The group members of this edition of the Donald Harrison Trio are Chris Severin on Bass, Herman Jackson on drums, and Donald Harrison on sax.

WINTER 2010 RELEASE ON ARC

Chris Severin has literally played and recorded with countless major figures in the music business and is an icon in New Orleans.

Herman Jackson is the brother of Randy Jackson of American Idol fame.  He was a student of the late Alvin Batiste and also an icon in Louisiana in his own right.

“They both are extrodinary musicians that the world will embrace I think. Looking forward to working with you,” Mr. Harrison wrote in a personal note to ARC about his new upcoming trio CD project release.

53rd GRAMMY AWARDS – ARC NOMINATION CONSIDERATIONS

The Recording Academy is now accepting submissions for GRAMMY consideration.  

Following are releases on the Artists Recording Collective (ARC) Record Label that are being entered for Nomination Consideration.  

We invite voting members to listen to these wonderful ARC releases during the process…

Join The Recording Academy at GRAMMY.COM

This new series combines the Boehm (French) and Oehler (German) systems into one – the D Concept (or “Deutsch Concept”). The mouthpieces in this series start as French-style mouthpiece blanks that are altered in such a way that they can be used interchangeably on French- or German-style clarinets. On the outside, they look like a German mouthpiece but on the inside the rails, bore, and length and diameter of the shank have all been adjusted to offer the perfect balance between a very warm sound, solid articulation and fantastic intonation.

ARC CONNECTION: Please note that ARC members, Donald Harrison and Bruce Williams officially endorse Vandoren Products. ARC co-founder Chris Burnett uses Vandoren clarinet mouthpieces, reeds and ligatures exclusively….

There are two models in the D Concept series: the M30D and the B40D. Both share the design specifications of their namesakes, the M30 and B40 respectively, but feature the unique approach of the D Concept design. Both German cut and French cut reeds can be used easily on these mouthpieces, providing a range of sound and response combinations previously only imagined.

“The response we got to these mouthpieces at ICA’s ClarinetFest® was unbelievably good,” noted Jim Metz, DANSR marketing manager. “Once word gets out how great these mouthpieces are, we’ll have a tough time keeping them in stock!”

The new Vandoren M30D and B40D are currently available and can be ordered from any authorized Vandoren dealer.

For more information on Vandoren products, contact DANSR, inc, at 888-707-4455 or consult the Vandoren website at www.vandoren.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Los Angeles, CA —) The California Jazz Foundation will present The Four Freshmen and The George Kahn Trio at the Catalina Jazz Club, 6725 West Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood on August 8th at 5:15 P.M. The Grammy-nominated Four Freshmen have dazzled millions of fans for six decades. They recently received the coveted Satchmo Award from the Sarasota Jazz Society.  The California Jazz Foundation is a nonprofit charitable organization formed to provide aid and assistance to California jazz musicians in crisis. We do so through a team of caring, knowledgeable professionals in collaboration with community partners.

The Four Freshmen continue to bring their unique brand of vocal harmony to global audiences, while touring the US and the world extensively. Their names have changed along the way but that legendary sound continues. The Four Freshmen were honored as Best Vocal Group in a 2007 Jazz Times Reader’s Poll.

The George Kahn Trio is a popular favorite at Catalina’s. Kahn recently released his seventh CD, Secrets from The Jazz Ghetto, a two-disc compilation featuring original material and stellar arrangements of classic standards. Kahn was the winner of the 2008 Chuck Niles Bebop Award at the Temecula Valley Jazz Festival.

The evening will begin with a no-host cocktail reception at 5:15 p.m., followed by the George Kahn Trio at 6:15 p.m. The live auction is scheduled at 7:15 p.m. The Four Freshmen will perform at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $100, reserved seating; $50, non-reserved and $25 for bar seating. Food or a two-drink minimum is required at all levels. Tickets may be purchased online at californiajazzfoundation.org

CJF is a non-profit organization that assists California jazz musicians in crisis. They do so through a team of caring, knowledgeable professionals in collaboration with community partners. For more information, call (818) 261-0057 or visit californiajazzfoundation.org

5:15 p.m. No-host cocktail reception

6:15 p.m. The George Kahn Trio
Classic, contemporary, hip and cool…all at once!

7:15 p.m. Live Auction

8:00 p.m. The Four Freshmen
Four-part harmonies, a twist of jazz, a splash of swing…and lots of fun!
—

CALIFORNIA JAZZ FOUNDATION

14156 Magnolia Blvd., Suite 200

Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

NEWS RELEASE

CONTACT:  Lauren Liebowitz (818) 261-0057

Duc des Lombards | Paris France

INVITATION TO JOURNALISTS AND RADIO PROGRAMMERS

Contact us to get your free media copy of this and any other ARC release!

SEBASTIEN PAINDESTRE TRIO | DUC DES LOMBARDS | BY PHILIPPE MARCHIN

Catalogue Number: ARC-2178 (one sheet)

Artist(s): Sébastien Paindestre

Title and Format: Live @ Duc des Lombards – AUDIO CD

Track listing: Métamorphose (S.Paindestre); Sail Away (Tom Harrell); Le Tourtour (S.Paindestre); Bess you is my woman now (G.Gershwin); Le Soupirail (S.Paindestre); 5 Bd Serrurier (S.Paindestre); La Java de la Luna II (S.Paindestre);  Ron’s Place (Brad Mehldau/M.A Mimouni)

Personnel: Sebastian Paindestre – piano; Jean-Claude Oleksiak – bass; Antoine Paganotti – drums.

“Three words that immediately come to mind: swing, elegance, interaction.  A fluidness circulates between the three of them.  A fluidness that enchants you.” - Jean-Michel Proust, artistic director of the Duc des Lombards (Paris, France)

SEBASTIEN PAINDESTRE TRIO | DUC DES LOMBARDS | BY PHILIPPE MARCHIN

“…Jazz is about the truth. It’s about creating and playing music from your center, so that what comes out is really you.” — Ronnell Bright

We encourage readers to also view the content that comes from this GOOGLE SEARCH RESULT to get an idea of the extent of Dr. Ronnell L. Bright’s career.  Of particular note is the 5-Part interview by music journalist, Marc Meyers on his JazzWax Blog.  There is also a very interesting Bill Fogarty piece published by the Jazz Ambassador Magazine.

