CHICK COREA PICTURES!

Chick Corea is marching towards New Year's with the hottest band of the year: Elektric Band featuring Dave Weckl, Victor Wooten, Eric Marienthal, and Frank Gambale!

BLUE NOTE OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON THE DEATH OF JAZZ LEGEND OSCAR PETERSON

Today, the Blue Note joins jazz fans all over the world in mourning the death of our friend Oscar Peterson, one of the greatest and most influential jazz pianists of all time. Peterson, 82, died of kidney failure on Sunday, December 23, according to the Neweduk Funeral Home in Mississauga, Toronto.

In the early days of the Blue Note, owner Danny Bensusan was determined to book Oscar Peterson at the club. “I always tried to develop a relationship with Oscar. He wanted to play the club but he had many commitments in the area. One day, (bassist) Ray Brown came to me and said ‘Danny, I’ll get you Oscar Peterson, and I’ll get him with the original trio.’ They came, and from that first performance, Oscar never missed a gig.”

The first week with Oscar Peterson at the Blue Note took place in April of 1984 with Ray Brown and guitarist Joe Pass. Peterson continued to perform and record at the Blue Note over the decades with variations of his trio and quartet, featuring musicians like Milt Jackson, Herb Ellis and other special guests. For his three Telarc recordings at the Blue Note, Peterson won three Grammy awards; the first two for his group and solo performance on the 1990 release “The Legendary Oscar Peterson Trio Live at the Blue Note,” the second for the group performance on the 1991 release “Saturday Night at the Blue Note.” In February 2007, Telarc released “What’s Up? The Very Tall Band” featuring Peterson with the original trio of Milt Jackson and Ray Brown, recorded live at the Blue Note in November of 1998.

Oscar Peterson was born in Little Burgundy, Montreal on August 15, 1925. Heavily influenced by Art Tatum, James P. Johnson, and many other pianists of the day, Peterson brought his talents to the United States in 1949 with his Carnegie Hall debut after being discovered by jazz impresario Norman Granz. Through Granz’s Jazz At The Philharmonic series, Peterson met and performed with many of the greatest jazz musicians of his generation, including Stan Getz, Milt Jackson, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Ben Webster, Count Basie, and Dizzy Gillespie.

From the early 1950s until his death, Peterson performed with his trios and quartets all over the world. He suffered a stroke in 1993, but within a year was performing and touring again, despite a severely weakened left side. Throughout his career, Peterson won seven Grammy awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997, and numerous schools and concert halls have been named in his honor.

Peterson’s performances in those early days were significant in establishing the Blue Note as one of the top venues in jazz. Although he is no longer with us, his presence will always be felt at the Blue Note.

His death was confirmed by Neweduk Funeral Home in Mississauga, the Toronto suburb where Peterson lived. The town's mayor, Hazel McCallion, told The Associated Press that he died of kidney failure but that she did not know when. The hospital and police refused to comment. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported that he died on Sunday.

His death was confirmed by Neweduk Funeral Home in Mississauga, the Toronto suburb where Peterson lived. The town's mayor, Hazel McCallion, told The Associated Press that he died of kidney failure but that she did not know when. The hospital and police refused to comment. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported that he died on Sunday.

His death was confirmed by Neweduk Funeral Home in Mississauga, the Toronto suburb where Peterson lived. The town's mayor, Hazel McCallion, told The Associated Press that he died of kidney failure but that she did not know when. The hospital and police refused to comment. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported that he died on Sunday.

ASHLEY KAHN INTERVIEWS MCCOY TYNER AT THE BLUE NOTE

This morning, jazz historian and writer Ashley Kahn came to the Blue Note to interview McCoy Tyner in the dressing room. The topic of the interview is being kept quiet (we'll find out soon enough), but when McCoy and Ashley Kahn get together, John Coltrane is never far from the topic at hand.......

Ashley Kahn is the author of some incredible jazz books, including "A Love Supreme," "Kind Of Blue," and his most recent "The House That Trane Built: The Story of Impulse Records."

Ashley Kahn and McCoy Tyner in the Blue Note dressing room, 12/13/07

CHRIS BOTTI IS HERE!

