Posted on

Five places to have a jazzy New Year’s Eve

Looking to ring in the new year with some live music? There are a lot of venues around the country that have special New Year’s Eve programs lined up with some all-star musicians. Here are five shows from around the U.S. we chose to highlight, including one from Seattle.

NEW YORK – Wynton Marsalis: The Music of Jelly Roll Morton and King Oliver at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, Jazz at Lincoln Center

Reservations are available by phone only 212-258-9595/9795.

Early Diz: 7:30pm — $350 per person
includes music charge and 4-course meal, and party favors
Doors open at 6pm

Midnite Diz: 11pm — $500 per person
includes music charge, complimentary one-hour cocktail reception with hors d’oeuvres, 5-course meal, champagne toast, parting gifts, and party favors
Cocktail Reception at 9pm
Doors open for show at 10pm

Ring in 2012 in the tradition of New Orleans with Wynton Marsalis and his trusted ensemble. Wynton Marsalis, trumpet; Dan Nimmer, piano; Carlos Henriquez, bass; Ali Jackson, drums; Walter Blanding, reeds; Wess Anderson, reeds; Victor Goines, reeds; Marcus Printup, trumpet; Chris Crenshaw, trombone; James Chirillo, guitar and banjo; Ricky “Dirty Red” Gordon, washboard and percussion.

BOSTON – Christian McBride & Inside Straight with special guest Melissa Walker at Scullers Jazz Club

8pm Show: $50 per person
Dinner & Show: $309 per couple*
11pm Show: $60 per person
Dinner & Show: $379 per couple*, includes hats, noisemakers & a champagne toast
*includes tax & gratuity, does not include drinks

…And stay the night for an additional $119 a night, not including tax.

Bassist extraordinaire, composer, arranger, educator, curator and administrator, Christian McBride, has been one of the most important and most omnipresent figures in the jazz world for 20 years. Sometimes hard to believe considering this man is not yet 40.

WASHINGTON D.C. – Monty Alexander at Blues Alley

6:00 PM – (Doors Open at 5:30) – $100 per person Includes: 3 course meal, non alcoholic beverages (bottled water excluded), tax and gratuity. 10:00 PM – (Doors Open at 9:30) – $150 per person Includes: 3 course meal, non alcoholic beverages (bottled water excluded), champagne by the glass, hats, noise makers, tax and gratuity.

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, Ray Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Clark Terry, Quincy Jones, Ernest Ranglin, Barbara Hendricks, Sly & Robbie Shakespeare, among many others.

SAN FRANCISCO – Maceo Parker’s New Years Party at Yoshi’s San Francisco Jazz Club

  • 8pm: $50
  • 10pm: $100“Parker talks with his sax, chatters away without a seeming care. It’s a musical antidepressant, an antidote to dark days. ….firmed my belief that the world would be a better place if we all funked together.”-San Diego Reader

    Lineup:

    Maceo Parker Band – leader, sax, flute, vocals

    Dennis Rollins – trombone

    Will Boulware – keys

    Bruno Speight – guitar

    Rodney ” Skeet” Curtis – bass

    Marcus Parker – drums

    Martha High – vocals

    Corey Parker – vocals

SEATTLE – Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz New Year’s Eve Celebration at Jazz Alley

The Pacific Jazz Institute at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley welcomes Grammy Winning Master Conguero Poncho Sanchez and his Latin Jazz Band for 4 nights and 8 shows. Band members: Poncho Sanchez (Congas/Vocals), Joey De Leon (Timbales), Rene Camacho (Bass), Ron Blake (Trumpet), Robert Hardt (Alto and Tenor Saxophone), Francisco Torres (Trombone), Jose Rodriguez (Bongos) and Andy Langham (Piano).