BIOGRAPHY

A talented pianist who made an impact at a young age, Ronnel Bright has had compositions recorded by Sarah Vaughan, Cal Tjader, Horace Silver and Blue Mitchell, and collaborated with lyricist Johnny Mercer. He won a piano competition at nine and played with The Chicago Youth Piano Symphony Orchestra in 1944. Bright attended Juilliard and graduated in the early ’50s, playing his first jazz dates with a navy band. He later worked in Chicago with bassist Johnny Tate and was Carmen McRae’s accompanist in the mid-’50s. Bright moved to New York in 1955, then performed and recorded with Rolf Kuhn and formed his own trio in 1957. He played in Dizzy Gillespie’s big band in 1957 and 1958, and was accompanist and conductor for Vaughan, Lena Horne and Gloria Lynne at various times during the late ’50s and early ’60s. He became Nancy Wilson’s arranger, conductor, pianist and music director in 1964, moving to Los Angeles. There Bright became involved in studio work and joined Supersax in 1972. After leaving them in 1974, Bright taught high school for a year.

- by Ron Wynn

All Music Group

DR. RONNELL L. BRIGHT JOINS ARC

DR. RONNELL L. BRIGHT CREDITS

Year	Album	Artist
1956	After Hours Jazz	Ronnell Bright
1956	Bright’s Spot	Ronnell Bright
1956	Johnny Pate Trio	Johnnie Pate
1956	Trombones & Flute	Frank Wess
1957	After Glow	Carmen McRae
1957	Bright Flight	Ronnell Bright
1957	Jazz Is Busting Out All Over	Frank Wess
1957	Streamline	Rolf Kuhn
1957	Two Franks Please!	Frank Foster with Frank Wess
1958	No Count Sarah	Sarah Vaughan
1958	Rodgers & Hart Songbook	Sarah Vaughan
1958	Ronnell Bright Trio	Ronnell Bright Trio
1958	This Is Me, J.C.	J.C. Heard
1959	After Hours at the London House	Sarah Vaughan
1960	Blue’s Moods [Japan]	Blue Mitchell
1961	Hawk Relaxes	Coleman Hawkins
1962	Groovin’ with Buddy Tate	Buddy Tate
1963	Hollywood: My Way	Nancy Wilson
1963	I Just Dropped by to Say Hello [Japan Import]	Johnny Hartman
1964	After the Lights Go Down Low and Much More!!! [UK]	Freda Payne
1965	Nancy Wilson Show!	Nancy Wilson
1966	Workin’	Shirley Scott
1969	Hurt So Bad	Nancy Wilson
1971	Donny Hathaway	Donny Hathaway
1973	Supersax Plays Bird, Vol. 2: Salt Peanuts	Supersax
1973	Supersax Plays Bird	Supersax
1975	I Get a Kick Out of You	Anita O’Day
1984	Song for You	Anita O’Day
1986	Complete Sarah Vaughan on Mercury, Vol. 3: Great Show	Sarah Vaughan
1986	So	Peter Gabriel
1987	Compact Jazz: Sarah Vaughan (Live)	Sarah Vaughan
1987	Compact Jazz: Sarah Vaughan	Sarah Vaughan
1989	Dear Mr. Basie	Frank Wess and the Harry Edison Orchestr
1990	In Montreux	Dee Dee Bridgewater
1990	Thanks for the Memory	Ronnell Bright
1991	I Get a Kick Out of You: The Cole Porter Songbook, Vo	Various Artists
1992	Capitol 50th Anniversary Jazz Box	Various Artists
1992	Essential Sarah Vaughan: The Great Songs	Sarah Vaughan
1992	Jazz ‘Round Midnight: Sarah Vaughan	Sarah Vaughan
1993	Complete Cole Porter Songbooks	Various Artists
1993	Memorial Album	Sarah Vaughan
1994	Cole Porter in Concert: Just One of Those Live Things	Various Artists
1994	Either Side of Midnight	Various Artists
1994	Verve Jazz Masters 18	Sarah Vaughan
1995	Divine Miss V	Sarah Vaughan
1995	Groove Therapy	Richard Simon
1995	I’ll Be Seeing You	Carmen McRae
1995	Live in Chicago	Sarah Vaughan
1995	Love Album [US]	Doris Day
1995	Trombone Album	Various Artists
1996	All the Things You Are: The Jerome Kern Songbook	Various Artists
1996	American Songbook Series: James Van Heusen	Various Artists
1996	Jazz for Thousand Oaks	Buddy Collette
1997	Complete Jerome Kern Songbooks	Various Artists
1997	Lover Man [Meteor]	Sarah Vaughan
1997	Move Over Darling	Doris Day
1997	Texas Tenors	Various Artists
1997	Ultimate Sarah Vaughan	Sarah Vaughan
1998	Try a Little Tenderness/I’m Glad There Is You	Gloria Lynne
1999	Blue ‘N’ Groovy, Vol. 2: Mostly Modal	Various Artists
1999	Incontournables	Coleman Hawkins
2000	Best of the Everest Years	Gloria Lynne
2000	Carmen McRae’s Finest Hour	Carmen McRae
2000	Ken Burns Jazz	Sarah Vaughan
2000	Quincy Jones’ Finest Hour	Quincy Jones
2000	Sarah Vaughan’s Finest Hour	Sarah Vaughan
2001	All Time Greats [Crown Japan]	Sarah Vaughan
2001	Q: The Musical Biography of Quincy Jones	Quincy Jones
2002	Complete Roulette Sarah Vaughan Studio Sessions	Sarah Vaughan
2002	Definitive Sarah Vaughan	Sarah Vaughan
2002	Mercury Songbook	Various Artists
2003	Diva Series	Sarah Vaughan
2003	Jazz in Paris: Vaughan and Violins	Sarah Vaughan
2003	Misty	Sarah Vaughan
2003	Queen of the Organ: Memorial Album	Shirley Scott
2003	Sarah for Lovers	Sarah Vaughan
2003	Swingville Sampler	Various Artists
2004	Best of Coleman Hawkins	Coleman Hawkins
2005	Anthology	Sarah Vaughan
2005	For Lovers: Billie Holiday/Nina Simone/Sarah Vaughan	Various Artists
2005	Great American Songbook	Nancy Wilson
2005	Guess Who I Saw Today: Nancy Wilson Sings Songs of Lo	Nancy Wilson
2005	Jazz in Paris, Vol. 1: Champs-Élysées 1917-1949	Various Artists
2005	Live at Leo’s Casino	Gloria Lynne
2005	Live in New York	The Uptoqn Quintet
2005	NEA Jazz Masters	Sarah Vaughan
2005	Prestige Profiles, Vol. 4	Coleman Hawkins
2005	Save Your Love For Me: Nancy Wilson Sings the Great B	Nancy Wilson
2005	Save Your Love For Me: Nancy Wilson Sings the Great B	Nancy Wilson
2006	Music for Lovers	Horace Silver
2007	Jazz in Paris: 100′s Most Beautiful Melodies	Various Artists
2007	Jazz: Love Songs After Dark	Various Artists
2007	Live in ’58 & ’64 [DVD]	Sarah Vaughan
2007	Playboy Jazz: Jazz Love Songs After Dark	Various Artists
2008	Coffret Jazz in Paris	Various Artists
2009	Shining Hour	The Oster-Welker Jazz Alliance
2010	Live and S’Wonderful	Sarah Vaughan
	It’s About Time	H. Ray Crawford