Chris Botti got to the Blue Note at around 5pm yesterday to do a quick soundcheck. He played a few notes into his mic and walked upstairs to hang out for a bit and was very gracious to everyone. His energy was still strong even after 2 packed sets, and by 12:15am he was still signing CDs at the gift shop and taking pictures with fans. One night down and two weeks left to go...

Botti will be interviewed at some point over the next few days, so keep your questions coming until tonight!

NEWS in the world of JAZZ

Just after 11am this morning, the Grammy Nominees for the 50th Annual Grammy Awards were announced in California. Herbie Hancock's CD "River: The Joni Letters" is up for album of the YEAR! What do you guys think about these choices for the jazz field? Post your comments here!

Field 10 — Jazz

Category 45

Best Contemporary Jazz Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

• Party Hats
  Will Bernard
  [Palmetto Records]
  
  
• Downright Upright
  Brian Bromberg
  [Artistry Music]
  
  
• Re-imagination
  Eldar
  [Masterworks Jazz]
  
  
• River: The Joni Letters
  Herbie Hancock
  [Verve]
  
  
• He Had A Hat
  Jeff Lorber
  [Blue Note]
  
  
  

Category 46

Best Jazz Vocal Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

• Avant Gershwin
  Patti Austin
  [Rendezvous Entertainment]
  
  
• Red Earth - A Malian Journey
  Dee Dee Bridgewater
  [DDB/Emarcy]
  
  
• Music Maestro Please
  Freddy Cole
  [HighNote Records]
  
  
• Nightmoves
  Kurt Elling
  [Concord Jazz]
  
  
• On The Other Side
  Tierney Sutton (Band)
  [Telarc Jazz]
  
  
  

Category 47

Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
(For an instrumental jazz solo performance. Two equal performers on one recording may be eligible as one entry. If the soloist listed appears on a recording billed to another artist, the latter's name is in parenthesis for identification. Singles or Tracks only.)

• Levees
  Terence Blanchard, soloist
  Track from: A Tale Of God's Will (A Requiem For Katrina)
  [Blue Note]
  
  
• Anagram
  Michael Brecker, soloist
  Track from: Pilgrimage
  [Heads Up International]
  
  
• Both Sides Now
  Herbie Hancock, soloist
  Track from: River: The Joni Letters
  [Verve]
  
  
• Lullaby
  Hank Jones, soloist
  Track from: Kids: Live At Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola (Joe Lovano and Hank Jones)
  [Blue Note]
  
  
• 1000 Kilometers
  Paul McCandless, soloist
  Track from: 1000 Kilometers (Oregon)
  [CamJazz]
  
  
  

Category 48

Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

• Pilgrimage
  Michael Brecker
  [Heads Up International]
  
  
• Live At The Village Vanguard
  The Bill Charlap Trio
  [Blue Note]
  
  
• Kids: Live At Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola
  Joe Lovano And Hank Jones
  [Blue Note]
  
  
• Line By Line
  John Patitucci
  [Concord Jazz]
  
  
• Back East
  Joshua Redman
  [Nonesuch Records]
  
  
  

Category 49

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
(For large jazz ensembles, including big band sounds. Albums must contain 51% or more INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

• A Tale Of God's Will (A Requiem For Katrina)
  Terence Blanchard
  [Blue Note]
  
  
• Eternal Licks & Grooves
  The Bob Florence Limited Edition
  [MAMA Records]
  
  
• Hommage
  The Bill Holman Band
  [Jazzed Media]
  
  
• Sky Blue
  Maria Schneider Orchestra
  [ArtistShare]
  
  
• With Love
  Charles Tolliver Big Band
  [Blue Note]
  
  
  

Category 50

Best Latin Jazz Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

• Funk Tango
  Paquito D'Rivera Quintet?
  [Paquito Records]
  
  
• The Magician
  Sammy Figueroa And His Latin Jazz Explosion
  [Savant Records]
  
  
• Borrowed Time
  Steve Khan
  [Tone Center Records]
  
  
• Refugee
  Hector Martignon
  [Zoho]
  
  
• Big Band Urban Folktales
  Bobby Sanabria Big Band
  [Jazzheads]

Variety.com review of Bill Frisell, Ron Carter, Paul Motian show...

Recently Reviewed

Bill Frisell/Ron Carter/Paul Motian

(Blue Note; 250 seats; $35 top)

By DAVID SPRAGUE

Presented inhouse. Opened and reviewed Dec. 4, 2007. Closes Dec. 9.

