Freihofer's Saratoga Jazz Festival
AMPHITHEATERMaze featuring Frankie Beverly Cassandra Wilson celebrates Billie HolidayAl Di Meola Electric BandChristian McBride Big BandPedrito Martinez GroupMonty Alexander’s Harlem-Kingston ExpressTheo CrokerGAZEBO STAGESteve Wilson & Wilsonian’s Grain featuring Orrin Evans, Ugonna Okegwo & Bill StewartTheo CrokerDuchess featuring Amy Cervini, Hilary Gardner & Melissa StylianouOmer Avital Quintet featuring Eli Degibri, Joel Frahm, Yonathan Avishai & Johnathan BlakeMike LeDonne Groover Quartet featuring Eric Alexander, Peter Bernstein & Joe Farnsworth
Saratoga Performing Arts Center|Saratoga Springs, NY, Saratoga Springs, NY
Jazz at The Rubin: Loston Harris Trio
Celebrating Frank Sinatra’s Centennial Loston Harris’ piano playing has been described as percussive and incredibly fluid, and his vocals noted as suave. For more than a decade, he’s headlined the legendary Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle, playing tribute to the likes of Bobby Short and Nat King Cole with swinging arrangements of timeless standards from the Great American Songbook. At this concert, he and his trio pay tribute to another idol, Frank Sinatra, on the event of his centennial. “The innate and dazzling talent of Loston is a beacon of quality in a cacophonous world. He is contemporary, stylish, joyful, playful, powerful, soulful and an immensely satisfying musician. Simply put, his music is a combination of humanity and genius.” — Michael Feinstein
Rubin Museum of Art|150 West 17th Street|New York, NY, New York, NY
The Shape of Jazz: Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band
Brian Blade, DrumsJon Cowherd, PianoChris Thomas, BassMelvin Butler, Tenor and Soprano SaxophonesMyron Walden, Alto Saxophone and Bass Clarinethttp://www.wsj.com/articles/brian-blade-the-fellowship-bands-jazz-americana-1429828820NY TIMES:★ Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band (Saturday) The warmth and elasticity of this ensemble suggest a modern amalgam of rustic Americana, from gospel to jazz to folk to country. Along with the drummer Brian Blade, one of the most unaffectedly charismatic musicians in jazz, the band features Jon Cowherd on piano, Chris Thomas on bass, and Melvin Butler and Myron Walden on saxophones. At 9 p.m., Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall, carnegiehall.org. (Chinen)
Zankel Hall @ Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
The Music of Jim Hall (Ben Allison, Steve Cardenas, and Ted Nash)
Recent winner of Downbeat’s Rising Star Composer award, bassist Ben Allison is one of a few band leaders working in jazz today who has developed his own instantly identifiable sound. Known for his inspired arrangements, inventive grooves and hummable melodies, Ben draws from the jazz tradition and a range of influences from rock and folk to 20th century classical and world music traditions, seamlessly blending them into a cinematic, cohesive whole. Joined by the graceful guitarist Steve Cardenas and the inimitable Ted Nash on saxophones, the trio explores the music of the iconic jazz guitarist Jim Hall in this acoustic concert.Allison has been called “one of today’s best young jazz musicians” by the Boston Globe and a “visionary composer, adventurous improviser, and strong organizational force on the New York City jazz scene” by JazzTimes.NY TIMES:Ben Allison/Steve Cardenas/Ted Nash (Friday) This low-key repertory tribute — featuring the music of the multi-reedist Jimmy Giuffre and the guitarist Jim Hall, who worked together in an influential chamber-jazz trio of the late 1950s — will feature musicians well attuned to that spirit of economy and openness. On guitar is Mr. Cardenas; joining him are Mr. Nash, a saxophonist, and the group’s bassist and director, Mr. Allison. At 7 p.m., Rubin Museum of Art, 150 West 17th Street, Chelsea, 212-620-5000, rubinmuseum.org. (Chinen)