DR. RONNELL L. BRIGHT with WILL MATTHEWS

Ronnell Bright is one of the most underrated jazz pianists of his generation. His classical background led him to approach the instrument with respect for its fullest potential, while much of his jazz apprenticeship was served with Chicago’s Johnny Pate Trio. Bright’s virtues include an exuberant beat and a supple, pliant conception at medium and up-tempos, with a subtle tenderness in ballads. His playing is full of technical ease, with an expressively pianistic touch, and he can create fascinatingly complete statements when he digs in.

- FRESH SOUND RECORDS

Dr. Ronnell L. Bright will be releasing an enormous amount of previously unissued material on ARC.  The first releases from his extensive catalogue will be a 2-CD set of 18 original compositions performed and recorded by his quartet.

After due administrative process and having been presented with the facts and options, those present among the Mutual Musicians Foundation Membership voted unanimously in favor of a motion to purchase the much needed piano.

THE CROWN JEWEL OF KANSAS CITY JAZZ

Located in the heart of the Historic 18th and Vine Jazz District, Kansas City’s Mutual Musicians Foundation is one of the country’s principal cradles of jazz along with New York, New Orleans and Chicago. The Foundation bred numerous nationally significant big bands and a legion of talented soloists who revolutionized American jazz. Among these jazz artists are such luminaries as Count Basie, Jay McShann, Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Andy Kirk, Jimmy Rushing, Big Joe Turner, Hot Lips Page, Mary Lou Williams and Buck Clayton, among many more too numerous to name here.

These musicians belonged to Local 627, one of the African-American musicians unions affiliated with the American Federation of Musicians. Established in 1917, Local 627, then known as the “Colored Musicians Union” operated as a social center, engagement clearinghouse and as a vehicle for grievances against unfair practices by booking agents and band leaders.

The jazz style pioneered and fostered by Local 627 members developed along original lines influenced by, yet unique from, the traditions of New Orleans, Chicago and New York. The Mutual Musicians Foundation, Inc., originally incorporated to manage the building and Local 627’s assets, continued operating the building after the 1970 merger with Local 34.

Jazz has been played continuously within the walls of the Mutual Musicians Foundation building at 1823 Highliand Avenue in Kansas City since 1930 – when Local 627 moved into the building, making it the longest running Jazz place in the United States and in the world.

NEW PIANO FOR THE FOUNDATION

The Mutual Musicians Foudation has been in dire need of a new piano for many years. The “White” grand piano that is located downstairs is extremely old and not in the best of playing condition.

Chairman Smith, Schmidt Music Representative and Board Member Clarke

And, the historic “Jay McShann” grand piano that was once used upstairs, now currently sits on display somewhere over at the American Jazz Museum, and rightfully so. Any consideration of putting it back on duty for full time upstairs use during the Late Night Sessions or for other Concerts would surely have resulted in eventual destruction of an iconic and irreplaceable instrument.

QUOTE: “I was elated when the membership and board members voted unanimously in favor of purchasing the piano” - Will Matthews, President

The Steinway-designed Essex piano incorporates the latest design specifications and engineering standards from Steinway & Sons. In keeping with Steinway’s commitment to excellence, Steinway & Sons provides technical assistance for the production of Essex pianos, to insure that Essex pianos are made to the specifications established by Steinway. And every Essex instrument is inspected by a team of highly experienced Steinway & Sons trained technicians before it leaves the factory.

The Steinway-designed Essex EGP183 | Steinway & Sons

The piano was purchased from Schmidt Music.

Catalina Bar & Grill has certainly lived up to its slogan “Nothing But The Best In Jazz” by presenting a veritable Who’s Who of jazz legends such as Dizzie Gillespie, Art Blakey, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Ray Brown, Joe Williams, Max Roach, Carmen McRae, Betty Carter, Ron Carter, Joe Henderson, Benny Carter,Tony Williams, Joe Zawinul, Marcus Miller, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Joshua Redman, Michael Brecker, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jimmy Scott and many more.