It's a yeoman's task to ask a group of strong-willed musicians -- players accustomed to calling the shots -- to come together as a democratic unit. This heavily credentialed trio managed to do so on the self-titled Nonesuch album it released last year and confirmed that bond Tuesday night at the first perf of a much-anticipated Gotham stint.

The three musicians each maintained their distinct personalities -- Frisell waxing wry and puckish, Motian gruff but affable and Carter unflaggingly Zen-like -- while remaining locked into the nuances of the others. The trio kicked things off in warm, easy-going fashion with an urbane twist on Jimmy Davis' classic "You Are My Sunshine," which Frisell infused with a Wes Montgomery-styled languidness.

Carter took centerstage for the cinematic "Eighty-One," a tune that unfolded in origami-like fashion, evincing facets of swing, tense counterpoint and an almost Nino Rota-like cinematic vibe. That sense of surprise worked to the combo's benefit through most of the 75-minute set, but failed it at a few junctures -- such as "Abacus," a nonlinear piece that found all three players orbiting in search of a center that never came into focus.

They fell into lockstep rather nicely by the latter part of the set, however, gliding gracefully in tandem over the measures of Frisell's "Strange Meeting," a composition redolent of a windswept Iberian cliff -- and one that allowed Motian to step out in stellar fashion, traversing the breadth of his kit with a remarkable economy of (no pun intended) motion.

Set ended on a winsome note, in the form of an airy rendition of Lerner and Loewe's "On the Street Where You Live." The chestnut is trotted out so often that it can almost seem like incidental music, but on this evening, Frisell, Carter and Motian infused it with enough oomph to demand aud attention until the fading of the final note.

SOUND CHECK REPORT - BILL FRISELL, RON CARTER, PAUL MOTIAN

Bill Frisell arrived at the Blue Note just after 2pm to begin setting up his equipment. By 4pm, Ron Carter (wearing a suit and tie) and Paul Motian joined him on stage and without saying much to each other, they began to play. The trio had not performed together since recording their self-titled trio album last year, and they picked up right where they left off. Over the next two hours, the band went through their songbook, playing Frisell originals like Strange Meeting, standards like On The Street Where You Live and Little Waltz, and classics like You Are My Sunshine and A Change is Gonna Come. Little was said, and Frisell's voice was barely audible even in the empty club as he called out tunes to rehearse.

What makes this trio so special is not the individual musicians' abilties and their accomplishments or the novelty of them joining forces on stage. Rather, it's the level of communication they display as a trio and the sincerity with which the play their music. The interplay between all three musicians creates some of the most beautiful, heartfelt music around.

If you had a chance to catch this show, post your thoughts!

GRADY TATE PHOTOS

CHARLES NEVILLE WRAP-UP

The 2nd Neville Brother Charles threw some curveballs into the first set last night, playing old standards such as "Night and Day" and even throwing in his own version of the theme song from "The Price is Right." Neville was clearly enjoying his last night at the Blue Note, and Yang Ying broke up the set nicely when she came down for two songs to play the erhu. Very interesting music and a lot of fun.

CHARLES NEVILLE SOUND-CHECK PHOTOS

Charles Neville got to the Blue Note at around 3pm yesterday to prepare for sound check. A bouquet of flowers was sitting at the bar waiting for him, and as he warmed up in the dressing room, his band-mates began to unpack their instruments. The Blue Ntoe Blogger was on hand for the afternoon sound check and took some pictures of the group! Neville shares a lot of the spotlight with erhu player Yang Ying.

CHRIS BOTTI - TWO WEEK RESIDENCE!!! Dec. 10-25

Chris Botti will make an unprecedented run at the Blue Note - two weeks in December from the 10th to Christmas day, Dec. 25. Last year Sting showed up and sang with Botti, and the man is known to bring out all sorts of stars to the stage. The Blue Note Blogger will be on hand to document all of it. Anything specific you want to ask him? Post a comment and we'll get you an answer!

VERY SPECIAL GUESTS LATELY AT THE BLUE NOTE...

As the holidays get closer, "special guests" always seem to flock to the Blue Note stage. In the past we've had special holiday guests such as Stevie Wonder and Billy Joel. Just last weekend, Clark Terry played for two nights with his young quartet, and Bill Cosby dropped by to check out the scene. Once he was recognized, Clark brought him on stage and they did a little routine that had the audience rolling.

