Friday, October 29, 2010

ENTER TO WIN: 2 FREE TICKETS TO SEE JON BATISTE & THE GHOST BUSTERS: A MASQUERADE BALL ON HALLOWEEN!


The Blue Note is offering FREE TICKET PAIRS to JON BATITSE AND THE GHOST BUSTER's MASQUERADE BALL on Sunday, October 31 for both 8:00 & 10:30pm shows. Come dressed in your costume and join the party - New Orleans style! To win tickets, follow the instructions below:

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 - JON BATISTE"
3. Indicate which set you would like to attend (8:00pm or 10:30pm).

Check out what Jon is all about here:


Jon Batiste Band ENCORE from Blue Note on Vimeo.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

@ HIGHLINE BALLROOM: ENTER TO WIN TWO FREE TICKETS TO DAVE DOUGLAS' KEYSTONE THIS SUNDAY!

Dave Douglas will perform music from his latest CD "Spirit Of Being" in collaboration w/ filmmaker Bill Morrison.

The HIGHLINE BALLROOM is offering FREE TICKET PAIRS to the DAVE DOUGLAS KEYSTONE's show on SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24. THE MUSIC FROM THEIR CD SPIRIT OF BEING IS AN EXPERIMENTAL COLLABORATION WITH FILM-MAKER BILL MORRISON. To win tickets, follow the instructions below:

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 - DAVE DOUGLAS"

We will notify you by Saturday if you are a winner.

Check out this video featuring Douglas' music and Morrison's film:




The Creature's Education from Bill Morrison on Vimeo.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

INTERVIEW ON JACO PASTORIUS with FRIEND HELEN SZABO

Jaco Pastorious (left) and Mike Stern at the Blue Note, 1984

Former Blue Note employee and jazz lover Helen Szabo posted the above picture of Jaco Pastorius from 1984. Since we don't have many pictures of Jaco at the Blue Note, I asked her about the story behind the photo...

Blue Note: Where did this great photo of Jaco and Mike Stern come from

HS: The photo was featured in Guitar player magazine, August '84 issue, and Mike had been playing with Jaco in several of the local clubs, including Blue Note, 55 Grand, The Lone Star, 7th Avenue South... etc..

BN: Do you remember anything about the first time you heard Jaco?

HS: I'd seen Jaco years before, playing with Weather Report at the Apollo, in Manchester, England. It was around 1977. They opened with Ravel's Bolero, and it was a phenomenal performance!

So, years later when I walked into the Blue Note, I couldn't believe my eyes - or ears! He was brilliant...the club was packed...I had to fight my way thru the crowd to get a look at him!

BN: How did you get to know Jaco?

HS: After the gig, he came up to the bar where some of his friends where hanging out, and I was introduced to him. I went back again the next night, and we became friends.

BN: What was Jaco like in those days?

HS: Jaco was one of the most charismatic, lovable individuals I've ever met. He was funny, sensitive, generous and had a strong sense of loyalty. I never met anyone who didn't like him. In those days, he was still OK, happy, vibrant and some of his performances were quite simply "electric," and I was ecstatic to be a part of his entourage. He was an inspiration to the musicians he played with - Alex Foster, Rashied Ali, Delmar Brown, Kenwood Dennard, Ricky Sebastian, Hiram Bullock, Mike Stern and so many others...

BN: How was your experience working at the Blue Note from '84 - '85?

HS: I loved working at the Blue Note! I would have quite happily worked for nothing. It was an amazing experience, and I saw and met some of the most incredible musicians on the planet! Working there was like being a part of a family. I have very fond memories of the then manager Sal Haries, who not only gave me a job, but we kept in touch for many years, and he helped me in many ways.

Looking back, I must say that my time in New York was definitely one of the hilights of my life. I loved my job, I loved the city, and I loved the people. I loved my friends, many of whom I am still in touch with today. It was such an exciting time!

Friday, October 15, 2010

ENTER TO WIN: 2 FREE TICKETS TO SEE GARY BURTON QUARTET with JULIAN LAGE, SCOTT COLLEY & ANTONIO SANCHEZ!


The Blue Note is offering FREE TICKET PAIRS to the GARY BURTON QUARTET's shows on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday fo 10:30pm shows only. The performances mark Gary's first time playing in NYC in 5 years and the quartet's U.S debut! To win tickets, follow the instructions below:

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 - GARY BURTON"
3. Indicate which show you would like to attend (Tues, Wed, Thurs, or Sun).

Check out Gary's message to the fans about this week's special show:




In a week long engagement at the Blue Note in New York City this October, Gary Burton will perform with his new quartet, in their North American premiere.



