Winter-Spring Newsletter - New Mexico Jazz Workshop

In this issue
Winter/Spring Adult Education Schedule
Albuquerque
Jazz
Orchestra f/
John Riley
The New Mexico Jazz Workshop is
celebrating 40 years in 2016 we have some
incredible music coming your way. Kevin
Eubanks will return to the Jazz Workshop with
his quartet for a concert at the Kimo Theater on
April 9th. Since
leaving the
Tonight Show,
he has
released three
albums, The
Messenger,
Zen Music and
Duets with
Stanley
Jordan.
The New Mexico Jazz Workshop is also
teaming up with the Albuquerque Film and
Music Experience and the New Mexico Music
Awards for this year’s festival which takes place
April 18-24th at
venues
throughout
Albuquerque.
The annual
event presents
critically
acclaimed films
from around the
world and music
from New Mexico’s top talent. AFME will feature
a film and tribute to bassist Nathan East. Some
of New Mexico’s best jazz artists will perform
music he has recorded followed by a
performance by Mr. East and some of his
amazing friends
Kevin Eubanks
Returns
NMJW
Celebrates 40
Years
The
Albuquerque
Jazz Festival
kicks off our
40th with
performances
by drummer
John Riley
and the
Albuquerque Jazz Orchestra on Saturday,
February 20th at the El Dorado High School
Performing Arts Center. Mr. Riley has performed
with some of the greatest names in jazz
including Milt Jackson, Dizzy Gilespie and
Miles Davis.
The New
Mexico Jazz Workshop
is co-sponsoring the
New Mexico
Philharmonic concert
featuring jazz legend
Bobby Shew on
Saturday, March 5th.
Shew is a Grammy
Award winning artist and
native New Mexican.
April is Jazz Appreciation Month. We
have a great lineup of music, film and other
events that will kick your spring into high gear. A
complete list of JAM events can be found on
page 6.
We are in our twenty-fifth year of
presenting New Mexico’s best performcnces
during our Salsa, Jazz & Blues Under the
Stars Concerts. Each summer for ten weeks
every Friday and Saturday night is filled with
incredible music. (Continued in page 2)
The concerts take place at the
Albuquerque Museum Amphitheater and
begin promptly at 7:00 PM. This family frendly
event is a must attend event every summer. We
have some incredible performances lined up for
this year and a few surprises as well. Purchase
tickets online at www.nmjazz.org.
Of course, none of this would be
possible without the generous support of our
members and sponsors. These concerts keep
the NMJW in business and help fund
educational programming. Sponsorship gives a
company the ability to reach out to the
community in a relaxed and enjoyable
environment. A special thank you to our premier
sponsor, Sennheiser of New Mexico and year
round sponsor Griffin & Associates for their
generous support. To become a member or to
add your name to our list of incredible sponsors,
visit us on us online
at
http://nmjazz.org/getinvolved.aspx
For twenty years, the New Mexico
Jazz Workshop has worked tirelessly to
continue the tradition of providing music
education for youth and adults. Over 100,000
New Mexico students from pre-kindergarten
through high school have found a place to
continue their music education. Many students
have gone on to professional careers as
performers, music educators and composers.
When music budgets were cut in public
schools, the NMJW continued to provide
opportunities for kids to learn with programs like
the South Valley Band Project, Jazz Intensive,
Creative Arts Camp and the Roots of Jazz
(see insert). The New Mexico Jazz Workshop
YOUTH EDUCATION
Our Roots of Jazz program is currently in its twentyfirst year of teaching students the origins of Jazz
music. Musician and educator Frank Leto gives a lively
presentation of music from Africa, Cuba, Brazil and
the United States. The music is neatly woven into a
fabric of historical narrative, highlighting the cultural
blending that has made Jazz a uniquely American art
form. The Program is presented free at elementary
schools throughout Albuquerque.
Empowerment Through Music (ETM) is the New
Mexico Jazz Workshop’s community outreach
program that provides access to music education to
underserved, at-risk, low income, and incarcerated
youth. With a dual focus on both prevention (South
Valley Band Project) and intervention (Digital
Technology Project), young people in economically
depressed areas of Albuquerque and in the juvenile
justice system are able to learn music in supervised,
supportive environments. The goals of the program
are to increase self-esteem and pro-social behavior,
develop musical proficiency skills, and prevent/reduce
contact with the juvenile justice system. ETM wishes
to thank our sponsors, The Berklee School of Music,
Albuquerque Public Schools, Bernalillo County, The
United Way of Central NM, The Urban Enhancement
Trust Fund and the Hancock Family Foundation
will continue to serve the youth of this
community by providing music education
opportunities for students.
Adult education classes begin in
earnest in February. Choose from a variety of
classes including; jazz improvisation, Dixieland
jazz, Latin jazz improvisation and a Jazz History
lecture series presented by Diane Richardson
and Joe Washek. For details and fee schedules
or to register online, go to http://nmjazz.org/lifelong-learners.aspx
Real Book Jam hosted by Lisa Nichols
and Chris Williams. Every Saturday
10:30 AM-Noon and Noon to 1:30 PM.
