Freefall jazz band
Mayfire
Six Bells
Saturday August 14th
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Tuesday 25 May 2010
Friday 21 May 2010
HANK JONES
Biography
Born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Henry "Hank" Jones moved to Pontiac, Michigan, where his father, a Baptist deacon and lumber inspector, bought a three-story brick home. One of seven children, Jones was raised in a musical family. His mother sang; his two older sisters studied piano; and his two younger brothers—Thad, a trumpeter, and Elvin, a drummer—also became prominent jazz musicians.[5] He studied piano at an early age and came under the influence of Earl Hines, Fats Waller, Teddy Wilson, and Art Tatum. By the age of 13 Jones was performing locally in Michigan and Ohio. While playing with territory bands in Grand Rapids and Lansing in 1944 he met Lucky Thompson, who invited Jones to work in New York City at the Onyx Club with Hot Lips Page.[6]
In New York, Jones regularly listened to leading bop musicians, and was inspired to master the new style. While practicing and studying the music he worked with John Kirby, Howard McGhee, Coleman Hawkins, Andy Kirk, and Billy Eckstine. In autumn 1947, he began touring in Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic package, and from 1948 to 1953 he was accompanist for Ella Fitzgerald, and accompanying her in England in the Fall of 1948,[7] developed a harmonic facility of extraordinary taste and sophistication. During this period he also made several historically important recordings with Charlie Parker, which included "The Song Is You", from the Now's the Time album, recorded in December 1952, with Teddy Kotick on bass and Max Roach on drums.
Engagements with Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman followed, and recordings with artists such as Lester Young, Cannonball Adderley, and Wes Montgomery, in addition to being for a time, 'house pianist' on the Savoy label. From 1959 through 1975 Jones was staff pianist for CBS studios.[8] This included backing guests like Frank Sinatra on The Ed Sullivan Show.[9] With his rare combination of talents as a strong soloist, sensitive accompanist, and adept sight-reader, Jones was always in great demand for recording sessions of all kinds, and may be heard on thousands of albums. An anecdote of those years is that he was on stage at the piano behind Marilyn Monroe as she sang "Happy Birthday Mr. President" to John F. Kennedy on May 19, 1962. By the late 1970s, his involvement as pianist and conductor with the Broadway musical Ain't Misbehavin' (based on the music of Fats Waller) had informed a wider audience of his unique qualities as a musician.
During the late 1970s and the 1980s, Jones continued to record prolifically, as an unaccompanied soloist, in duos with other pianists (including John Lewis and Tommy Flanagan), and with various small ensembles, most notably the Great Jazz Trio. The group took this name in 1976, by which time Jones had already begun working at the Village Vanguard with its original members, Ron Carter and Tony Williams (it was Buster Williams rather than Carter, however, who took part in the trio's first recording session in 1976); by 1980 Jones' sidemen were Eddie Gomez and Al Foster, and in 1982 Jimmy Cobb replaced Foster. The trio also recorded with other all-star personnel, such as Art Farmer, Benny Golson, and Nancy Wilson. In the early 1980s Jones held a residency as a solo pianist at the Cafe Ziegfeld and made a tour of Japan, where he performed and recorded with George Duvivier and Sonny Stitt. Jones' versatility was more in evidence with the passage of time. He collaborated on recordings of Afro-pop with an ensemble from Mali and on an album of spirituals, hymns and folksongs with Charlie Haden called Steal Away (1995).
Some of his later recordings are For My Father (2005) with bassist George Mraz and drummer Dennis Mackrel, a solo piano recording issued in Japan under the title Round Midnight (2006), and as a side man on Joe Lovano's Joyous Encounter (2005). Jones made his debut on Lineage records, recording with Frank Wess and with guitar player Eddie Diehl, but also appears on West of 5th (2006) with Jimmy Cobb and Christian McBride on Chesky Records. He also accompanied Diana Krall for "Dream a Little Dream of Me" on the album compilation, We all Love Ella (Verve 2007). He is one of the musicians who test and talk about the piano in the documentary Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037, released in November 2007.
In early 2000, the Hank Jones Quartet accompanied jazz singer Salena Jones at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Idaho, and in 2006 at the legendary Monterey Jazz Festival with both jazz singer Roberta Gambarini and the Oscar Peterson Trio.
Hank Jones lived in upstate New York and in Manhattan. He died at a hospice in Manhattan, New York, on May 16, 2010. He is survived by his wife Theodosia and several nieces and nephews.
Born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Henry "Hank" Jones moved to Pontiac, Michigan, where his father, a Baptist deacon and lumber inspector, bought a three-story brick home. One of seven children, Jones was raised in a musical family. His mother sang; his two older sisters studied piano; and his two younger brothers—Thad, a trumpeter, and Elvin, a drummer—also became prominent jazz musicians.[5] He studied piano at an early age and came under the influence of Earl Hines, Fats Waller, Teddy Wilson, and Art Tatum. By the age of 13 Jones was performing locally in Michigan and Ohio. While playing with territory bands in Grand Rapids and Lansing in 1944 he met Lucky Thompson, who invited Jones to work in New York City at the Onyx Club with Hot Lips Page.[6]
In New York, Jones regularly listened to leading bop musicians, and was inspired to master the new style. While practicing and studying the music he worked with John Kirby, Howard McGhee, Coleman Hawkins, Andy Kirk, and Billy Eckstine. In autumn 1947, he began touring in Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic package, and from 1948 to 1953 he was accompanist for Ella Fitzgerald, and accompanying her in England in the Fall of 1948,[7] developed a harmonic facility of extraordinary taste and sophistication. During this period he also made several historically important recordings with Charlie Parker, which included "The Song Is You", from the Now's the Time album, recorded in December 1952, with Teddy Kotick on bass and Max Roach on drums.