Julian Lage (guitar), Scot Colley (bass) and Antonio Sanchez (drums) will accompany Gary in this special event.



Here Gary talks about this upcoming performance and his new quartet.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Mark Rapp / Derek Lee Bronston: The Song Project Vol. 1


Trumpeter Mark Rapp and vocalist/guitarist Derek Lee Bronston have put together some very unique music on their latest effort, The Song Project Vol. 1. They'll be at the Blue Note tonight only to release the new recording.

Here are some clips from soundcheck:







And one more featuring Rapp on the didgeridoo...




Wednesday, October 6, 2010

BILLY COBHAM SOUNDCHECK FOOTAGE

Check out this soundcheck clip from Billy Cobham - he's here through tomorrow night!



The show features:
Billy Cobham, drums
Jean-Marie Ecay, guitars
Fifi Chayeb, bass
Christophe Cravero, keyboard/violin
Camelia Ben Naceur, keyboards
Junior Gill, steel pan

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

DIANE SCHUUR WITH....ELMO! CHECK IT OUT!

Below is a fantastic video clip of Deedles on Sesame Street with the one and only Elmo. Check it out!

Monday, August 23, 2010

STAGE IS SET FOR THIS WEEK'S SAXOPHONE SALUTE TO JAMES MOODY: 8/24 - 8/29


Saxophonist, flautist, composer, and vocalist James Moody has long been considered one of the world's finest jazz musicians. In a career that has spanned seven decades, Moody has performed with most of jazz's biggest names, including Dizzy Gillespie, who employed him as the band's saxophonist from 1946 until Gillespie's death in 1993.

Though originally booked to play this week, Moody has been advised by his doctors to stay at home and rest while he continues to recuperate from gallbladder surgery.

This week's performance will instead be a tribute to Moody, and fittingly, some of today's top saxophonists have rallied together to show their appreciation for his life's work and support for a speedy recovery.

In the “Saxophone Summit: Salute To James Moody,” pianist David Hazeltine, bassist Todd Coolman and drummer Adam Nussbaum will be joined by saxophonists Eric Alexander and Antonio Hart each night. Special guest saxophonists will be joining the band throughout the week, including Chris Potter (Aug. 24), Jimmy Heath (Aug. 26), Lew Tabackin (Aug. 27), Ada Rovatti (Aug. 28), and Joe Lovano (Aug. 29), among others.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

HALF NOTE RECORDS UPCOMING RELEASE: KENNY WERNER'S NO BEGINNING NO END

On August 17, Half Note Records will release Kenny Werner's largest and most ambitious project to date - No Beginning, No End - featuring Joe Lovano, Judi Silvano, a string quartet, perucssion ensemble, 40+ woodwinds and a large choir. The piece is a tribute to Werner's late daugther Katheryn, who passed away unexpectedly and tragically in 2006.

The eventual work that became No Beginning, No End was based off a poem Werner wrote in the aftermath of the tragedy. The wind ensemble was recorded at NYU Steinhardt's theater in the summer of 2009. Dutch filmmaker Søren Jensen was able to document the project on video. Below is a trailer that discusses the making of No Beginning, No End and how it all came together.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

BLUE NOTE EMERGING ARTIST SERIES PRESENTS: NADAV REMEZ GROUP

Check out this amazing guitarist and composer - a recent grad of NEC in Mass. - with an all-star group featuring

Nadav Remez, guitar
Myron Walden, alto saxophone
Jonathan Greenstein, tenor saxophone
Shai Maestro, piano
Noam Wiesenberg, bass
Ziv Ravitz, drums
Special guest:
Itamar Borochov, trumpet

Check out this video clip of their soundcheck today before the show opening for Ron Carter Trio featuring Mulgrew Miller & Russell Malone...

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Bobby Caldwell brings his classic hits to the Blue Note

The one place in the world where you can hear this song performed live by Bobby Caldwell THIS WEEK is here at the Blue Note. He'll be here from Tuesday - Sunday - make sure you come down and check it out!

Friday, July 9, 2010

Set List from Opening Night - Ben E. King

It wouldn't be a Ben E. King show without his classic hit "Stand By Me." Check out one of his set lists from opening night:


Wednesday, June 16, 2010

ENTER TO WIN: 2 FREE TICKETS TO ALEX SIPIAGIN QUARTET CD RELEASE ON JUNE 21!