Speaking of special guests at the club, Dave Brubeck and his quartet made their one-night-only appearance over the Thanksgiving weekend.

This week, the Dizzy band has had plenty of special guests on stage, and tonight's lineup will be no exception. Paqutio D'Rivera will join the band for both sets, and there are some rumors that trumpet virtuoso Wallace Roney will show up, along with Antonio Hart, Jimmy Heath, and Frank Wess! All are expected to sit in!

Between now and New Year's, don't be surprised to see some of your favorite jazz and pop stars show up and join whomever is playing!

Dizzy Gillespie Alumni ALL WEEK!

Check out this interview we did last time the Dizzy Band was at the Blue Note. Come on backstage and talk to these guys in person after the show this week at the Blue Note!

CASSANDRA WILSON PICTURES

The club is buzzing this week about Cassandra Wilson. She's playing some new material this week from a self-produced album that will come out in Spring '08 on Blue Note Records. Only two nights left, so come to the club before the shows get sold out!



MORE PICTURES BELOW

CASSANDRA WILSON IN THE DAILY NEWS ON SUNDAY NOV. 11

Cassandra Wilson will performing some new material at the Blue Note, straight from the sessions for a Blue Note Records recording to be released sometime in Spring 2008. Check Michael Giltz's preview of Cassandra's Blue Note shows in the Sunday edition of the New York Daily News:



CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY!

Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars PART 3 - interview

NYU BRUNCH with JEAN-MICHEL PILC

Jean-Michel Pilc brought a stellar group of NYU students to the Blue Note for the brunch last Sunday. Check these whizzes out - they are rising stars to say the least (see names below...)


From left to right; Jean Michel Pilc, piano; Lenart Krecic, tenor saxophone; Spencer Zahn, bass; Nick Myers, tenor saxophone; Sam Levin, drums

ROSA PASSOS SET LIST - NOV 2 8pm

Rosa Passos' sold out debut at the Blue Note was magnificent. For those of you who couldn't make it, here is a list of songs she played this evening:

1. Vatapa
2. Marina
3. Fotografia
4. Por Causa De Voce
5. So Danco Samba
6. Voce Vai Ver
7. Dindi
8. E Luxo So
9. Jardim
10. Eu Sei Oive Vou te Amour
11. Vestido De Bolero
12. Perciso Aprender A Ser So
13. So Tinha De Ser Com Voce
14. Samurai

MORE ROSA PASSOS

Rosa Passos is coming to the Blue Note this Friday to Sunday (November 2-4). Yo-Yo Ma called her voice "the most beautiful in the world." Come see for yourself!

DAVID SANBORN PICTURES

MCCOY TYNER @ JAZZ IMPROV LIVE, 2007

New Half Note/McCoy Tyner Music artist McCoy Tyner will be performing at the Jazz Improv Live! 2007 Convention tomorrow night at the New Yorker Hotel in NYC in a rare U.S. appearance with Stanley Clarke and Jack DeJohnette. To get tickets, you can purchase through the Blue Note website by going to the following link:

Click Here to Buy Tickets for Jazz Improv Convention Live! 2007 through the Blue Note website

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH DAVID SANBORN

He'll be at the Blue Note through Sunday!

SAX-CRIME VICTIM...NY POST REPORTS

WAITER'S CREDIT 'SCAM' VS. STAR

By JAMIE SCHRAM, SAMUEL GOLDSMITH and DAN MANGAN

BRASS-KICKING: Nick & Toni's server Darin Blackburn is accused of ripping off Grammy-winner David Sanborn (above).

September 28, 2007 -- A waiter at an Upper West Side restaurant is singing the blues after being busted for scamming famed saxophonist David Sanborn out of $15,000 in bogus credit-card charges, The Post has learned.

Darin Blackburn was nabbed Tuesday morning by cops as he was loading a U-Haul for a move out of town, authorities said. He is being held in lieu of $5,000 bail on charges of grand larceny and possession of stolen property.

Blackburn, 38, was fired earlier this month by Nick & Toni's Cafe on West 67th Street after management discovered his scheme, authorities said. The waiter allegedly pocketed cash from other customers, whose tabs he then charged to Sanborn's American Express card, which is on file there.