Engagements with Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman followed, and recordings with artists such as Lester Young, Cannonball Adderley, and Wes Montgomery, in addition to being for a time, 'house pianist' on the Savoy label. From 1959 through 1975 Jones was staff pianist for CBS studios.[8] This included backing guests like Frank Sinatra on The Ed Sullivan Show.[9] With his rare combination of talents as a strong soloist, sensitive accompanist, and adept sight-reader, Jones was always in great demand for recording sessions of all kinds, and may be heard on thousands of albums. An anecdote of those years is that he was on stage at the piano behind Marilyn Monroe as she sang "Happy Birthday Mr. President" to John F. Kennedy on May 19, 1962. By the late 1970s, his involvement as pianist and conductor with the Broadway musical Ain't Misbehavin' (based on the music of Fats Waller) had informed a wider audience of his unique qualities as a musician.
During the late 1970s and the 1980s, Jones continued to record prolifically, as an unaccompanied soloist, in duos with other pianists (including John Lewis and Tommy Flanagan), and with various small ensembles, most notably the Great Jazz Trio. The group took this name in 1976, by which time Jones had already begun working at the Village Vanguard with its original members, Ron Carter and Tony Williams (it was Buster Williams rather than Carter, however, who took part in the trio's first recording session in 1976); by 1980 Jones' sidemen were Eddie Gomez and Al Foster, and in 1982 Jimmy Cobb replaced Foster. The trio also recorded with other all-star personnel, such as Art Farmer, Benny Golson, and Nancy Wilson. In the early 1980s Jones held a residency as a solo pianist at the Cafe Ziegfeld and made a tour of Japan, where he performed and recorded with George Duvivier and Sonny Stitt. Jones' versatility was more in evidence with the passage of time. He collaborated on recordings of Afro-pop with an ensemble from Mali and on an album of spirituals, hymns and folksongs with Charlie Haden called Steal Away (1995).
Some of his later recordings are For My Father (2005) with bassist George Mraz and drummer Dennis Mackrel, a solo piano recording issued in Japan under the title Round Midnight (2006), and as a side man on Joe Lovano's Joyous Encounter (2005). Jones made his debut on Lineage records, recording with Frank Wess and with guitar player Eddie Diehl, but also appears on West of 5th (2006) with Jimmy Cobb and Christian McBride on Chesky Records. He also accompanied Diana Krall for "Dream a Little Dream of Me" on the album compilation, We all Love Ella (Verve 2007). He is one of the musicians who test and talk about the piano in the documentary Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037, released in November 2007.
In early 2000, the Hank Jones Quartet accompanied jazz singer Salena Jones at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Idaho, and in 2006 at the legendary Monterey Jazz Festival with both jazz singer Roberta Gambarini and the Oscar Peterson Trio.
Hank Jones lived in upstate New York and in Manhattan. He died at a hospice in Manhattan, New York, on May 16, 2010. He is survived by his wife Theodosia and several nieces and nephews.
KING OLIVER'S CREOLE JAZZ BAND
King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band was one of the best and most important bands in early Jazz. The Creole Jazz Band was made up of the cream of New Orleans Hot Jazz musicians, featuring Baby Dodds on drums, Honore Dutrey on trombone, Bill Johnson on bass, Louis Armstrong on second cornet, Johnny Dodds on clarinet, Lil Hardin-Armstrong on piano, and the band's leader, King Oliver on cornet. In 1922 Armstrong received a telegram from his mentor Joe Oliver, asking him to join the band in Chicago. He nervously accepted and went north to Chicago to play second cornet with the band at the Lincoln Gardens at 459 East 31st Street. The addition of Armstrong to this already powerful and popular band took the town by storm. Soon musicians and fans were flocking to hear Louis' amazing cornet playing with the Oliver band. Louis met his second wife Lil Hardin who was the pianist in the Creole Jazz Band. Eventually it was she who urged Louis to leave the band so that he might live up to his true potential and not get stuck playing second to Oliver.
Title Recording Date Recording Location Company
Alligator Hop
(King Oliver / Alphonse Picou) 10-3-1923 Richmond, Indiana Gennett
5274-B
Canal Street Blues
(King Oliver / Louis Armstrong) 4-5-1923 Richmond, Indiana Gennett
5133-B
Chimes Blues
(King Oliver) 4-5-1923 Richmond, Indiana Gennett
5135-B
Dipper Mouth Blues
(King Oliver / Louis Armstrong) 4-6-1923 Richmond, Indiana Gennett
5132-A
Froggie Moore
(Benjamin Spikes / John Spikes / Jelly Roll Morton) 4-6-1923 Richmond, Indiana Gennett
5135-A
I'm Going Away To Wear You Off My Mind
(Charlie Johnson / Warren Smith / Lloyd Smith) 4-5-1923 Richmond, Indiana Gennett
5134-B
Just Gone
(King Oliver / Bill Johnson) 4-5-1923 Richmond, Indiana Gennett
5133-A
Krooked Blues
(Benjamin Spikes / John Spikes / Bill Johnson) 10-3-1923 Richmond, Indiana Gennett
5274-A
Mandy Lee Blues
(M. Bloom / Walter Melrose) 4-5-1923 Richmond, Indiana Gennett
5134-A
Snake Rag
(King Oliver / A.J. Piron) 4-6-1923 Richmond, Indiana Gennett
5184-B
Sugar Foot Stomp
(King Oliver / Louis Armstrong) 4-6-1923 Richmond, Indiana Gennett
3076-B
Weather Bird Rag
(Louis Armstrong) 4-6-1923 Richmond, Indiana Gennett
5132-B
Workingmans Blues
(King Oliver / Lil Hardin) 10-3-1923 Richmond, Indiana Gennett
5275-B
Zulu's Ball
(King Oliver / Robinson) 10-3-1923 Richmond, Indiana Gennett
5275-A
Artist Instrument
Lil Hardin-Armstrong Piano
Louis Armstrong Cornet
Baby Dodds Drums
Johnny Dodds Clarinet
Honore Dutrey Trombone
Stump Evans C-Melody Saxophone
Bill Johnson Bass
King Oliver Cornet, Leader
Johnny St. Cyr Banjo, Guitar
Thursday 20 May 2010
le Quintette du Hot Club de France
Quintette du Hot Club de France
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quintette du Hot Club de France was a jazz group founded in France in 1934 by guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stéphane Grappelli, and active in one form or another until 1948.