Your chance to play with others on all
levels. A great opportunity to learn
from your peers. $5.00 drop in fee.
Latin Jazz
Improvisation with
Rodolfo Gonzales
Tuesdays 6-7:30 PM
February 2nd- March
22ndh. A
comprehensive
understanding of the
main ingredients of
Latin Jazz rhythms.
Lecture Series
Experiments in Vocal
Improvisation w/
Diane Richardson,
former Assist. Chair of
the Berklee Jazz Vocal
Dept. & Joe Washek.
Thursdays 6-8 PM
February 4th-March
10th. Learn about the
history of Jazz vocals
and the Jazz & Blues
recording industry.
Dixieland Jam Band with Chris Williams.
Wednesdays 7-8 PM beginning February
10th. Traditional NOLA jazz arrangements
and improvisation.
Jazz Singing: Duets w/ guitar with Patti
Stephens. Thursdays 6-8 PM beginning
March 17th. Learn melody, tone, phrasing
and the simplicity of singing with a jazz
guitarist.
Jazz guitar idiom w/ Michael Anthony.
Mondays beginning March 21st, 6-7:30 PM.
Learn the fundamentals of jazz guitar from
this award winning guitarist.
Jazz Improvisation w/ Micky Patten.
Tuesdays 6-7:30 PM beginning March
29th. Improvisation basics including
harmony, rhythms and form.
Community Big Band w/ Aaron Lovato.
Wednesdays 6-7:40 PM beginning April
6th. Big Band arrangements aimed at
helping the student develop a repatoire of
jazz charts.
We’re asking for
your help. As part of the
“quad” we are putting
together a commemorative
book with photos, artwork
and remembrances of the
past forty years from the
founders, members, artists
and patrons of the Jazz
Workshop. Do you have a memory or photo
you’d like to share? Contact us at
[email protected].
Fourplay-Silver The super group
comprised of Bob James, Nathan East, Chuck
Loeb and Harvey Mason return with this
twenty-fifth anniversary themed album.
Returning to play
on the album are
Fourplay alumni,
guitarists Lee
Ritenour and
Larry Carlton.
Sax master Kirk
Whalum also
guests on this
album. This
quartet has
perfected the art of playing together without
getting in each other’s way. Perfect symmetry.
Bill Frisell-When You Wish Upon a
Star. Grammy award winning jazz guitarist
Frisell‘s tribute to
the movies and
TV include such
iconic themes as
Bonanza, Moon
River and the
theme from the
Godfather. His
innovative
arrangements
incorporate all
styles of music. (Continued on page 4.)
Wes
Montgomery-One
Night in Indy
(featuring the Eddie
Higgins Trio) This
recently discovered
1959 recording of
the creator of west
coast jazz guitar
was recorded at the
Indianapolis Jazz Club and recently found its
way into the hands of producer Zev Feldman. It
is the only known recording of Montgomery and
Higgins playing together. Montgomery was an
influence for such iconic artists as George
Benson.
Cyrille
Aimee-Let’s Get
Lost. This
incredible vocalist
learned her craft in
Samois- sur-Seine
France listening to
Gypsy music and
singing and
traveling across
Europe. She took first prize at the Montruex
Jazz Festival and refused to perform anything
but jazz on the program Star Academy, France’s
version of Idol. She tours with Brazilian guitarist
Diego Figueiredo. This is her fourth album
since her debut in 2014. She is perfect in every
way.
Seth
MacFarlane-No One
Ever Tells You. If you
had the opportunity to
see the recent
broadcast of the
Sinatra 100th Birthday
tribute, then you know
this guy has the
chops. Known primarily for his comedy writing
and as creator of such programs as Family Guy
and the films Ted and 1000 Ways to Die in the
West, MacFarlane has teamed with fellow
Grammy nominee arranger and composer Joel
McNeely for this 17 track album, MacFarlane’s
third. Smooth, elegant and pure jazz.
Re-issues
John Coletrane-A Love Supreme-The
Complete Masters
This 3 CD set
celebrates the 50th
Anniversary of the
1965 release and
includes a concert
recorded in Paris. A
must have for any
jazz aficionado.
Herb Alpert & the Tijuana BrassWhipped Cream and Other Delights. Clearly
the sexiest album cover of the 60s and
delightfully refreshing take on jazz at the time.
Trumpeter Alpert, cofounder of A&M
Records was an
innovator on many
levels. His
arrangements of A
Taste of Honey and
Tangerine are classic.
Ben Webster-The Complete
Recordings 1952-1959. A four disc set that
contains the totality of his first eight albums for
Verve; Tenor Sax Stylings, King of the Tenor
Sax, Music for Loving, …with Strings, Soulville,
Encounters (w/ Coleman Hawkins), The Soul
of… and Ben Webster and Associates. Lovingly
re-mastered, the
set includes some
of his finest
performances
including My
Funny Valentine,
Pennies from
Heaven and
Sophisticated
Lady.