The Blue Note is offering FREE TICKET PAIRS to ALEX SIPIAGIN QUARTET's show MONDAY NIGHT JUNE 21 for both the 8:00pm & 10:30pm shows. He'll be playing with Dave Kikoski, Boris Kozlov & Marcus Gilmore, releasing his new CD Generations. To win tickets, follow the instructions below:

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 - ALEX SIPIAGIN"
3. Indicate which set (8:00pm or 10:30pm) you would like to attend.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

THE DIZZY BAND: WAS THERE A SINGLE MOMENT THAT MADE YOU WANT TO BE A MUSICIAN?

The Blue Note Bloggers posed a question to members of the big band: "Was there a single moment when you knew you wanted to be a jazz musician?" After watching Roy Hargrove conduct the band at sound-check, you'll hear answers from James Moody, Jimmy Heath, Gary Smulyan, Greg Gisbert, Roberta Gambarini, Claudio Roditi, Willie Jones III, Mike Dease, and bassist and executive director John Lee. They're here this week from June 15 - 20 at 8pm & 10:30pm nightly.

Monday, June 14, 2010

JJA AWARDS STREAMING LIVE HERE AT THE BLUE NOTE BLOG, 3:30PM ET!

LIVE broadcast of the 14th annual JJA Jazz Awards gala, 3:30-6:30pm EDT Mon June 14 at City Winery in New York City. Winners, voted on by members of the Jazz Journalists Association, will will announced and the awards...



Wednesday, June 9, 2010

EMERGING ARTIST SERIES: JOE ALTERMAN TRIO - 6/11/10

TONIGHT: OPENING ACT: JOE ALTERMAN - BLUE NOTE EMERGING ARTIST SERIES SPONSORED BY BROTHER THELONIOUS OF NORTH COAST BREWING CO. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON JOE, GO TO www.joealtermanmusic.com

Featuring:
Joe Alterman, piano
Nadav Spiegelman, bass
Allan Mednard, drums

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

WNYC GIG ALERT: ALICE SMITH JUNE 1 & 2

Alice Smith will be performing 4 intimate acoustic sets at the Blue Note on June 1 & 2. If you've never heard this sultry singer whose voice has been compared to the likes of Norah Jones & Alicia Keys, check out this track here, streaming free courtesy of WNYCCulture's Gig Alert:

JAZZ AT THE HIGHLINE BALLROOM JUNE 22 - 25 - MARCUS MILLER, VICTOR WOOTEN, ROY HARGROVE & AL DiMEOLA

The Highline Ballroom in New York's Meatpacking District will present a series of Jazz performances from June 22 - 25 featuring the following headliners:

(6/22) - Marcus Miller, who will be joined by trumpeter Christian Scott in a show they call Tutu Revisited featuring the music of Miles Davis' seminal album, Tutu: CLICK TO BUY TICKETS


(6/23) - Bassist Victor Wooten and his funky, fun and techincally prodigious band: CLICK TO BUY TICKETS


(6/24) - Versatile trumpeter Roy Hargrove, who is equally at home writing and playing bebop (Roy Hargrove Big Band) as he is with his jazz/funk/groove/hip-hop project (The RH Factor). Both of his bands will be on hand at the Highline: CLICK TO BUY TICKETS




(6/25) - Virtuoso guitarist Al DiMeola, who will be performing with his acoustic tango-inspired outfit World Sinfonia: CLICK TO BUY TICKETS


For more information, visit www.highlineballroom.com or call the box office at 212-414-5994. The Highline Ballroom is located at 431 W. 16th St. between 9th & 10th Avenues.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

CHICK COREA TALKS ABOUT HIS UPCOMING PROJECT AT THE BLUE NOTE - FURTHER EXPLORATIONS OF BILL EVANS

CHICK COREA
with
EDDIE GOMEZ & PAUL MOTIAN

Further Explorations of Bill Evans
May 4 -9 & May 11 - 16

[more info & purchase tickets]


Chick Corea returns to the Blue Note for a two-week engagement in May to pay tribute to one his musical heroes, Bill Evans. Joining him on this rare gig, billed as “Further Explorations of Bill Evans,” are former Evans trio members Eddie Gomez on bass and Paul Motian on drums. Special guests include John Scofied on May 12 and Hubert Laws on May 13. Chick will perform Evans' staples as well as new Corea originals written in the spirit of the Bill Evans trio.

The engagement is expected to be filmed for a future documentary release and recorded for an upcoming audio release.

In this video clip, CHICK COREA talks about this brand new project...

Chick Corea from Blue Note on Vimeo.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

BLUE NOTE FEATURED ON HBO'S NEW SHOW, TREME

Treme, the brand new and critically-acclaimed drama on HBO following lives of New Orleans natives after Hurricane Katrina aired on Sunday. An indoor and outdoor scene featured New York's Blue Note Jazz Club, with the protaganist playing trumpet on stage alongside Donald Harrison. Check out the exclusive footage on vimeo here:

Treme - Blue Note Inside from Blue Note on Vimeo.