One of the earliest and most significant continental jazz groups in Europe, the Quintette was described by critic Thom Jurek[1] as "one of the most original bands in the history of recorded jazz." Their most famous lineup featured Reinhardt, Grappelli, bassist Louis Vola, and rhythm guitarists Roger Chaput and Joseph Reinhardt (Django's brother) who filled out the ensemble's sound and added occasional percussive effects.
[edit]History
There are several versions of how the band was formed. The most generally accepted version amongst modern jazz historians is that the group evolved from a series of backstage jams led by Django Reinhardt, with Stephane Grappelli. However, bassist Louis Vola said in an interview that he found the Reinhardt brothers playing on a beach at Toulon.[2] He invited them to jam with his own band, which included Grappelli and guitarist Roger Chaput.
After a series of informal jam sessions at the Hotel Claridge, concert promoters Pierre Nourry and Charles Delaunay (leaders of the "Hot Club de France", a society chaired by Hugues Panassié devoted to the appreciation of jazz) urged the formation of a full time group.[3] With the addition of Reinhardt's brother Joseph on second rhythm guitar, the quintet popularized the gypsy jazz style. A series of European tours were very successful, with the group enjoying particular popularity in the UK. Several bassists and rhythm guitarists rotated in and out of the group, with Django and Grappelli remaining the sole constants.
As World War II broke out in September 1939, the Quintette was on a concert tour of England. Reinhardt, who spoke virtually no English, immediately returned to France, where he thought he would feel safer than in the UK. Grappelli, meanwhile, stayed in England.
Django continued using the Quintette name with a different group, featuring Hubert Rostaing as the first of several clarinetists backed by a more conventional rhythm section with drums, bass and a rhythm guitar played by Django's son Lousson Reinhardt, or his brother Joseph. This version of the Quintette often featured six, not five, players, and was usually billed as "Django et le Quintette du Hot Club de France", or sometimes as Django's "Nouveau Quintette". Due to wartime shortages of material, this version of the Quintette did not issue many recordings, although they did issue the first recording of the Django Reinhardt composition Nuages, later to become a jazz standard.
In 1946, after the war, Grappelli and Django re-teamed under the Quintette banner in an all-string format. As before, they cycled through a number of rhythm guitarists and bassists. This last iteration of the Quintette performed and recorded intermittently until about 1948.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quintette du Hot Club de France was a jazz group founded in France in 1934 by guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stéphane Grappelli, and active in one form or another until 1948.
One of the earliest and most significant continental jazz groups in Europe, the Quintette was described by critic Thom Jurek[1] as "one of the most original bands in the history of recorded jazz." Their most famous lineup featured Reinhardt, Grappelli, bassist Louis Vola, and rhythm guitarists Roger Chaput and Joseph Reinhardt (Django's brother) who filled out the ensemble's sound and added occasional percussive effects.
[edit]History
There are several versions of how the band was formed. The most generally accepted version amongst modern jazz historians is that the group evolved from a series of backstage jams led by Django Reinhardt, with Stephane Grappelli. However, bassist Louis Vola said in an interview that he found the Reinhardt brothers playing on a beach at Toulon.[2] He invited them to jam with his own band, which included Grappelli and guitarist Roger Chaput.
After a series of informal jam sessions at the Hotel Claridge, concert promoters Pierre Nourry and Charles Delaunay (leaders of the "Hot Club de France", a society chaired by Hugues Panassié devoted to the appreciation of jazz) urged the formation of a full time group.[3] With the addition of Reinhardt's brother Joseph on second rhythm guitar, the quintet popularized the gypsy jazz style. A series of European tours were very successful, with the group enjoying particular popularity in the UK. Several bassists and rhythm guitarists rotated in and out of the group, with Django and Grappelli remaining the sole constants.
As World War II broke out in September 1939, the Quintette was on a concert tour of England. Reinhardt, who spoke virtually no English, immediately returned to France, where he thought he would feel safer than in the UK. Grappelli, meanwhile, stayed in England.
Django continued using the Quintette name with a different group, featuring Hubert Rostaing as the first of several clarinetists backed by a more conventional rhythm section with drums, bass and a rhythm guitar played by Django's son Lousson Reinhardt, or his brother Joseph. This version of the Quintette often featured six, not five, players, and was usually billed as "Django et le Quintette du Hot Club de France", or sometimes as Django's "Nouveau Quintette". Due to wartime shortages of material, this version of the Quintette did not issue many recordings, although they did issue the first recording of the Django Reinhardt composition Nuages, later to become a jazz standard.
