visit the JazzBoston website at www.jazzboston.org/jazzweek. JazzBoston is an all-volunteer 501©(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to building and serving audiences for jazz music, expanding performance opportunities for jazz musicians, and raising Boston’s profile as a jazz city — a city that is a magnet for fans and musicians from all over the United States and the world. # |