Treme - Blue Note Outside from Blue Note on Vimeo.

CLAY ROSS - Late Night Groove Series 4/30 Preview with Interview!

Clay Ross will be performing at the Blue Note on 4/30 for the Late Night Groove Series at 12:30am. We asked him a few questions about his upbringing, his band, and what to expect at the Blue Note. Check out his Star Wars-esque video, read the interview, and come check out this amazing musician on 4/30!



1. What was the music around you growing up in South Carolina?

My dad was really into classic rock, so I grew up listening to The Rolling Stones, Steppenwolf, Hendrix, and Led Zepplin. I would also hear country music, bluegrass and folk but I didn't always like it. I'm actually the only musician in my family, so even though I grew up in South Carolina with this rich heritage of folk music, I wasn't always aware of it. I just always loved music and as I grew out from the suburbs I would absorb whatever music I encountered along the way. Looking back I realize how much this roots music was part of my unconscious experience. It was in our food, in our accents, and in our values. Music was everywhere.

2. What came first, the interest in jazz or Brazilian music, and how did those interests come about?

I discovered jazz for the first time when I moved to Charleston, SC at 17. I heard Quentin Baxter, Kevin Hamilton, and Charlton Singleton playing at a local Coffee Shop and it just changed my life. These guys are incredible musicians and still the hub of the jazz community in Charleston. I spent the next 8 years studying to understand what I saw them doing that day. They became my mentors and we formed a band together playing standards and original modern jazz. This was a significant period of growth for me as a musician.

I brought that inspiration to NYC, where I set out to get involved with the jazz community and continued working on standards while I sought out and played gigs with heavy jazz cats like Chis Cheek, Joel Frahm, Seamus Blake, John Ellis and Bill McHenry. I also hooked up with Spanish Accordionist Victor Prieto, an incredible jazz musician, and he introduced me to authentic latin styles including Brazilian Choro. Once we started to add a couple of these tunes to our repertoire I was hooked. I started to seek out more Brazilian collaborators and was fortunately in the right place at the right time to become guitarist for master percussionist Cyro Baptista. The last 4 years with Cyro marked another significant period of growth and change. Cyro encouraged me to sing more, taught me to be a performer, helped me to explore different possibilities with my guitar, and exposed me to the huge diversity of rhythms found in Brazil.

3. How would you classify the sound of your band?

Like most new music it's difficult to classify, but my two word description is "Brazilian Bluegrass." That is most definitely an oversimplification but it's accurate. We try to balance a sophisticated refinement with a visceral abandon. We're studied, skilled, and accomplished. We're also gritty, danceable, and organic. We play international music but we don't forget where we came from. We've got a rustic quality but we're creating something new in the diverse urban environment of NYC.

4. Can you talk about the guys in your band and what they bring to the table?

Richie Barshay is one of the most in-demand drummers in NYC. He was a member of the Herbie Hancock Quartet for 4 years and has worked with an exhausting list of masters. We actually met while traveling in Brazil and he is very passionate about these rhythms. He brings a solid groove, sensitive touch, and generous spirit. http://www.richiebarshay.com/

Bassist, Skip Ward, won a Grammy this year for his work on Steve Martin's bluegrass album. He's a amazing musician with years of experience playing all types of American Roots Music. www.myspace.com/skipward

I've played with percussionist Ze Mauricio for the past 5 years in "Beat the Donkey." He is one of my favorite musicians. He also boasts a laundry list of musical accomplishments including work with Yo Yo Ma and Trey Anastasio. Ze is one of the most accomplished pandeiro players in NYC and the pandeiro is one of the most dynamic instruments in all of Brazilian percussion. You've just got to see his work! http://www.zemauricio.com/

Itai Kriss was one of the first musicians I met here in NYC, and I still consider him one of the greatest. His flute playing is second to none and he frequently collaborates with the absolute best young jazz musicians in the city. He adds a modern quality to this music and is guaranteed to deliver some of the best solos you'll hear in our show. http://www.itaikriss.com/

For this performance, we'll also be welcoming a newcomer to our scene. 19 year old Duncan Wickel is a native of Asheville, NC and currently studies violin at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He is quickly gaining recognition for his unique sound and diverse abilities in Irish Traditional, Classical, Jazz, and World Fusion Styles. http://www.myspace.com/duncanwickel

I've also invited some guest artists to sit in on this show. It's going to be a very special night.