In 1946, after the war, Grappelli and Django re-teamed under the Quintette banner in an all-string format. As before, they cycled through a number of rhythm guitarists and bassists. This last iteration of the Quintette performed and recorded intermittently until about 1948.
THE LES DEMERLE BIG BAND
The Dynamic Les DeMerle 17 Piece Orch. featuring Bonnie Eisele is sheer joy, rockin' the house with Big Band classics, show tunes, Motown, Latin and rock 'n' roll.The sound quality is impeccable,very big band,very happenin',hip,and swingin'." FolioMag
Thursday 13 May 2010
Singer Cesaria Evora has undergone open heart surgery in Paris following an emergency "coronary problem" this weekend. She is recovering in hospital and has cancelled the remainder of her 2010 concert dates.
Evora, Cape Verde's most famous musician, was in the middle of a world tour – her first major performances since suffering a stroke in 2008. She performed in Lisbon on Saturday night, but was rushed to a Paris hospital's emergency department the following day. Surgery took place on Monday night, lasting about six hours. "Everything went as well as could be expected, according to the surgeons," her record label, Lusafrica, said. "She was placed in intensive care following the surgery and she regained consciousness [on Tuesday] morning."
Sixty-eight year-old Evora is the world's best-known singer of morna, a Cape Verdean song and dance tradition that is often compared to the blues. Celebrated as the "Barefoot Diva", she has released 11 albums since 1988. The most recent of these, Nha Sentimento, was issued late last year. Recorded as Evora recovered from her stroke, it explored the Middle Eastern influence on Cape Verdean music, including a collaboration with Egyptian musician Fathy Salama. The reissue of Nha Sentimento, featuring a bonus duet with rising Cape Verde star Lura, is due shortly.
Evora appeared in London just last week with European dates scheduled for May. She has also cancelled a North American tour, and late summer visits to China, Brazil and Tunisia. was barefoot, as always, and wandered on stage wearing a brown dress and cardigan, looking as disinterested as if she were on her way to the shops. Cesaria Evora has always been an anti-star, matching simple stagecraft with exquisite vocal work, and this London comeback – the first since she had a stroke two years ago – showed she remains a powerful, distinctive singer.
Evora, who will be 69 this summer, didn't became an international star until her 50s, when she was hailed as the queen of morna, the emotional, gently melancholic songs of loss and longing for home that are the Cape Verde answer to the blues. Much earlier in her career, singing in local bars, she had specialised in more upbeat coladera dance songs, and it was this style that dominated tonight. In short bursts, on songs such as Zinha from her most recent album, her compelling, sad-edged vocals matched successfully against furious violin, cavaquinho and saxophone work from an impressive (if relentlessly cheerful) eight-piece band.
All that was lacking was variety. The musicians calmed down a little to allow a more soulful treatment of the standard Bésame Mucho, but thoughtful mornas such as Sodade would have sounded better with minimal backing. The audience were ecstatic and clapped along, but Evora wandered off stage looking bemused.
Ballaké Sissoko, the Malian kora player, opened the show with a far more delicate and unexpected set. He may have been eclipsed by the success of his friend Toumani Diabaté, but he is an adventurous virtuoso, as he proved with this collaboration with the classically trained French cellist Vincent Segal, mixing African and western themes in exquisite, trance-like improvisations.
Evora, Cape Verde's most famous musician, was in the middle of a world tour – her first major performances since suffering a stroke in 2008. She performed in Lisbon on Saturday night, but was rushed to a Paris hospital's emergency department the following day. Surgery took place on Monday night, lasting about six hours. "Everything went as well as could be expected, according to the surgeons," her record label, Lusafrica, said. "She was placed in intensive care following the surgery and she regained consciousness [on Tuesday] morning."
Sixty-eight year-old Evora is the world's best-known singer of morna, a Cape Verdean song and dance tradition that is often compared to the blues. Celebrated as the "Barefoot Diva", she has released 11 albums since 1988. The most recent of these, Nha Sentimento, was issued late last year. Recorded as Evora recovered from her stroke, it explored the Middle Eastern influence on Cape Verdean music, including a collaboration with Egyptian musician Fathy Salama. The reissue of Nha Sentimento, featuring a bonus duet with rising Cape Verde star Lura, is due shortly.
Evora appeared in London just last week with European dates scheduled for May. She has also cancelled a North American tour, and late summer visits to China, Brazil and Tunisia. was barefoot, as always, and wandered on stage wearing a brown dress and cardigan, looking as disinterested as if she were on her way to the shops. Cesaria Evora has always been an anti-star, matching simple stagecraft with exquisite vocal work, and this London comeback – the first since she had a stroke two years ago – showed she remains a powerful, distinctive singer.
Evora, who will be 69 this summer, didn't became an international star until her 50s, when she was hailed as the queen of morna, the emotional, gently melancholic songs of loss and longing for home that are the Cape Verde answer to the blues. Much earlier in her career, singing in local bars, she had specialised in more upbeat coladera dance songs, and it was this style that dominated tonight. In short bursts, on songs such as Zinha from her most recent album, her compelling, sad-edged vocals matched successfully against furious violin, cavaquinho and saxophone work from an impressive (if relentlessly cheerful) eight-piece band.
All that was lacking was variety. The musicians calmed down a little to allow a more soulful treatment of the standard Bésame Mucho, but thoughtful mornas such as Sodade would have sounded better with minimal backing. The audience were ecstatic and clapped along, but Evora wandered off stage looking bemused.