Rubin Museum of Art|150 West 17th Street|New York, NY 10011, New York, NY
Cassandra Wilson celebrates Billie Holiday
Cassandra Wilson A Celebration of Billie HolidayCassandra Wilson, one of the finest and most important jazz, blues, country and folk vocalists today, salutes the superstar and legendary songstress Billie Holiday during Lady Days centennial celebration week. Timed with what would have been Holidays 100th birthday, Wilson will release Coming Forth By Day, a celebration of Billie Holiday, on Sony Music/Legacy Recordings.Wilson became one of the founding members of the groundbreaking M-Base Collective in the early 80s, released the landmark album Blue Light Til Dawn in 1992, has earned two Grammys (1996, Best Jazz Vocal Performance for New Moon Daughter; 2009, Best Jazz Vocal Album for Loverly), and has received countless other honors and awards during her illustrious career.Join Cassandra Wilson as she headlines the legendary Apollo Theater for the first time in honor of a trailblazing artist who first graced the same stage in 1934!Cassandra Wilson, vocalsCharlie Burnham, violinRobby Marshall, woodwindsKevin Breit, guitarJohn Cowherd, pianoLonnie Plaxico, bassJohn Davis, drumshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vxX5tZ1Rgohttp://revive-music.com/2015/02/24/premiere-cassandra-wilson-strange-fru...http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/03/09/spring-preview-nightlife-jessohttps://www.yahoo.com/music/hear-it-first-cassandra-wilson-does-billie-1...http://www.studio360.org/story/cassandra-wilson-sings-one-last-song-for-...http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2015/04/01/100-years-later-lady-day-still-inspires/70722768https://zealnyc.com/dan-ouellettes-jazz-notes-cassandra-wilson-pays-exhilarating-and-soulful-tribute-to-the-iconic-billie-holiday-at-the-apollo/http://observer.com/2015/04/on-her-centennial-billie-holiday-gets-the-attention-she-deserves/http://goo.gl/fZkjl9 (NY Times)http://www.npr.org/2015/04/05/397321378/cassandra-wilson-couldnt-wait-to...
The Apollo Theater|253 West 125th St.|New York, NY, New York, NY
Billie Holiday Apollo Walk of Fame Ceremony
Apollo Theater and Absolutely Live EntertainmentTo Celebrate the 100th Birthday of Billie HolidayWith Presentations in Honor of the Legendary Jazz and Blues SingerSongstress to Be Inducted into the Apollo Walk of FameCeremony to Include Two-Time Grammy Winner Cassandra WilsonMonday, April 6thCassandra Wilson: A Celebration of Billie Holiday ConcertWill Mark Wilson‟s First Time Headlining the ApolloFriday, April 10th; "Coming Forth By Day‟ (Legacy Recordings) Released April 7thNew York, NY March 2, 2015 – The Apollo Theater in collaboration with Absolutely Live Entertainment will celebrate the 100th birthday of Billie Holiday with presentations honoring the late jazz and blues singer and featuring two-time Grammy winning musician Cassandra Wilson. On Monday, April 6th Billie Holiday will be inducted into the Apollo Walk of Fame, joining other legends honored by the Theater including Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown and its most recent inductee, Louis Armstrong. Musician Cassandra Wilson and Apollo president and CEO Jonelle Procope will present the legendary singer‟s Walk of Fame plaque during the ceremony. Accepting the honor on behalf of The Estate Of Billie Holiday, which is managed by The Bicycle Music Company, will be one of its managing partners, Steven Salm. Along with the Walk of Fame ceremony, events honoring the late songstress include the release of Cassandra Wilson‟s upcoming Legacy Recordings release, Coming Forth By Day (April 7th) and a special concert, Cassandra Wilson: A Celebration of Billie Holiday, which will mark Wilson‟s first time headlining the Apollo (April 10th).The