NEW YEAR’S EVE PACKAGES:

1) The 1st Show Dinner Package includes admission to the first show, a four-course dinner and tax & tip. Doors open at 6:30 PM and the music starts 8:45 PM & continues until 10:00 PM. $105.50 per person

2) The “Ring in The New Year” Package includes admission to the second show, choice of dessert, coffee or tea, party favors and includes tax & tip. Doors at 10:30 PM and music starts at 11PM. $80.50 per person

3) All Evening Package (1 and 2 above) $155.50 per person

4) First Show Only $52.50 per person

 

Posted on

“Now in Stores” XV

Here are five more recent jazz releases worth giving a listen to:

1. Rio by Keith Jarrett (ECM Records, November 8, 2011) CLICK HERE TO BUY

2011 two CD release from the Jazz pianist On April 9, 2011 Keith Jarrett returned to South America for the first time in decades to perform three solo concerts. The third and final concert found him in Rio de Janeiro in front of a packed house and enthralled audience. Inspired by the electrifying atmosphere, the pianist pulls a broad range of material from the ether: thoughtful/reflective pieces, abstract sound-structures, pieces that fairly vibrate with energy. The double album climaxes with a marvelous sequence of encores. 40 years ago this year Keith Jarrett recorded his first ECM disc, the ground-breaking, solo piano Facing You. He has refined his approach to solo music many times since then, always finding new things to play. So it is here, in this engaging solo recording from Brazil.

2. Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton Play the Blues Live From Jazz at Lincoln Center by Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton (Warner Bros., September 13, 2011) CLICK HERE TO BUY

Deluxe two disc (CD + DVD) edition includes bonus DVD. 2011 live collaboration between guitar legend Eric Clapton and Jazz great Wynton Marsalis.. The duo performed together in Rose Theater at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center for two sold-out shows dedicated to vintage Blues. The extraordinary collaboration, billed as Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton Play the Blues, paired these musical virtuosos with members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra as they brought to life a repertoire of songs selected by Clapton and arranged by Marsalis. The band nimbly navigated a diverse set list that touched on different styles, from the four-on-the-floor swing of Louis Armstrong’s “Ice Cream” and the southern slow-drag of W.C. Handy’s “Joe Turner’s Blues” to the traveling blues of “Joliet Bound” and the boogie-woogie jump of “Kidman Blues.”

3. Guitar Man by George Benson (Concord Jazz, October 4, 2011) CLICK HERE TO BUY

2011 release from the Grammy-winning Jazz legend. The album includes a mix of Jazz and Pop standards – some in a combo setting and some solo, but all of them tied together seamlessly by Benson’s soulful and exploratory signature sound. Lending a hand on this recording is a solid team made up of veterans and newcomers alike – pianist Joe Sample, keyboardist and musical director David Garfield, bassist Ben Williams and drummer Harvey Mason.

4. For True by Trombone Shorty (Verve Forecast, September 13, 2011) CLICK HERE TO BUY

2011 album from the Grammy nominee Troy Andrews AKA Trombone Shorty. Produced by Galactic’s Ben ElIman, For True, features Andrews’ band, Orleans Avenue, as well as a string of legendary performers with whom he recently shared the stage, including Jeff Beck, Kid Rock, Lenny Kravitz, Ledisi, Warren Haynes, Ivan and Cyril Neville, The Rebirth Brass Band and more. Troy wrote or co-wrote all 14 tracks on the new album including co-writes with Ledisi, Kid Rock, the legendary Lamont Dozier and others.

5. MSMW Live: In Case The World Changes Its Mind by Medeski Martin & Wood (Red General Catalog, November 8, 2011) CLICK HERE TO BUY

2011 live album featuring guitar guru John Scofield and genre-busting improvisational Jazz trio Medeski Martin & Wood. MSMW LIVE: In Case The World Changes Its Mind is a live collection of 12 tracks culled from their 2006 MSMW tour and features music from Scofield’s A Go Go and MSNW’s Out Louder.

Posted on

Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton coming to a theater near you

Music superstars Eric Clapton and Wynton Marsalis got together last April for a concert at the Rose Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City. The concert featured songs hand-picked by Eric Clapton, then arranged by Marsalis, and included highlights such as a guest appearance by Taj Mahal.

While the concert will be released on September 13th on a CD/DVD combo pack (Warner Brothers, CLICK HERE TO BUY), there is an even better opportunity to hear this show for those of us who weren’t able to make the cross country trip to see the show live.

On September 7th, the concert will be shown at over 550 movie theaters at 7:30 PM local time. This is a one-night only opportunity, and while there is no substitute for being at a live concert, top quality movie theater video and audio is certain to be a second best (especially when you compare it to my car stereo system).