Ballaké Sissoko, the Malian kora player, opened the show with a far more delicate and unexpected set. He may have been eclipsed by the success of his friend Toumani Diabaté, but he is an adventurous virtuoso, as he proved with this collaboration with the classically trained French cellist Vincent Segal, mixing African and western themes in exquisite, trance-like improvisations.
Wednesday 12 May 2010
LENA HORNE
Lena Horne passed away Sunday at the age of 92, leaving behind legacies in civil rights activism, television, film, theatre but, in all of it, song, beauty, and dignity. Born in Brooklyn, 1917, Horne already starred in a ...b>The Black American Jazz singer, Actress and Dancer who became famous after she replaced Dinah Shore from NBC’s popular jazz series The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street passed away yesterday at the age of 92 at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York, NY.
Coming from a family with a mixture of African, European, and Native American descent she joined the Cotton Club at the age of 16 and later toured with Noble Sissle’s Orchestra and Bandleader Charlie Barnet. Later she went on to replace Dinah Shore as the featured vocalist on NBC’s popular jazz series The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street.
After that she went on to work in Hollywood in films like Cabin in the Sky and Stormy Weather but her political views got her into trouble and she found herself in the blacklist of Hollywood. After this she went back to work in nightclubs but came back well in the main stream show business after she participated in March on Washington.
After that there was no looking back as she kept on working well in the main stream business as she performed in the night clubs and also released her albums that received favorable reviews. In 1980 she announced her retirement but came back next year to feature in Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music that won her numerous awards and also made her a household name. She even kept working in the 1990’s.
On her personal frontier she married twice, firstly to Louis Jordan Jones and then to Lennie Hayton who was a well-known musical conductor. Years later she revealed in her biography that she married Hayton to boost her showbiz career.
She also had two children’s from her first marriage daughter Gail Lumet Buckley and Son Edwin Jones who died in 1970 of a Kidney disease. Gail who became a well-known author was married to Director Sidney Lumet. Lena Horne also has a granddaughter from Gail and Lumet’s marriage Jenny Lumet who wrote the screenplay of Jonathan Demme’s Rachael Getting Married.
Lena Horne was also known as a Civil Rights activist who fought tooth and nail against racial discrimination in American Soil.
Coming from a family with a mixture of African, European, and Native American descent she joined the Cotton Club at the age of 16 and later toured with Noble Sissle’s Orchestra and Bandleader Charlie Barnet. Later she went on to replace Dinah Shore as the featured vocalist on NBC’s popular jazz series The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street.
After that she went on to work in Hollywood in films like Cabin in the Sky and Stormy Weather but her political views got her into trouble and she found herself in the blacklist of Hollywood. After this she went back to work in nightclubs but came back well in the main stream show business after she participated in March on Washington.
After that there was no looking back as she kept on working well in the main stream business as she performed in the night clubs and also released her albums that received favorable reviews. In 1980 she announced her retirement but came back next year to feature in Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music that won her numerous awards and also made her a household name. She even kept working in the 1990’s.
On her personal frontier she married twice, firstly to Louis Jordan Jones and then to Lennie Hayton who was a well-known musical conductor. Years later she revealed in her biography that she married Hayton to boost her showbiz career.
She also had two children’s from her first marriage daughter Gail Lumet Buckley and Son Edwin Jones who died in 1970 of a Kidney disease. Gail who became a well-known author was married to Director Sidney Lumet. Lena Horne also has a granddaughter from Gail and Lumet’s marriage Jenny Lumet who wrote the screenplay of Jonathan Demme’s Rachael Getting Married.
Lena Horne was also known as a Civil Rights activist who fought tooth and nail against racial discrimination in American Soil.
Saturday 8 May 2010
CAREFUSION JAZZ FESTIVAL NEW YORK
Here are the performances you and a guest will see:
Thursday, June 17 – Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Jack DeJohnette
Saturday, June 19 – An Evening with Chris Botti
Tuesday, June 22 – The Genius of João Gilberto
Thursday, June 24 – Herbie Hancock Seven Decades: The Birthday Celebration with special guests Terence Blanchard, Ron Carter, Bill Cosby, Joe Lovano, Wallace Roney, Wayne Shorter, and more
Friday, June 25 – Cesaria Evora with special guest Lura
Gigs
Next Last
1. Priory Jazz Club and Restaurant - 233 West Market St., Newark, NJ 973 242-8012
2. 46 Lounge - 300 Rt. 46 East, Totowa, NJ 973-890-9699