Sanborn, 62, is a Grammy Award-winner considered by some to be the most influential saxophonist on pop and R&B records in recent decades. His prolific career includes performing with Stevie Wonder, the Rolling Stones, Paul Simon and David Bowie, whose 1975 hit "Young Americans" features a signature Sanborn solo.

Sanborn lives nearby and is a regular at Nick & Toni's. From Jan. 1 to Sept. 14, $23,256.20 was placed on Sanborn's AmEx account at the restaurant, according to authorities. Sanborn eventually learned he was being charged well beyond his actual bills, and contacted Nick & Toni's manager, William Baraket.

Both men agreed Sanborn was responsible for just $7,768.86 of the charges.

When Baraket confronted Blackburn, the waiter broke down, confessed and promised to repay the money, authorities said.

Sanborn's manager, Patrick Rains, yesterday said the sax player had no comment.

An employee at Nick & Toni's said Sanborn is "still a regular customer. and there's no hard feelings. Everything was resolved between Mr. Sanborn and his credit-card company."

Scofield Wrap-Up

It has been said that if blues is the more emotional, visceral genre, then jazz is the more methodical, intellectual style of music. But Scofield proved that statement to be blatantly false on Tuesday night. His facial expressions during his solos alone were worth the price of admission. Everyone in the room (if not in the entire West Village) knew that he was truly feeling what he was playing. After the show, Scofield imparted some valuable advice about what it takes to reach his level of musical virtuosity. “Practice and listen,” Scofield told the Spectator didactically. “Good things take time.”

- SIMEON COHEN; CU Columbia Spectator, NY - Oct. 19, 2007

John Scofield has something in common with his 1982-1985 boss -- trumpet icon Miles Davis. The powerhouse guitarist, composer and arranger knows how to find a concept, flesh it out, and land a top-drawer band to perform it.... "Heck of a Job" (the title refers to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and President Bush's affirmation of then-FEMA chief Michael Brown) boasted a New Orleans funk beat. Punched horns enlivened the theme and interjected during Scofield's solo. He fattened his sound with a wah-wah effect at points, and played choice ideas. Grenadier soloed impressively with rich notes, and Stewart went from tom-tom whaps to sock cymbal sizzles. At the close, the piece slowed dramatically, and Scofield played emotive, crying notes surrounded by horns.

- ZAN STEWART; Star Ledger, NJ - Oct. 17, 2007

SCOFIELD @ THE BLUE NOTE, 2004

ENTER TO WIN: 2 Free Tickets to The World Famous Count Basie Orchestra

THE COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA will be performing from November 6-11 at the Blue Note. The contest will end on November 2. To win 2 free tickets to see the Count Basie Orchestra directed by Bill Hughes, follow the directions below. We will email you back if you are a winner:

TO ENTER:

1. Email your name and phone number to contests@bluenote.net
2. In the Subject Line, please title your email "BN BLOG CONTEST - COUNT BASIE"
3. Indicate which day and set you would like tickets for (any day except Friday & Saturday, 8pm or 10:30pm)

THE MANY FACES OF JOHN SCOFIELD

From October 16 - 21, John Scofield will be at the Blue Note with his trio and the ScoHorns, playing their only East Coast date in support of their new record, This Meets That on Emarcy. Every time Sco comes to the Blue Note, he has a new project with him. In addition to this week at the Blue Note, Scofield will do a master class on Saturday, November 3rd from 2-4pm. Check out some of these videos of Scofield from over the years and let us know what you think!


Scofield and Jaco Pastorius playing "The Chicken"


Scofield talks! Wow!


Scofield and Lovano...awesome!

Blue Note Interview Series: DIZZY GILLESPIE ALUMNI ALL-STARS interviewed by Ira Gitler P. 2

BLUE NOTE INTERVIEW SERIES:

Below is Part 2 of the first installment of the Blue Note Interview Series. Famous Jazz Critic Ira Gitler interviews the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars at the Blue Note earlier in the summer. The band will be performing at the Blue Note from November 20-26, save for a day off on November 24. From left to right, Antonio Hart, Claudio Roditi, James Moody, Ira Gitler, Jimmy Heath, Slide Hampton.