In the Puget Sound area, the show is playing at the following theaters:

Anacortes Cinemas – Anacortes                                                   

Auburn 17 Theaters – Auburn                                               

Century Theatres Federal Way 16 – Federal Way

Columbia Mall 8 – Kennewick                                

Alderwood 7 Theaters – Lynnwood

Bella Bottega 11 Cinema – Redmond                     

AMC Southcenter 16 with IMAX – Seattle                 

AMC Oak Tree 6 – Seattle                                           

Thornton Place with IMAX – Seattle

Posted on

“Now in Stores” XII

Here are five more recent jazz releases worth giving a listen to:

1. Here We Go Again by Willie Nelson/Norah Jones/Wynton Marsalis (Blue Note Records, March 29,2011) CLICK HERE TO BUY

Once in a while the stars align and something magical happens…as on the night Jazz at Lincoln Center presented a salute to the late, great bluesman, Ray Charles. Two musical iconoclasts, Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis, along with the stunning songstress Norah Jones, collectively brought their unique musical perspective to the legendary artist’s hits such as “Hallelujah I Love Her So”, “Hit the Road Jack,” and “Unchain My Heart.” Country music legend Willie Nelson and Pulitzer Prize-winning jazz artist and Jazz at Lincoln Center Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis share more in common than their multiple GRAMMY® awards. They also share great respect and admiration for the late musical pioneer Ray Charles. Nelson and Marsalis joined musical forces for a two-night Jazz at Lincoln Center concert event at New York City’s Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Their set list explored the legacy of Charles, cleverly sequencing the songs to tell the story of a love affair from beginning to end and beyond. This fine idea was made finer by the inclusion of fellow multiple GRAMMY® winner Norah Jones, whose style suggests a middle ground between Nelson and Marsalis. The sold out performance was captured and the resulting footage expertly mixed and mastered for the brand new album.

2. James Farm by Joshua Redman (Nonesuch, April 26, 2011) CLICK HERE TO BUY

2011 release, a collaborative effort between Joshua Redman and fellow Jazz travelers Aaron Parks, Matt Penman and Eric Harland. Since they’ve already guest-starred on each other’s recordings, James Farm is a natural progression for these Jazz musicians. James Farm made its debut at the 2009 Montreal Jazz Festival and has since performed dates in North America and Europe, garnering praise for its live set and fueling anticipation for this studio debut, which features tunes by each of the four musicians.

3. Sign of Life, Music for 858 Quartet by Bill Frisell (Savoy Jazz, April 26, 2011) CLICK HERE TO BUY

It’s hard to find a more fruitful meditation on American music than in the compositions of guitarist Bill Frisell. –NY Times. Bill Frisell’s remarkable artistry shines through on this brand new album with his world renowned 858 string quartet. Featuring Jenny Scheinman (violin), Eyvind Kang (viola), and Hank Roberts (cello), Sign Of Life was born out of Bill’s composing retreat in Vermont during the fall of 2010. The entire album was recorded, mixed, and mastered in only 3 months – the shortest gestation period ever for a Frisell recording.

4. ‘Round Midnight by Karrin Allyson (Concord Records, May 3, 2011) CLICK HERE TO BUY

`Round Midnight, an 11 track collection was recorded at Sear Sound in New York City and features tracks from a wide variety of sources, including Bill Evans, Paul Simon, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mandel, Thelonious Monk, Stephen Sondheim, even Charlie Chaplin. But regardless of who wrote the songs and when, Allyson ties them all together with the same melancholy thread with which they were originally spun. The three time GRAMMY nominated vocalist describes her new album best in her liner notes: “Imagine yourself, in the city, walking late at night,” she writes. “It’s `Round Midnight. The wind is cold, but you hear some warm sounds and you follow your ear down into a small, dark club. There’s a woman at the piano singing these intimate ballads – one after the other. Maybe you’ve just recently suffered a heartache, or maybe the lyrics, melodies and harmonies evoke feelings you have somewhere deep down inside.”

5. Live at Birdland by Lee Konitz/Brad Mehldau/Charlie Haden/Paul Motian (ECM Records, May 17, 2011) CLICK HERE TO BUY

A quartet of master musicians and a program of jazz classics. Live At Birdland presents the finest moments from two inspired nights at New York’s legendary club, as Konitz, Mehldau, Haden and Motian play “Loverman”, “Lullaby Of Birdland”, “Solar”, “I Fall In Love Too Easily”, “You Stepped Out Of A Dream” and “Oleo” with freedom, tenderness, and a love of melody that only jazz’s greatest improvisers can propose. On this live recording from New York’s legendary club, an ensemble of history-making players dives into the music without a set list. Four exceptional jazz musicians -Lee Konitz, Brad Mehldau, Charlie Haden and Paul Motian – approach the standards from new perspectives and unusual angles. They play them with freedom, tenderness and a melodic and rhythmic understanding found only amongst jazz’s greatest improvisers.