3. 55 Bar - 55 Christopher St. New York NY (212) 929-9883
4. Alor Cafe Bar & Lounge - 2110 Richmond Rd., Staten Isalnd, NY 10306 718-351-1101
5. Arts Factory - 280 Avenue E, Bayonne, NJ 201-436-6700
6. B.B. King Blues Club - 247 W. 42nd St. New York NY
7. Bar 4 - 444 7th Avenue at 15th St., Brooklyn (718) 832-9800
8. Bar Next Door - 129 MacDougal St. (between W. 3rd & W. 4th St.), New York, NY (212) 529-5945
9. Barge Music - Fulton Ferry Landing, Brooklyn (718) 624-2083
10. Barron Arts Center - 582 Rahway Ave. Woodbridge, NJ 07095 732-634-0413
11. BeanRunner Cafe - 201 S. Division Street, Peekskill, NY 914-737-1701
12. BergenPac - 30 North Van Brundt Street, Englewood, NJ 201-816-8160
13. Big Apple Jazz Center - 2236 Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd. (131st & 132nd Sts.), Harlem, NY 10027
14. Bill's Place - 148 W 13rd Street in Harlem, between Lenox & 7th Avenues 212-281-0777
15. Birdland - 315 W. 44th St. between 8th & 9th Ave. New York NY (212) 581-3080
16. Black Workers Pub - 883 Sanford Avenue, Irvington, NJ (201)320-8689
17. Blue Moon Mexican Cafe - 216 Old Tappan Road, Bi-State Plaza, Old Tappan, NJ 07675 201.263.0244
18. Blue Note - 131 W. 3rd St. between 6th Ave and MacDougal St. New York NY (212) 475-8592
19. Bluewoods Music Space - 10 Jay Street (at John Street) 5th Floor, on the water in DUMBO, Brooklyn, NY 11201 (718) 797-3150
20. BRICstudio - 647 Fulton St., 2nd Fl. Brooklyn 718-855-7882
21. Cachaca Jazz 'n' Samba Club - 35 West 8th Street, Greenwich Village, NYC (212) 388-9099
22. Cecil's - 364 Valley Rd, West Orange (973) 736-4800
23. Cent'Anni Restaurant - 5 Highland Place, Maplewood, NJ 07040 973-763-3083
24. Centenary College - 400 Jefferson Street, Hackettstown, NJ 07840 (908) 979-0900
25. Chakra Restaurant - W. 144 Rt. 4 East, Paramus, NJ 201) 556-1530
Next Last
1. Priory Jazz Club and Restaurant - 233 West Market St., Newark, NJ 973 242-8012
2. 46 Lounge - 300 Rt. 46 East, Totowa, NJ 973-890-9699
3. 55 Bar - 55 Christopher St. New York NY (212) 929-9883
4. Alor Cafe Bar & Lounge - 2110 Richmond Rd., Staten Isalnd, NY 10306 718-351-1101
5. Arts Factory - 280 Avenue E, Bayonne, NJ 201-436-6700
6. B.B. King Blues Club - 247 W. 42nd St. New York NY
7. Bar 4 - 444 7th Avenue at 15th St., Brooklyn (718) 832-9800
8. Bar Next Door - 129 MacDougal St. (between W. 3rd & W. 4th St.), New York, NY (212) 529-5945
9. Barge Music - Fulton Ferry Landing, Brooklyn (718) 624-2083
10. Barron Arts Center - 582 Rahway Ave. Woodbridge, NJ 07095 732-634-0413
11. BeanRunner Cafe - 201 S. Division Street, Peekskill, NY 914-737-1701
12. BergenPac - 30 North Van Brundt Street, Englewood, NJ 201-816-8160
13. Big Apple Jazz Center - 2236 Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd. (131st & 132nd Sts.), Harlem, NY 10027
14. Bill's Place - 148 W 13rd Street in Harlem, between Lenox & 7th Avenues 212-281-0777
15. Birdland - 315 W. 44th St. between 8th & 9th Ave. New York NY (212) 581-3080
16. Black Workers Pub - 883 Sanford Avenue, Irvington, NJ (201)320-8689
17. Blue Moon Mexican Cafe - 216 Old Tappan Road, Bi-State Plaza, Old Tappan, NJ 07675 201.263.0244
18. Blue Note - 131 W. 3rd St. between 6th Ave and MacDougal St. New York NY (212) 475-8592
19. Bluewoods Music Space - 10 Jay Street (at John Street) 5th Floor, on the water in DUMBO, Brooklyn, NY 11201 (718) 797-3150
20. BRICstudio - 647 Fulton St., 2nd Fl. Brooklyn 718-855-7882
21. Cachaca Jazz 'n' Samba Club - 35 West 8th Street, Greenwich Village, NYC (212) 388-9099
22. Cecil's - 364 Valley Rd, West Orange (973) 736-4800
23. Cent'Anni Restaurant - 5 Highland Place, Maplewood, NJ 07040 973-763-3083
24. Centenary College - 400 Jefferson Street, Hackettstown, NJ 07840 (908) 979-0900
25. Chakra Restaurant - W. 144 Rt. 4 East, Paramus, NJ 201) 556-1530
Next Last
Thursday 6 May 2010
DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER
Born in Memphis and raised in the Midwest, host Dee Dee Bridgewater moved to New York and – as Glinda the Witch in The Wiz on Broadway – won a 1975 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. Monday nights, she sang jazz with the popular Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra downtown at the Village Vanguard. He' LP's from that era include Dee Dee Bridgewater, Just Family, and Bad for Me, about which a consumer reviewer wrote thirty years lat"r, "This upbeat disco album encapsulates all that was right about the Disco "ra."
In the 1980s, Bridgewater settled in Paris to perform in Sophisticated Ladies and Lady Day, a one-woman portrayal of Billie Holiday in French, which earned her a Sir Laurence Olivier Award nomination.
In 1995, her self-produced CD Love and Peace: A Tribute to Horace Silver brought Bridgewater's voice back to the United States. Dear Ella, dedicated to Ella Fitzgerald, won two Grammy Awards in 1998. Subsequently, Bridgewater has produced This Is New with music of Kurt Weill, and J'ai Deux Amours/Two Loves Have I. Her current self-produced, Grammy-nominated album, Red Earth – A Malian Journey, features Bridgewater with her trio, guest vocalists and a balaphon/kora/flute/percussion/vocal ensemble from the small west African nation she embraces as her ancestral home.
Bridgewater became the host of JazzSet in October 2001, on the retirement of the original host, saxophonist Branford Marsalis.