GEORGE KAHN CD RELEASE EVENT | DOWNLOAD THIS POSTER

Hot on the heels of his sold out shows at The Culver Club,

Jazz Pianist George Kahn sets the summer on fire with his 7th album, SECRETS FROM THE JAZZ GHETTO. To celebrate the CD’s release, George will be appearing at Catalina Bar & Grill at 7 PM on Wed. June 16th, accompanied by All Star players Karl Vincent (Bass), Larry Klimas (Sax), John Fumo (Trumpet) and M.B. Gordy(drums), plus surprise guests.

CD REVIEW EXCERPT

“For those not familiar with George Kahn‘s music, Secrets From The Ghetto is the perfect vehicle to get acquainted with one of the finest pianist and composers in the jazz world today. Delivering a variety of styles recorded with some of the best jazz musicians in the world, this album provides a good bang for the buck with a number of outstanding musical scores included. That’s the real secret here.”
~ Edward Blanco, All About Jazz

Carrying on the tradition of jazz greats like Dave Brubeck, Vince Guaraldi and Horace Silver, George’s SECRETS FROM THE JAZZ GHETTO is a 2-CD set, filled with 26 tracks that feature some of the best jazz musicians on the west coast playing his original music. Included is a retrospective of songs from Kahn’s previous recordings, plus 6 new compositions that were recorded live in the studio in 2009.

Secrets From The Jazz Ghetto Vol. 1 (Nightside) and Vol. 2 (Dayside) – AUDIO CD

ARC-2192 | George Kahn – Secrets From The Jazz Ghetto Vol. 1 (Nightside) – AUDIO CD
ARC-2208 | George Kahn – Secrets From The Jazz Ghetto Vol. 2 (Dayside) – AUDIO CD

Everyone who buys the new CD at the show will receive a special gift.

Please call the club to reserve best seating – this show will sell out!

The Catalina Bar and Grill – 6725 W. Sunset Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028

$15.00 cover charge

8:00 PM – ONE SET ONLY.

Call for Reservations: 323.466.2210

www.ticketweb.com/snl/VenueListings.action?venueId=19513

According to Jamier L. Scott, “Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer expectation.”

INITIATION (ARC-2000) by Sumi Tonooka & Erica Lindsay | CD Baby Front Page Feature Slot

Customer service
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Its importance varies by product, industry and customer; defective or broken merchandise can be exchanged, often only with a receipt and within a specified time frame. Retail stores will often have a desk or counter devoted to dealing with returns, exchanges and complaints, or will perform related functions at the point of sale.

Customer service may be provided by a person (e.g., sales and service representative), or by automated means called self-service. Examples of self service are Internet sites. However, In the Internet era, a challenge has been to maintain and/or enhance the personal experience while making use of the efficiencies of online commerce. Writing in Fast Company, entrepreneur and customer systems innovator Micah Solomon has made the point that “Online customers are literally invisible to you (and you to them), so it’s easy to shortchange them emotionally. But this lack of visual and tactile presence makes it even more crucial to create a sense of personal, human-to-human connection in the online arena.”

Customer service is normally an integral part of a company’s customer value proposition. In their book Rules to Break and Laws to Follow, Don Peppers and Martha Rogers, Ph.D. write that “customers have memories. They will remember you, whether you remember them or not.” Further, “customer trust can be destroyed at once by a major service problem, or it can be undermined one day at a time, with a thousand small demonstrations of incompetence.”

From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization’s ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement.

INITIATION IS DISTRIBUTED BY CD BABY

Now on iTunes

The logistical planning for the release of Initiation (ARC-2000) by the stellar quartet co-led by pianist, Sumi Tonooka and tenor saxophonist, Erica Lindsay was very thoughtful.  And the promotion was just as thoughtfully planned to include two Radio Promotion campaigns by Mark Elf (Jenbay Jazz) and a typically effective Publicity campaign by Ann Braithwaite (Braithwaite and Katz), in addition to the normal on-going 21st Century marketing that is done by the Artists Recording Collective (ARC).

Coordinating the retail availability of a release with the radio and publicity campaigns is vital for potential sales.  Initiation (ARC-2000) was successfully delivered for retail sales and worldwide distribution to CD Baby in advance of the marketing, but did not arrive to all of the retailers when the CD debuted on the JazzWeek radio charts at #39 (peaking at #17).  An initial inquiry seemed to have solved the matter, yet weeks passed and the music was still not yet available at the major retailers – like iTunes and Amazon.  Several more email exchanges and two telephone calls proved just as ineffective toward solving the issue.

CONFLICT AND RESOLUTION

The problem was finally solved today via a telephone call to CD Baby with the assistance of a Customer Service Representative named “Franklin” – don’t know if that is his real name and don’t care, he rocks!

It was a pretty cool conference call.  Common sense prevailed in the fact that Franklin listened to our concerns and then found out what would satisfy us as his CD Baby customers, toward a mutually positive and professional resolution.

The hope of taking advantage of the critical acclaim that has been documented about the music on Initiation (ARC-2000), was not the primary reason why we confronted this situation.  The processing of this particular release just wasn’t handled according to their own business standards by CD Baby – a company who made its reputation and now maintains its credibility largely by the quality of service it provides to independent artists.  That’s what gave us the most pause…

But, Franklin made a big statement about CD Baby and Customer Service – they still get it…

And, that’s a good situation for the independent recording artists and labels in this new digital music age because most of us depend upon the practice of such vital professionalism in our B2B releationships with firms like CD Baby.

HBO deserves lots of credit and props in general for the types of programs the network presents. From its pilot episode, HBO’s, “Treme” has been about music and musicians. The culture that New Orleans provides to this subject is very appropriate indeed. It must also be noted that Treme is a drama series shown on HBO, so there are going to be situations presented that might not be appropriate for young children. But, nonetheless and taken in context, the program presents a believable social paradigm. As ARC member, Donald Harrison, Jr., who guest stars on Treme in several capacities notes, we in the jazz and arts communities should voice our support for HBO with regard to this endeavor and tangible platform they provide for the music… That’s the point of this post – get involved…

HBO Treme Season 1 Episode 06 features Jazz

SEASON 1 – O6: SHALLOW WATER, OH MAMA

Jazz has been featured prominently on television in the USA before HBO’s, “Treme”. However, most of that occurred during the societal prominence of those among the generations who witnessed the impact of both, World War II and the Korean Conflict. And, it is most fitting that New Orleans be the setting of a series that prominently features actual real jazz artists and their music, like HBO’s “Treme” does. New Orleans, along with Chicago, Kansas City, New York and Los Angeles, remains one of the original jazz music centers in the world.