“Now in Stores” XI

“Now in Stores” X

“Now In Stores” IX

“Now In Stores” VIII

“Now In Stores” VII

Now in Stores (Late May, June, and July)

“Now in Stores” – 5/16/2010 to 5/22/2010

“Now in Stores” – 5/2/2010 to 5/8/2010

“Now in Stores” – 4/25/2010 to 5/1/2010

“Now in Stores” – 4/18/2010 t0 4/24/2010

“Now In Stores” – 5 Noteworthy Jazz Albums Released this Week (4/11/2010-4/17/10)

Posted on

‘Louis the Movie’

From the Associated Press. Although unfortunate that the screenings with live music by Wynton Marsalis was only held in five cities, it is encouraging that the director intends to eventually get the film out to a larger audience, even if it means adding a recorded soundtrack.

—-                        —-                                —-                          —-

Dan Pritzker has spent more than 15 years and millions of dollars trying to bring the story of a jazz singer of whom little is known to the big screen.

0802 louis armstrong.JPG

Then he decided to release another movie first. And not just any other movie, but a silent, black-and-white movie about Louis Armstrong.

“Since I finished the silent film first, it’s kind of like I finished my second film before I finished my first, which is a little ridiculous,” Pritzker acknowledged.

Pritzker, the billionaire son of the late Hyatt hotel magnate Jay Pritzker and a musician in his own right with the R&B band Sonia Dada, had intended to release “Bolden,” starring Anthony Mackie, as his debut film project. It’s about Buddy Bolden, the cornet player virtually unknown in most circles but credited with being one of the creators of jazz.

But while Pritzker was writing the script for that movie in 2001, he took his mother to see the Charlie Chaplin classic “City Lights,” complete with a live symphony, in Chicago. He decided it would be a challenge to make a silent film as well, one that was supposed to pick up where “Bolden” left off.

That’s where the inspiration for “Louis” was born. It tells a fictional story of a 6-year-old Louis Armstrong (played by Anthony Coleman), whose dreams of playing the trumpet are intertwined with the seedy, corrupt underworld of early 20th century New Orleans. Jackie Earle Haley plays an evil, corrupt politician with more than a passing interest in a brothel, and Shanti Lowry stars as the beautiful prostitute who captures the heart of the politician and young Louis.

Lowry, who stars in both movies as the same character, said she didn’t know what to expect while filming the silent “Louis,” but she wasn’t at a disadvantage because neither did anyone else, including Pritzker.

“Dan was in the same boat with us. He’d never done it before,” Lowry said. “And every day we got on the set and created the scene. It was not always exactly what was on the page. … It was an adventure every day.”

The movie, photographed by Academy Award-winning cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond, opened Aug. 25 in Chicago, played in Detroit, and is scheduled to be screened in Bethesda, Md., New York and Philadelphia over the next few days. Each showing will feature live accompaniment by jazz great Wynton Marsalis, the film’s executive producer, his 10-piece ensemble, and pianist Cecile Licad.

Right now, there are no plans to show “Louis” in other theaters after its initial dates. But Pritzker said he’ll figure out how to bring “Louis” to a wider audience, even if it means showing the movie with recorded music instead of a live orchestra.

“I’ve been showing it to people with music just attached to it,” he said. “Humility aside, it came out really well, and it plays completely.”

Lowry agrees, saying she doesn’t care if it’s a commercial success but only hopes those who do see it “Louis” love it as much as she does.

“It’s like a museum piece,” she said. “You could freeze frame any piece and put it on a wall.”

Now that “Louis” is out, Pritzker can concentrate once again on his first love, the movie “Bolden.”

Bolden was institutionalized in 1907 and died in 1931 without leaving behind a single recorded note of music, but is considered by many historians as an integral figure in the creation of jazz.

“It’s the poetry and the tragedy — an anonymous black guy who created this music that’s incredible,” Pritzker said. “Jazz is the American art form.

http://www.louisthemovie.com/

The Associated Press