In the 1980s, Bridgewater settled in Paris to perform in Sophisticated Ladies and Lady Day, a one-woman portrayal of Billie Holiday in French, which earned her a Sir Laurence Olivier Award nomination.
In 1995, her self-produced CD Love and Peace: A Tribute to Horace Silver brought Bridgewater's voice back to the United States. Dear Ella, dedicated to Ella Fitzgerald, won two Grammy Awards in 1998. Subsequently, Bridgewater has produced This Is New with music of Kurt Weill, and J'ai Deux Amours/Two Loves Have I. Her current self-produced, Grammy-nominated album, Red Earth – A Malian Journey, features Bridgewater with her trio, guest vocalists and a balaphon/kora/flute/percussion/vocal ensemble from the small west African nation she embraces as her ancestral home.
Bridgewater became the host of JazzSet in October 2001, on the retirement of the original host, saxophonist Branford Marsalis.
Monday 3 May 2010
BUDE JAZZ FESTIVAL
Saturday 1 May 2010
The one and only Gil Evans
Born Ian Ernest Gilmore Green, his name was changed early on to Evans, the name of his stepfather. His family moved to Stockton, California where he spent most of his youth. After 1946, he lived and worked primarily in New York City, living for many years at Westbeth Artists Community. [1]
Between 1941 and 1948, he worked as an arranger for the Claude Thornhill Orchestra. Evans' modest basement apartment behind a New York City Chinese laundry soon became a meeting place for musicians looking to develop new musical styles outside of the dominant bebop style of the day. Those present included the leading bebop performer Charlie Parker himself. In 1948, Evans, with Miles Davis, Gerry Mulligan, and others, collaborated on a band book for a nonet. The group was booked for a week at the "Royal Roost" as an intermission group on the bill with the Count Basie Orchestra. Capitol Records recorded 12 numbers by the nonet at three sessions in 1949 and 1950. These recordings were reissued on a 1959 Miles Davis LP titled Birth of the Cool.
Later, while Davis was under contract to Columbia Records, producer George Avakian suggested that Davis work with any of several arrangers. Davis immediately chose Evans. The three albums that resulted from the resulting collaboration are Miles Ahead (1957), Porgy and Bess (1958), and Sketches of Spain (1960). Another collaboration from this period, Quiet Nights (1962) was issued later, against the wishes of Davis, who broke with his then-producer Teo Macero for a time as a result. Although these four records were marketed primarily under Davis's name (and credited to Miles Davis and the Gil Evans Big Band), Evans's contribution was as important as Davis's. Their work coupled Evans's classic big band jazz stylings and arrangements with Davis's solo playing. Evans also contributed behind the scenes to Davis' classic quintet albums of the 1960s.
From 1957 onwards Evans recorded, under his own name, Big Stuff (1957, aka Gil Evans & Ten), New Bottle Old Wine and Great Jazz Standards (a.k.a. "Pacific Standard Time", 1957-58), Out of the Cool (1960), and The Individualism Of Gil Evans (1964). Among the featured soloists on these records were Lee Konitz, Steve Lacy, Johnny Coles and Cannonball Adderley. In 1965 he arranged the big band tracks on Kenny Burrell's Guitar Forms album. Evans was quite warm to Latin and Brazilian music. 1966 he recorded a 'special' Latin album with his orchestra, Look To The Rainbow, for the Brazilian singer Astrud Gilberto. Evans toured extensively during 1972-87, performing frequently in European concerts and festivals, and traveling twice to Japan, once with Jaco Pastorius.
In the 1970s, following Davis and many other jazz musicians, Evans worked in the free jazz and jazz-rock idioms, gaining a new generation of admirers. Evans had a particular interest in the work of rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix's 1970 death made impossible a scheduled meeting with Evans to discuss having Hendrix front a big band led by Evans. In 1974, he released an album of his arrangements of music by Hendrix. In 1986, Evans produced and arranged the soundtrack to the film of the Colin MacInnes book Absolute Beginners, thereby working with such contemporary artists as Sade Adu, Patsy Kensit's Eight Wonder, The Style Council, Jerry Dammers, Smiley Culture, Edward Tudor-Pole, and, notably, David Bowie. In 1987, Evans recorded a live CD with Sting, featuring big band arrangements of songs by and with The Police.
In April 1983, the Gil Evans Orchestra was booked into the Sweet Basil jazz club (Greenwich Village, New York) by jazz producer and Sweet Basil owner Horst Liepolt. This turned out to be a regular Monday night engagement for Evans for nearly five years and also resulted in the release of a number of successful albums by Gil Evans and the Monday Night Orchestra (produced by Horst Liepolt). One of these albums, Bud and Bird, won the Grammy award for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band in 1989.