HBO PROVIDES A JAZZ OPPORTUNITY

This particular episode from Season 1, is titled for the song, Shallow Water. You can hear a clip of Donald Harrison, Jr. with Dr. John performing the song using the player at this link or by using the player below. The music is from the CD, “Indian Blues”, a recording also featuring Mardi Gras Indians, the Guardians of the Flame.

Mr. Harrison has a total of three compositions presented during the course of this episode. This refreshing trend is a continuation for Blake Leyh, who is the music director for Treme, and every New Orleanian who added authenticity to the pilot episode. From the beginning the show has featured groups like: Rebirth Brass Band playing “I Feel Like Funkin’ It Up” or “I Used to Love Her (But It’s All Over Now)” under the I-10 overpass on Claiborne Avenue. The pilot also features “Nouveau Swing” and “One for Bird,” two of Donald Harrison’s original compositions. The music and those playing it are as authentic as it can get. It is all very real. That’s outstanding for the music.

I now want to solicit your help in another area. I was featured in Treme episode 106 as an actor and played 3 of my modern jazz compositions with my working group. – Donald Harrison, Jr.

This is a chance, I believe, to get a foothold in mainstream media for jazz.
- Donald Harrison, Jr.

JAZZ AND ARTS COMMUNITY NETWORKS CALL TO ACTION

Mr. Harrison also encourages that a demonstration of tangible support for the HBO Series and interactions coming from those of us in the jazz world, might help toward getting more jazz artists and their work presented on TV in other places too.

I would like to ask your constituents to give kudos to HBO for having America’s Classical music on their network and ask them to do some repeat broadcasts of Ep: 106 on their comment page about the episode.
- Donald Harrison, Jr.

GET INVOLVED – IT’S EASY… JOIN THE CONVERSATION

HBO's "Treme" | Join the Conversation

ABOUT THE VENUE

Robbie’s House Of Jazz is a new business located in the heart of Webster Groves, a suburb of St. Louis. The venue has its own official House Band and also features both, well-known and up coming jazz artists.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Matthews is currently touring with the world-famous Count Basie Orchestra. He initially joined the CBO under the direction of trombonist Grover Mitchell to fill the coveted chair of the late Freddie Green who was the guitarist in the group for over fifty years. Since joining the CBO, Matthews has played on numerous recordings and two “Grammy Winning” releases with the band. Matthews has performed with a who’s who of artists such as Joe Williams,Frank Foster, Benny Carter, Milt Jackson, George Benson, Kenny Burrell, Nancy Wilson, Patti Austin, Marlena Shaw, Tony Bennett, Dianne Reeves, Jimmy Cobb, Hank Jones and Nnenna Freelon; along with numerous TV broadcasts, etc.

WILL MATTHEWS | ROBBIE'S HOUSE OF JAZZ | MAY 28

Robbie’s House Of Jazz
20 Allen Avenue
Suite 150
Webster Groves, MO 63119
Ph: 314-968-5556
www.robbieshouseofjazz.com

The latest CD Release by Will Matthews is “Count On Swingin’” on the Artists Recording Collective label (ARC-2109) and features Bobby Watson: alto saxophone; Mel Rhyne: B3 organ; and, Kenny Phelps: drums. The Count Basie Orchestra guitarist and his ensemble start at 9:00pm. Cover $10.

A Documentary Film
by
Sue Vicory

ARC member Stan Kessler and ARC honorary Leon Brady are featured in the documentary film, “Kansas City Jazz & Blues: Past, Present & Future, which premieres May 6 at the Gem Theater.

Kessler and Brady in Film

The cast reads like a jazz and blues roll of honor: Kevin Mahogony, Karrin Allyson, Bobby Watson, Marilyn Maye, Joe Cartwright, the McFadden Brothers, David Basse, Tim Whitmer—and the list goes on. These are the greats, the giants representing a musical heritage that spans a century and promises to bring joy to music lovers for many years to come. These men and women are at the heart of Kansas City Jazz & Blues: Past, Present & Future.

Kansas City Jazz & Blues Past, Present & Future | A Documentary Film by Sue Vicory

Kansas City Jazz & Blues: Past, Present & Future is about the music. But even more, it’s about the people who make it. Their dedication to their art, their love for the sheer experience of making their special kind of music, their willingness—even their need—to share it and pass it on to a new generation—all of this is palpable. It shows in their passion, their pride and their performance.

To watch Kansas City Jazz & Blues: Past, Present & Future is to discover a special place in the musical landscape. It is an uncovering of a fascinating history, a visit to a vibrant and creative present and a glimpse of a future full of promise. Much more than a story about a local phenomenon, Kansas City Jazz & Blues: Past, Present & Future is an epic tale of the people whose uniquely American music has conquered the world.

Director Sue Vicory (right) interviews Lonnie McFadden about Kansas City's rich jazz and blues heritage from a current perspective.

HEARTLAND FILMS, INC.

Filmmaker Sue Vicory will introduce her film. Sue founded the non-profit film production company Heartland Films, Inc. in 2003 for the purpose of making films with lasting social value. She is a graduate of the New York Film Academy and is a certified Avid editor. Sue has won national attention with her film, Homelessness and the Power of One. The film has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for shelters. Sue`s compassion is evident in her work. The power of one is contagious among all those that become involved.