Apollo Theater played a major role in the emergenceof jazz and is honoring that legacy, as well as continued innovations within the genre, by inducting Ms. Holiday into the Walk of Fame. Apollo‟s Walk of Fame honors legendary performers who have helped shape the American music landscape and build the Apollo into one of the world‟s most enduring cultural institutions. Billie Holiday, born Eleanora Fagan, had a special relationship with the Apollo Theater dating back to the Theater‟s founding year, 1934. The then, 19-year-old performed “If the Moon Turns Green” and “The Man I Love” to a moved crowd. Over the course of her career, Lady Day would go on to perform at the iconic venue at least 23 times. In the late 1940s, after she lost her New York City cabaret card, the Apollo remained one of the few NYC venues where Ms. Holiday could perform.Billie Holiday‟s plaque will be installed underneath the Apollo‟s marquee on 125th street, alongside plaques for numerous Apollo legends including Ella Fitzgerald, Gladys Knight &the Pips, Little Richard, James Brown, Smokey Robinson, Patti LaBelle, Quincy Jones, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Etta James, Chaka Khan, Chuck Jackson, Celia Cruz, The Isley Brothers and Louis Armstrong.“It is an honor to celebrate Billie Holiday and her many contributions to the jazz and blues world, on her centennial birthday,” said Mikki Shepard, Executive Producer for the Apollo Theater. “The Walk of Fame is our way of paying tribute to the Apollo Legends who have transformed the American entertainment landscape. Billie Holiday without a doubt is the personification of this. Her voice and presence permeated mainstream culture which lead to her becoming the most influential jazz singer of her day and among the most esteemed vocalist of the century. These initiatives serve as part of the Apollo‟s mission to use its legacy to inform and support contemporary artists.”Coinciding with the Theater‟s Walk of Fame induction, Cassandra Wilson will release her new album Coming Forth By Day (Legacy Recordings), on April 7th, which would have been Ms. Holiday‟s 100th birthday. The album features wholly original interpretations of 11 songs that Billie Holiday recorded over the course of her career and an original by Cassandra called “Last Song (For Lester).”“Coming Forth by Day is an homage dedicated to the beauty, power, and genius of Billie Holiday. A collection of musical spells, prescriptions for navigating the dubious myths surrounding her life and times, this record is a vehicle for the re-emergence of Billie's songbook in the 21st century," said Cassandra Wilson.On March 31, Legacy Recordings will also release The Centennial Collection -- a newly curated single disc anthology showcasing 20 of Billie Holiday‟s finest recordings.
The Apollo Theater|253 West 125th Street|New York, NY, New York, NY
Rudresh Mahanthappa - NYC "Bird Calls" CD Release Show
Saxophonist and composer Rudresh Mahanthappa celebrates his new Charlie Parker-inspired CD Bird Calls with pianist Bobby Avey, bassist François Moutin, drummer Jordan Perlson and 20-year-old trumpet prodigy Adam O’Farrill.Through a series of critically acclaimed releases over the past decade, Rudresh Mahanthappa has explored the music of his South Indian heritage and translated it through the vocabulary of his own distinctive approach to modern jazz. On his latest release Bird Calls, available February 10, 2015 on ACT, Mahanthappa trains his anthropological imagination on an equally important cultural influence: the music of Charlie Parker. With a stellar quintet of forward-thinking musicians, which includes some long-time collaborators as well as trumpeter Adam O’Farrill, Mahanthappa offers an inspired examination of Bird’s foundational influence and how it manifests itself in a decidedly 21st-century context.