In 1986, Evans was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame.[citation needed]
Evans died in the same Mexican city as Charles Mingus, Cuernavaca.[1]
[edit]Discography
1957: Gil Evans & Ten
1958: New Bottle Old Wine
1959: Great Jazz Standards
1960: Out of the Cool
1961: Into the Hot
1964: The Individualism of Gil Evans
1965: Guitar Forms (with Kenny Burrell)
1966: Look to the Rainbow (with Astrud Gilberto)
1971: Blues in Orbit
1971: Where Flamingos Fly (Artists House)
1973: Svengali
1975: Plays the Music of Jimi Hendrix
1975: There Comes a Time
1977: Priestess (Antilles Records)
1978: Little Wing (Circle Records (Germany))
1980: Live at the Public Theater Volume 1 & 2
1986: Live at Sweet Basil
1986: Farewell
1986: Bud and Bird (Grammy award winner 1989)
1986: Absolute Beginners Soundtrack
1987: Live at Umbria Jazz: Volume 1 & 2
1987: 75th Birthday Concert
1987: Paris Blues (duo with Steve Lacy)
1987: Last Session (with Sting)
1988: A Tribute to Gil
1990: Gil Evans with RMS - Take Me To The Sun
[edit]Filmography
2005: RMS Live With Gil Evans at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1983
2007: Gil Evans and His Orchestra[2]
2007: Strange Fruit with String
2009: Miles Davis The Cool Jazz Sound
Between 1941 and 1948, he worked as an arranger for the Claude Thornhill Orchestra. Evans' modest basement apartment behind a New York City Chinese laundry soon became a meeting place for musicians looking to develop new musical styles outside of the dominant bebop style of the day. Those present included the leading bebop performer Charlie Parker himself. In 1948, Evans, with Miles Davis, Gerry Mulligan, and others, collaborated on a band book for a nonet. The group was booked for a week at the "Royal Roost" as an intermission group on the bill with the Count Basie Orchestra. Capitol Records recorded 12 numbers by the nonet at three sessions in 1949 and 1950. These recordings were reissued on a 1959 Miles Davis LP titled Birth of the Cool.
Later, while Davis was under contract to Columbia Records, producer George Avakian suggested that Davis work with any of several arrangers. Davis immediately chose Evans. The three albums that resulted from the resulting collaboration are Miles Ahead (1957), Porgy and Bess (1958), and Sketches of Spain (1960). Another collaboration from this period, Quiet Nights (1962) was issued later, against the wishes of Davis, who broke with his then-producer Teo Macero for a time as a result. Although these four records were marketed primarily under Davis's name (and credited to Miles Davis and the Gil Evans Big Band), Evans's contribution was as important as Davis's. Their work coupled Evans's classic big band jazz stylings and arrangements with Davis's solo playing. Evans also contributed behind the scenes to Davis' classic quintet albums of the 1960s.
From 1957 onwards Evans recorded, under his own name, Big Stuff (1957, aka Gil Evans & Ten), New Bottle Old Wine and Great Jazz Standards (a.k.a. "Pacific Standard Time", 1957-58), Out of the Cool (1960), and The Individualism Of Gil Evans (1964). Among the featured soloists on these records were Lee Konitz, Steve Lacy, Johnny Coles and Cannonball Adderley. In 1965 he arranged the big band tracks on Kenny Burrell's Guitar Forms album. Evans was quite warm to Latin and Brazilian music. 1966 he recorded a 'special' Latin album with his orchestra, Look To The Rainbow, for the Brazilian singer Astrud Gilberto. Evans toured extensively during 1972-87, performing frequently in European concerts and festivals, and traveling twice to Japan, once with Jaco Pastorius.
In the 1970s, following Davis and many other jazz musicians, Evans worked in the free jazz and jazz-rock idioms, gaining a new generation of admirers. Evans had a particular interest in the work of rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix's 1970 death made impossible a scheduled meeting with Evans to discuss having Hendrix front a big band led by Evans. In 1974, he released an album of his arrangements of music by Hendrix. In 1986, Evans produced and arranged the soundtrack to the film of the Colin MacInnes book Absolute Beginners, thereby working with such contemporary artists as Sade Adu, Patsy Kensit's Eight Wonder, The Style Council, Jerry Dammers, Smiley Culture, Edward Tudor-Pole, and, notably, David Bowie. In 1987, Evans recorded a live CD with Sting, featuring big band arrangements of songs by and with The Police.
In April 1983, the Gil Evans Orchestra was booked into the Sweet Basil jazz club (Greenwich Village, New York) by jazz producer and Sweet Basil owner Horst Liepolt. This turned out to be a regular Monday night engagement for Evans for nearly five years and also resulted in the release of a number of successful albums by Gil Evans and the Monday Night Orchestra (produced by Horst Liepolt). One of these albums, Bud and Bird, won the Grammy award for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band in 1989.
In 1986, Evans was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame.[citation needed]
Evans died in the same Mexican city as Charles Mingus, Cuernavaca.[1]
[edit]Discography
1957: Gil Evans & Ten
1958: New Bottle Old Wine
1959: Great Jazz Standards
1960: Out of the Cool
1961: Into the Hot
1964: The Individualism of Gil Evans
1965: Guitar Forms (with Kenny Burrell)
1966: Look to the Rainbow (with Astrud Gilberto)
1971: Blues in Orbit
1971: Where Flamingos Fly (Artists House)
1973: Svengali
1975: Plays the Music of Jimi Hendrix
1975: There Comes a Time
1977: Priestess (Antilles Records)
1978: Little Wing (Circle Records (Germany))
1980: Live at the Public Theater Volume 1 & 2
1986: Live at Sweet Basil
1986: Farewell
1986: Bud and Bird (Grammy award winner 1989)
1986: Absolute Beginners Soundtrack
1987: Live at Umbria Jazz: Volume 1 & 2
1987: 75th Birthday Concert
1987: Paris Blues (duo with Steve Lacy)
1987: Last Session (with Sting)
1988: A Tribute to Gil
1990: Gil Evans with RMS - Take Me To The Sun
[edit]Filmography
2005: RMS Live With Gil Evans at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1983
2007: Gil Evans and His Orchestra[2]
2007: Strange Fruit with String
2009: Miles Davis The Cool Jazz Sound
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