Premiere and Fund Raiser:  Kansas City Jazz & Blues; Past, Present & Future Film Premiere May 6, 2010 6-9pm VIP reception 5-6pm The Gem theater – 18th & Vine Call 816-474-6262 for tickets Make a quick and easy $10 donation: Text JAZZ to 85944 then reply YES to confirm Your one-time donation will be added to your mobile phone bill. Messaging & Data Rates May Apply

Variety reported on April 14, 2010 that Sunday’s “Treme” premiere garnered 1.1 million viewers for the 10 p.m. telecast. A later rebroadcast drew 300,000, but HBO shows can end up quadrupling viewers over the course of a week of repeat airings and video on demand.  The article further states:

“This was a no-brainer for us,” HBO programming topper Michael Lombardo told Daily Variety . “We say this about ourselves, ‘It’s always about the ratings.’ If a show is this excellent and the audience so passionate, for us that’s enough.”

DONALD HARRISON, JR. | HBO "TREME" | NO JAZZ FEST | NEW CD

Show, about how the citizens of New Orleans deal with the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, was co-created by David Simon and Eric Overmyer, who exec produces with Nina K. Noble and Carolyn Strauss. Co-producer David Mills, a longtime Simon collaborator, died two weeks ago on set in the Big Easy.

Cast includes Wendell Pierce, Steve Zahn, Clarke Peters, Khandi Alexander, Melissa Leo, Kim Dickens, Rob Brown, Lucia Micarelli and John Goodman. Pierce and Peters worked with Simon on “The Wire,” the exec producer’s opus on how budget cuts and the drug trade affected the government, police, schools and media of Baltimore.

Donald Harrison provides technical consultation regarding the Chief costuming, has his composition, “Christopher Jr.” in the soundtrack, and is performing and acting in various episodes of Treme.

Photo Description

New Orleans based educator, jazz saxophonist and Big Chief Donald Harrison, Jr. continues the tradition of the Mardi Gras Indian culture performing on the WWOZ Jazz Tent stage at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival at the New Orleans Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, 24 April 2009. The tradition of the Mardi Gras Indian culture can be traced back to the early 1700′s in New Orleans, and today, elaborate costumes are handmade while this culture still continues today. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival celebrates it’s 40th Anniversary this year with 12 different stages in an annual 10-day cultural event that encompasses every style associated with the city of New Orleans including jazz, gospel, Cajun, zydeco, blues, R&B, rock, funk, African, Latin, Caribbean, folk, and much more in addition to local cuisine, arts, and crafts.

New Orleans Jazz & Heriage Festival, Donald Harrison - 3:00 PM, April 25, 2010 New Orleans, Louisiana USA, Price: $60.00 Opening for Anita Baker on The Congo Square stage.

New CD: Quantum Leap

DONALD HARRISON, JR. | NEW CD: QUANTUM LEAP

Donald Harrison’s just finished recording, “Quantum Leap,” his most innovative classic jazz recording to date. The CD features a revolutionary update of the swing beat in addition to new composition installments to his signature, “Nouveau Swing,” style of jazz. If you want to keep up with today’s newest jazz sounds then, “Quantum Time,” is a must have.

Lee Shaw has laser-like musical intensity, true mastery of the piano, and her tonal palette is huge.  Owen McNally of The Hartford Courant notes that Lee Shaw is, “a modest, irresistible person of immodest, irrepressible talent.  She comes across both in the interview and at the keyboard as an artist who had a virtually religious calling for jazz, come what may.”  Bill Milkowski, in Jazz Times, observes , “her harmonic language is expansive, her time impeccable, her touch divine.”

LEE SHAW FEATURED IN JAZZIZ MAGAZINE | SPRING 2010 ISSUE

JAZZIZ COVER | SPRING 2010

JAZZIZ TABLE OF CONTENTS | SPRING 2010

JAZZIZ | LEE SHAW | SPRING 2010

JAZZIZ | LEE SHAW | SPRING 2010

About JAZZIZ

For over 25 years, JAZZIZ Magazine has been covering the jazz world, documenting musical innovations, charting industry trends, following the artists whose lives so colorfully inform our own.

The award-winning JAZZIZ Magazine gives you the lowdown, in print and online, on what’s hot (and what’s not) in the world of jazz with insightful editorial, hundreds of CD reviews, and inspired photography and design. Aside from its unparalleled look, each issue of JAZZIZ comes with Limited Edition Collector’s CDs so that you can listen to the music featured in the magazine.

JAZZIZ has been called “the voice of a new jazz culture; a culture it helped create,” and over the past 25 years has earned the undisputed authority on jazz and style. More than a magazine, JAZZIZ is your one-stop destination for information and entertainment in the jazz world.
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Donald Harrison at Berklee’s new Africana Studies Center

ARC STREET TEAM MISSION:  Share this page & widget …

Listen to ARC member music, watch ARC member videos, connect with us at networks like Facebook and Myspace, and get our music quickly and conveniently from your favorite music retail store anywhere in the world.

Donald Harrison at Berklee’s new Africana Studies Center

Grab our widgets for your website, blog or to send to your contacts.  If you are a venue that is featuring an ARC member, grab their tune widget and put it on your calendar listing page so that your visitors can actually hear the artist you have booked…
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Also, of note in this issue for Recording Academy members …

INDUSTRY NEWS | The Recording Academy

The Grammy Chapter Govenor elections are still open. Please click on the link below to retrieve your Chapter’s ballots. Your Member Number and Votenet-generated password are provided for you below to access the site and to vote.  Election Results: Results will be posted on the Chapter’s webpage at GRAMMY365.com by June 1, 2010.

ARC MARCH 2010 Headlines

For the entire story and more, visit:  ARC March 2010 Headlines …

BREAKING NEWS …

John Blake, Jr. feature article in Philadelphia Inquirer!

Why Lala.com has MySpace beat … for MUSIC!