Jazz Standard| 116 East 27th Street, New York, New York, NY
Rudresh Mahanthappa - NYC "Bird Calls" CD Release Show
Saxophonist and composer Rudresh Mahanthappa celebrates his new Charlie Parker-inspired CD Bird Calls with pianist Bobby Avey, bassist François Moutin, drummer Jordan Perlson and 20-year-old trumpet prodigy Adam O’Farrill.Through a series of critically acclaimed releases over the past decade, Rudresh Mahanthappa has explored the music of his South Indian heritage and translated it through the vocabulary of his own distinctive approach to modern jazz. On his latest release Bird Calls, available February 10, 2015 on ACT, Mahanthappa trains his anthropological imagination on an equally important cultural influence: the music of Charlie Parker. With a stellar quintet of forward-thinking musicians, which includes some long-time collaborators as well as trumpeter Adam O’Farrill, Mahanthappa offers an inspired examination of Bird’s foundational influence and how it manifests itself in a decidedly 21st-century context.http://www.downbeat.com/defaultl.asp?sect=editorspicks1502#3http://goo.gl/MdxRXhhttp://www.npr.org/2015/02/08/383833597/bird-of-a-feather-rudresh-mahanthappa-on-learning-from-charlie-parkerhttp://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/10/arts/music/reviews-rudresh-mahanthappa-and-father-john-misty-get-deep.html?nl=theater&emc=edit_cu_20131211&_r=0http://www.birdistheworm.com/rudresh-mahanthappa-bird-calls/http://www.allaboutjazz.com/bird-calls-rudresh-mahanthappa-act-music-review-by-dave-wayne.php"On Bird Calls, alto saxophonist and composer Rudresh Mahanthappa takes on the music of Charlie Parker in a personal and profound way, accompanied by his whip-smart, uber-hip and youthful backing band. Let's face it, folks; this is the sort of thing a jazz fan's daydreams are made of. The result doesn't disappoint; Bird Calls is a masterpiece, and will certainly grace many a critic's year end "Top 10" list."http://www.wsj.com/articles/reviews-of-bird-calls-by-rudresh-mahanthappa-and-intents-and-purposes-by-rez-abbasi-1424733754http://www.wbgo.org/checkoutjazz/rudresh-mahanthappa-bird-callshttp://www.popmatters.com/review/190835-rudresh-mahanthappa-bird-calls/
Jazz Standard| 116 East 27th Street, New York, New York, NY
The Shape of Jazz: Edmar Castañeda Trio
Edmar Castañeda, Colombian HarpShlomi Cohen, SaxophonesDave Silliman, Drums and Percussionwith Special Guest Andrea Tierra, VocalsWhen Colombian harp virtuoso Edmar Castañeda plays, it’s hard to believe only one man and not a trio of harpists is performing. Castañeda’s remarkable technique—he plays lead, rhythm, and bass lines all at once—is equaled only by his soulful improvisations. He leads his acclaimed global jazz trio in this concert.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ofc9hdMHNM&index=1&list=PL6on-dqI0232xGBg5eIFosaOkXCPwFtNQ
Zankel Hall @ Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
Keith Jarrett - Solo Piano Improvisations
Once again, we proudly present Keith Jarrett at Carnegie Hall.This concert is sold out!http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/05/arts/music/review-keith-jarrett-at-carnegie-hall-precise-and-aglow.html?ref=music
Carnegie Hall|New York, NY, New York, NY
The Nearness of You Benefit Concert: Honoring Michael Brecker
On Tuesday, January 20th, join Paul Simon, James Taylor, Bobby McFerrin, Dianne Reeves, Jack DeJohnette, Mike Mainieri, Joey Calderazzo, Randy Brecker, musical director Gil Goldstein, and additional special guests as they honor 15-time Grammy Award winning saxophonist Michael Brecker at The Nearness of You Benefit Concert.Proceeds from the concert will support cancer research at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and the work of Azra Raza, MD and Siddhartha Mukherjee, MD, DPhil.http://jazztimes.com/articles/148010-jalc-to-host-cancer-research-benefit-in-memory-of-michael-breckerhttps://news.yahoo.com/james-taylor-paul-simon-perform-benefit-jazz-great-050233052.htmlhttp://jazztimes.com/articles/153519-concert-review-the-nearness-of-you-at-jazz-at-lincoln-center
The Appel Room|Frederick P. Rose Hall| Broadway and 60th Street New York, NY 10019 , New York, NY
Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour feat. Terence Blanchard, Ravi Coltrane & Gerald Clayton Trio
The Monterey Jazz Festival, the longest continuously-running jazz festival in the world, presents its fourth national tour with a special appearance at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City from January 6-11, 2015, during the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) Conference. Featuring critically-acclaimed, GRAMMY®-winning jazz artists, the all-star tour band features Terence Blanchard on trumpet; Ravi Coltrane on tenor and soprano saxophones; musical director Gerald Clayton on piano; Joe Sanders on bass; and Justin Brown on drums.
The Blue Note|131 West 3rd St.|New York, NY, New York, NY