ROSA PASSOS TICKET GIVEAWAY Nov. 2-4

ROSA PASSOS will be performing for three nights only at the Blue Note. The contest will end October 30. To win tickets to see Rosa Passos in her Blue Note debut, follow the directions below. We will email you back if you are a winner:

TO ENTER:

1. Email your name and phone number to contests@bluenote.net
2. In the Subject Line, please title your email "BN BLOG CONTEST - ROSA PASSOS"
3. Indicate which day and set you would like tickets for (8pm or 10:30pm)

JANE MONHEIT'S SET LIST FOR OPENING NIGHT...

Jane Monheit was in top form during last night's opening set. Her set list was as follows:

1. So Many Stars
2. All Or Nothing
3. Só Tinha de Ser Com Você
4. Devil & The Deep
5. Overjoyed
6. By Myself
7. Instrumental Duet
8. I Won't Dance
9. Rio De Maio
10. More Than You Know
11. Waters of March
12. Time For Love
13. Please Be Kind

ROSA PASSOS COMING TO THE BLUE NOTE! November 2-4

Check out this beautiful video of Rosa Passos performing with Ivete Sangalo. Check back for updates on Rosa - the Blue Note Blog will be giving away a few pairs of tickets soon!

Congrats to the 2008 NEA Jazz Masters!

The Blue Note congratulates the NEA Jazz Master Award recipients of 2008!

New York, NY -- National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Dana Gioia announced the recipients of the 2008 NEA Jazz Masters Award. The award is the nation's highest honor in this distinctly American art form. The recipients will receive a $25,000 fellowship, will appear in an award ceremony and concert on January 12, 2008, and have the opportunity to participate in other NEA-sponsored promotional and performance activities. This year's announcement is tinged with sadness with the death of renowned pianist and composer Andrew Hill who was notified of his receipt of the award shortly before his death. His wife, Joanne Robinson Hill, acknowledged the honor on his behalf.

In addition to Andrew Hill, this year's recipients are; Candido Camero (rhythm instrumentalist), Quincy Jones (bandleader), Tom McIntosh (composer-arranger), and Joe Wilder (solo instrumentalist/trumpet). This year's recipient of the A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Master Award for Jazz Advocacy is Gunther Schuller.

Blue Note Interview Series: DIZZY GILLESPIE ALUMNI ALL-STARS interviewed by Ira Gitler P. 1

BLUE NOTE INTERVIEW SERIES:

Famous Jazz Critic Ira Gitler interviews the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars at the Blue Note earlier in the summer. The band will be performing at the Blue Note from November 20-26, save for a day off on November 24. From left to right, Antonio Hart, Claudio Roditi, James Moody, Ira Gitler, Jimmy Heath, Slide Hampton.

Dee Dee Bridgewater Pictures

Dee Dee Bridgewater's Red Earth project has her in touch with her roots - and as you can see by the pictures, her passion is for this music is infectious!

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - A MALIAN JOURNEY comes to the Blue Note this week Oct. 2-7

Dee Dee Bridgewater is back at the Blue Note, but this time, she won't be singing jazz. This week, she'll perform the music from her new CD, titled "Red Earth: A Malian Journey." Check out this video clip from France where she performed selections from her Malian project in June...

MCCOY TYNER REVIEW ON NPR

Check out the review of McCoy Tyner's new CD "QUARTET" on NPR:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14721454

WIN FREE TICKETS TO SEE GEORGE CABLES w/ sp. guest ROY HARGROVE for MONDAY, OCTOBER 1!

The George Cables Project produced by Jill Newman Productions debuts at the Blue Note with an all-star cast of bassist Derrick Hodge, altoist Gary Bartz, and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts with special guest trumpeter Roy Hargrove.

TO ENTER:

1. Email your name and phone number to contests@bluenote.net

2. In the Subject Line, please title your email "BN BLOG CONTEST - GEORGE CABLES"

3. Indicate which set you would like tickets for (8pm or 10:30pm)

JOHNNY GRIFFIN WRAP-UP

Johnny Griffin, who has been a creative force in hard-bop since the 1950s, has stayed away from clubs in the US for some time. His return to New York was highly anticipated, and he didn't dissapoint during his two night stint at the Blue Note this weekend. Griffin once said "I like to play fast. I get excited, and I have to sort of control myself, restrain myself. But when the rhythm section gets cooking, I want to explode." Despite his age (he'll be 80 next April), Griffin is still as happy as ever to get on stage and perform.