James
Newton’s music
can be found
practically
everywhere. His
compositions
range from sacred
music to
electronic, from
jazz to
symphonic. He
has composed for
ballet, modern
dance, and for
numerous
orchestras
throughout the world.
He has been voted the top jazz flutist an
unprecedented 23 years in a row in Downbeat
Magazine’s International Critic’s Poll and has
fellowships and grants from the Ford
Foundation, the Guggenheim and the
National Endowment for the Arts and awards
that include the Montreux Gran Prix Du Disque
and is recipient of Downbeats International
Critics Jazz Album of the year.
An educator at heart, Mr. Newton holds
a distinguished professorship at the University
of California at Los Angeles as well as UC
Irvine, the California Institute of Arts and Cal
State University Los Angeles.
He has composed an incredible amount
of music, with more than 50 albums to his credit
in a range of styles. A muti-instrumentalist, he
composes for instruments ranging from acoustic
bass to harp to drums and even composes for
instruments as exotic as the Koto, a traditional
Japanese stringed instrument and the Tabla, an
East Indian drum.
Mr. Newton continues to tour
internationally and divides his time between Los
Angeles and central New Mexico.
Now is the time to pick up your tickets
for the New Mexico Jazz Workshop’s Salsa,
Jazz and Blues Under the Stars concerts. A
ten show mini-pass can be had for $130.00 and
passes for all twenty shows are $260.00. Get a
discount on tickets by becoming a member of
the New Mexico Jazz Workshop. Student and
senior memberships start at just $30.00 and
every level of membership comes with great
perks like discounted tickets and show passes.
Even better, give a
jazzy gift with a
membership to
the New Mexico
Jazz Workshop,
tickets for a
show, mugs,
greeting cards,
posters and gift
certificates are
available
beginning at
just $3.00. Go to
http://shop.nmjazz.org/
The New Mexico Jazz Workshop
employs more local musicians than any other
non-profit organization in New Mexico, and we
are proud of that. New Mexico musicians are as
talented, creative and proficient as any
musicians worldwide.
When you or your organization are
planning an event, please consider employing
New Mexico artists. You won’t be disappointed. .
For more information on New Mexico music or
to find an artist for your event, visit the City of
Albuquerque’s music portal ListenABQ.com or
the New Mexico Music Commission’s music
directory at
http://www.newmexicomusic.org/resources/n
m-music-directory/
We lost a lot of great musicians over the
past few months, from rock icons like David
Bowie, Paul Kantner and Glen Frey to
Nashville journeyman guitarist Pete Huttlinger.
As always, we remember those most influential
to our art form.
Santa Fe guitarist Pat Burns passed
away on September 17th,
2015. Pat was an incredible
composer and guitarist who
played with almost
everyone in Santa Fe at one
time or another. His guitar
style was innovative but
always infused with New
Mexico style. He will be
sorely missed.
Jazz vocalist
Mark Murphy passed
away on October 22nd,
2015. He was 82.
Murphy is best known
for his scat vocal style.
He was discovered in
1953 by Sammy Davis
Jr. who helped him find
work as a vocalist and actor.
Jazz
composer and pianist
Paul Bley died on
January 3rd, 2016. His
piano style expanded
on the styles of Oscar
Peterson and Wynton
Kelly. Bley recorded
with Charlie Parker,
Charles Mingus, Art
Blakey and so many more. He was instrumental
in bringing electronic keyboards into jazz and
won a ton of accolades.
Otis Clay was a member of the Blues
Hall of Fame. He
passed away at the
age of 73 on January
8th, 2016. Born in rural
Mississippi he moved
to Chicago to pursue
his dream of singing in
a blues band. He was
nominated for a
Grammy in 2007 for
his album, Walk a Mile
in my Shoes.
Jerald
Lujan was a
staple in the
Albuquerque Jazz
community,
leading jam
sessions, teaching
young students the
nuances of Latin
Jazz and generally
playing guitar and
having a good time. Jerald passed away on
January 27th, 2016. His death leaves a huge
hole in the New Mexico Jazz community.
Jazz Appreciation Month Schedule
Saturday, April 2nd Cinema-The Girls in the
Band. Award winning documentary about the
history of female instrumentalists in Jazz from
the 1930s through today. Guild theater,
Albuquerque.
Friday, April 8th. UNM Jazz Festival concert.
Incredible ensemble musicians show off their
chops. Location TBD.
Satuday, April 9th-Kevin Eubanks Quartet
Journeyman guitarist Eubanks returns to
Albuquerque for a concert at the Kimo Theater
Albuquerque Film & Music Experience
present a Tribute to Nathan East. A
screening of the film For the Record
chronicalling the legendary bassist’s career
followed by a tribute concert and a performance
by Nathan East and friends.
Come celebrate forty years with the New Mexico Jazz Workshop