In the new music industry and personal entertainment paradigm of the 21st Century, various technologies allow us to engage various media in ways that were not even comprehensible – even just ten years ago…

The social media platforms like facebook.com and myspace.com have literally changed the way most of us communicate and interact.  Not that these places have substituted for direct person to person communication, they have actually augmented this human dynamic with the expediency inherent to technology.  It was only natural then that music become intertwined in social networking – since music is a large part of being human…

The New Paradigm for Music Consumption

It is all about user control - not unreasonable restriction of the user, or unfriendly user interfaces that force users to one business end or another.  If users follow their choices and those choices ultimately end up being profitable to the platform that is being used, that’s cool…  But, when the platforms attempt to manipulate such analytics by impeding users, then users generally go elsewhere.  That’s what seems to have happened at MySpace.com, hence the title of this OP-ED blog …

A music collection for the way you live — online

Unlike Pandora.com’s Radio, where the individual selections are not in your control, Lala.com allows you to select the music that you want to here – down to the specific track by your favorite artists, if you want…

And another thing, there are NO ADVERTISEMENTS attached to the music player…

The About Us page at the Lala.com website also says …

Take your music and fuse it with a massive licensed catalog to easily play, buy and share on the web. With Lala you can:

• Play over 8 million songs for free – no ads or clutter.
• Play your music, anywhere on the web. Instantly upload the tracks on your computer to your Lala collection.
• Get a feed of music picks from friends and experts.
• Buy new music, easily and affordably.

Learn more about how it works.

About Lala.com the company

Their website describes the company in casual terms.  It states, “We live and play in a browser. Built by a team of engineers responsible for services like Yahoo!, eBay, Blogger and AOL, Lala’s singular mission is to move music and entertainment to the Web for hundreds of millions of people.”

More information is also available from the Wikipedia page.

Musicians get PAID - what a concept, huh?

Unlike the other websites that allow musicians to host their music and have it streamed by listeners (for free), when members of the Lala.com site play your music, you get PAID a royalty for that specific play!  The royalty payments that I have personally seen come out to about $0.01 USD per play – but, that one cent is one cent better than you get paid from promoting your music and getting plays at someplace like MySpace – which is zero …

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(OLATHE By Richie Pratt) CD SYNOPSIS: Jazz, Bossa, Salsa and the blues are presented by legendary musicians with the leader performing in the two ensemble formats of a Trio with Major Holley on acoustic bass and Tom Pierson on piano and then in a Septet with: David Dutemple on electric bass; Greg Kogan on piano; Billy Butler on guitar; Ross Konikoff on trumpet and flugelhorn; Robert Carten on saxophones and flute; and Tony Salvatori on bass trombone.
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So, we’d like to invite you to listen to Artists Recording Collective member music at Lala.com.  You can buy the music there too.   Even if you simply listen to this great music for free, ARC members will receive a much deserved royalty …

We like seeing ARC members getting paid for their work, and think that such an arrangement is inherently among the best deals in this new digital music era for musicians who control the rights to their work …

“Sweet Kansas City”

Celebrating the 50 th anniversary of its recording

A multi-media concert performance of

Benny Carter’s Kansas City Suite

along with music by Charlie Parker, Ernie Wilkins and Nat Pierce

FRIDAY April 30 – 8:00 PM
Folly Theater 12th and Central KCMO

The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Jim Mair, will present “Sweet Kansas City” in the orchestra’s third concert of the season Friday evening, April 30 at 8:00PM

The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Jim Mair, will present “Sweet Kansas City” in the orchestra’s third concert of the season Friday evening, April 30 at 8:00PM

Kansas City Youth Jazz “Reno” Band will open the festivities at 7:30pm

The Reno Band is the top Kansas City Youth Jazz program performing band and is designed for experienced high school jazz musicians from throughout Kansas City. In the past few years students have performed with Clarke Terry, Marilyn Maye and the McFadden Brothers and received clinics with international jazz artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Ali Jackson, and Bobby Watson. Participation in the advanced band is by audition and instructor recommendation. Most recently, the Reno Band was selected to perform at the Monterey Jazz Festival's 6th Annual Next Generation Festival in April of 2010. More information online at www.KCYouthJazz.org

In 1960, the Count Basie Orchestra recorded Benny Carter’s ten-movement Kansas City Suite. The piece was written to showcase the world famous Basie band and coincides with Count Basie’s twenty fifth year as a band leader. With movements titled Rompin’ at the Reno, Jackson County Jubilee, Miss. Missouri and Vine Street Rumble along with an accompanying slide presentation above the Jazz Orchestra this becomes a historic evening that you don’t want to miss.
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The KCJO is an 18- piece jazz ensemble made up of Kansas City’s finest jazz players performing music associated with Kansas City and its rich jazz legacy.

The KCJO is an indispensable part of the Kansas City performing arts landscape!  KC Star

Folly Theater 12th and Central Kansas City, MO USA

Tickets are available by phone through The Central Ticket Office 816-235-6222.

Student tickets are free when reserved in advance on our website.

For more information on The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, the opportunity for sponsorships and more go to www.kcjazzorchestra.org or call their office at 913-780-5250.

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CONTACT PERSON

Jim Mair Associate Professor of Instrumental Music
Kansas City Kansas Community College
7250 State Ave. Kansas City, KS 66112
913-288-7149 jmair@kckcc.edu
Artistic Director/Conductor – The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra www.kansascityjazz.org

[JOHN BLAKE, JR. ON TOUR]

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Article by: Rob Enslin

The Department of African American Studies, housed in Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences, has announced an expanded lineup for its 27th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Public Affairs Lecture on Wednesday, March 3. In addition to award-winning filmmaker Louis Massiah(left), who will speak on “Hayti and the Power of Community Media,” the presentation will feature violinist John Blake Jr. and keyboardist Adam Faulkperforming jazz interpretations of Massiah’s speech.

The event, free and open to the public, will take place at 7 p.m. in the Life Sciences Complex Auditorium (room 001), between College Place and Comstock Avenue.  A reception will follow in the auditorium lobby.

AAS will also host an “Open Classroom and Q&A” with Massiah on Thursday, March 4, at 11 a.m. in Sims Hall (room 219). For more information about both events, call Doreen Blenman in AAS at 315-443-4302.

On March 3, Massiah will explore the 200-year relationship between the United States and “Hayti”(i.e. the 19th-century name for the nation that English speakers refer to as “Haiti”), emphasizing how media projects function as tools of community empowerment and social change. He also will shed light on the role of power—political, economic, and cultural—and how cultural workers and community members can access it.
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Massiah’s credits include the landmark PBS series “Eyes on the Prize II,” “W.E.B. Du Bois: A Biography in Four Voices,” “Louise Alone Thompson Patterson: In Her Own Words,” and “The Bombing of Osage Avenue.”

The winner of four “Down Beat” critics polls, Blake (right) is one the world’s leading jazz violinists. He has worked with saxophonists Archie Shepp and Grover Washington Jr., the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and Turtle Island String Quartet. Blake is currently touring in support of his new album, “Motherless Child,” a tribute to Frederick Douglass drawing on the abolitionist’s historic papers for lyrics.

Like Blake, Faulk is classically trained, and made the switch to jazz and R&B. The Philadelphia-based musician has performed with trumpeters Donald Byrd and Marcus Belgrave and with trombonist Robin Eubanks.

“This will be an amazing example of innovative scholarship and creativity in Black Studies and in ‘Scholarship in Action,’” says Janis Mayes, associate professor and director of undergraduate studies in AAS. “The improvisational music will be integral to Massiah’s lecture, which will resonate in innovative ways with the Underground Railroad and SU’s Connective Corridor.”

Click here for more information about AAS.
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Therefore, of the 35 composers drawn from a national call for applications, two of those selected to participate in the JCOI are Artists Recording Collective members.

The Jazz Composers Orchestra Institute
Columbia University, July 20-24, 2010

The Center for Jazz Studies at Columbia University and the American Composers Orchestra announce a new collaborative project: the Jazz Composers Orchestra Institute, to be held on the Columbia University campus in New York City from July 20-24, 2010.

Writing for the symphony orchestra remains one of the supreme challenges for the aspiring composer, but opportunities for jazz composers to gain hands-on experience in this field are few. The Jazz Composers Orchestra Institute will present a five-day series of workshops that will include the study of scores and new compositional techniques, including electronics; best practices regarding orchestration, instrumentation, notation, score preparation, and performance practice; and techniques for structuring improvisation within the orchestral context. Professional development workshops will address promotion, publishing, copyright and commissioning agreements, and other career essentials.

Up to 35 composers in various phases of their composing careers, drawn from a national call for applications, will be selected to participate in the JCOI. The successful applicants will be composers working in jazz, improvised music, and creative music whose work demonstrates excellent musicianship, originality, and potential for future growth.

ERICA LINDSAY | JAZZ COMPOSERS ORCHESTRA INSTITUTE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, NYCity

Erica Lindsay

Erica Lindsay, tenor saxophonist and composer, currently leads her own quartet featuring Francesca Tanksley on piano, and co-leads a quartet with pianist Sumi Tonooka that features Bob Braye and Bob Braye. Two new recordings with these ensembles respectively are, “Yes – Live at the Rosendale Cafe” and the recently released, “Initiation“. She also currently performs with the Oliver Lake Big Band, the Baikida Carroll Quintet, the Howard Johnson, Hojo5 Quintet, the Jeff Siegel Quartet and the San Francisco-based group, Trace Elements. Her most recent recordings with these ensembles are, “Cloth” (Oliver Lake Big Band), “Magical Spaces” and “Live in Europe” (Jeff Siegel Quartet), “Marionettes on a High Wire,” (Baikida Carroll Quintet), and “Parallel Universe” (Trace Elements). Lindsay is presently working on releasing two duo projects: one with percussionist Ricky Carter (“Soulcatcher”) and the other with drummer Bob Braye (“Oceans”).

Royal Stokes, writing for the Jazz Times has called her “a player of enormous gifts and a composer and arranger of striking originality”. Nat Hentoff states, “Erica Lindsay plays with such an emotional spontaneity that she is very much in the tradition of those jazz makers who were so evidently taking joy in surprising themselves each night, each song, each bar. She has a distinctive clarity and fullness of sound as well as an acute sense of dynamics. Her compositions are also characterized by an invigorating clarity of form and direction“. Bob Margolis for the Kingston Freeman says “Her profound, soul-searching technique straddles Coltrane’s spirituality and Joe Henderson’s fiery versatility, making hers a name to watch“.
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Lindsays parents were educators who moved to Europe in the sixties, raising their family in various European cities. She began her compositional studies at the age of fifteen with Mal Waldron in Munich, where she spent her high school years. She deepened her experience of the music through her exposure to jazz expatriates Mal Waldron, Dexter Gordon, Slide Hampton, Jimmy Griffiths, Jimmie Woode, and Benny Bailey as well as the continuing flow of visiting jazz greats. Upon graduating from high school she continued her studies at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

When she returned to Europe, Lindsay focused on her compositional work, writing and arranging for various big bands and composing for the many different smaller groups she performed with. She was involved in the vibrant, free-jazz scene that existed then in Europe and was an original member and composer of the Unique Munich Saxophone Choir. During this period she formed her first quintet and also did guest performances with Frank Zappa and Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers.

In 1980 Lindsay moved to New York City. Referred by her saxophone teacher at Berklee, Andy McGee, she began performing and touring with Melba Liston & Co. During this time she performed with many jazz legends; Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Williams, Al Grey, Britt Woodman, Mary Lou Williams and others. After leaving Melba Liston’s group in 1984, Lindsay performed with other leaders such as Mc Coy Tyner, Clifford Jordon, Reggie Workman, Ted Curson, George Gruntz and Amira Baraka .. at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher, Merkin Hall, La Mama Theatre and other jazz venues. Lindsay at this time also became involved in performance art, and has collaborated with poet/playwright Carl Hancock-Rux, poets Janine Vega, Janice King, Mikhail Horowitz and painter Nancy Ostrowski. She composed the book for two off-broadway plays, Carl Hancock-Rux’s “Song of Sad Young Men,” and John Carter’s “Feed the Beast,” and has written for television and modern dance. While living in New York City she also received a degree in psychology from NYU. She now resides in the Woodstock area and is on the music faculty at Bard College.
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Also see: http://ericalindsay.com