5. What should fans expect to hear at your Blue Note late night show?

As the group evolves, we are moving towards something less and less idiomatic. The band started with the idea of exploring the similarities between distinct North and South American styles. There are elements of jazz, bluegrass, and blues along side a range of brazilian sounds including samba, forro, and maracatu. But now, especially in our original music, we are starting to see these sounds work together more freely, in a way that, I feel, makes Matuto a unique and interesting band.

Monday, April 12, 2010

APRIL 14 OPENING ACT: Adam Larson – Profile and Giveaway

Kicking off the Blue Note’s Emerging Artist Series, presented by Brother Thelonious of North Coast Brewing Co., is young tenor saxophonist Adam Larson. Orignally from Norman, IL, Larson was recently described by Howard Reich of the Chicago Tribune as “a player for whom the word ‘prodigious’ was coined.” Larson is currently in his sophomore year of college on full scholarship at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, where he studies privately with teachers George Garzone and John Riley. Focusing on original composition, Larson’s quintet and collective “Beyond the Boundaries”, strive to find a unique sound in hopes of finding its niche in today’s ever-changing music scene. For schedule, info, photos, and more information about Adam Larson, please visit http://www.adamlarsonjazz.com/, or www.myspace.com/adamlarsonproject.

WANT 2 FREE TIX TO SEE ADAM LARSON & BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OPEN UP FOR KENNY WERNER QUINTET? WINNING TICKETS WILL RECEIVE PASSES TO BOTH THE OPENING ACT & KENNY WERNER’S SHOW. ENTER TO WIN HERE:

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

2. In the Subject Line, please title your email "BN BLOG CONTEST – ADAM LARSON/KENNY WERNER"

3. Indicate which set you would like to see, 8:00pm or 10:30pm.


THE OPENING ACT WILL GO FROM 6:30pm – 7:30pm before Kenny Werner’s 8:00pm set; and 9:30 – 10:30pm before the 10:30pm set.



Wednesday, March 31, 2010

BLUE NOTE EMERGING ARTIST SERIES ANNOUNCED - STUDENTS TO OPEN FOR HEADLINERS ON WEDNESDAYS STARTING APRIL 14



BLUE NOTE EMERGING ARTIST SERIES
Presented by Brother Thelonious of North Coast Brewing Company

The Blue Note is proud to announce The Emerging Artist Series presented by Brother Thelonious of North Coast Brewing Company. The series is a unique opportunity for students currently enrolled in colleges and university jazz programs to open for our major performers on Wednesday evenings. The young musicians selected to perform are considered some of jazz’s top rising stars and represent the Blue Note’s commitment to developing the next generation of great jazz musicians. Doug Moody, VP of North Coast Brewing Co. says of the series, “Helping in providing an opportunity for talented young jazz artists to perform at the legendary Blue Note is the perfect way to continue our ever expanding commitment to jazz education.” Opening acts will go from 6:30 – 7:30pm, followed by the headliner’s first set at 8:00pm. The ticket price to the main performance will provide access to both the opening act and the main show.


April 14, 2010: ADAM LARSON – (tenor sax)
6:30 – 7:30pm – opening for Kenny Werner Quintet ($25/15)
“(Adam Larson is) a player for whom the word ‘prodigious’ was coined.” – Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune

April 21, 2010: JAVIER ROSARIO – (guitar)

6:30 – 7:30pm – opening for Michel Camilo ($35/25)
"I believe Javier has a great talent and potential to become one of the key players in the Jazz world". - Michel Camilo

April 28, 2010: KATE DAVIS – (vocals/upright bass)

6:30 – 7:30pm – opening for Madeleine Peyroux ($45/30)
Best Vocalist & Outstanding Bass Solo winner – Downbeat Magainze Student Awards, 2009

May 5, 2010: JULIAN POLLACK – (piano)

6:30 – 7:30pm – opening for Chick Corea Trio ($65/40)
“A wonderful new player on the jazz scene.” – Marian McPartland, NPR Piano Jazz

May 12, 2010: PASCAL LE BOEUF – (piano)
6:30 – 7:30pm – opening for Chick Corea Trio ($65/40)
1st Place – International Songwriting Competition, 2009

Monday, March 15, 2010

ENTER TO WIN: 2 FREE TICKETS TO JON BATISTE TOMORROW!


The Blue Note is offering FREE TICKET PAIRS to Jon Batiste TOMORROW NIGHT March 16 NOW for the 10:30PM SHOW ONLY. To win tickets, follow the instructions below:



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 - JON BATISTE"

Remember - this giveaway is for tomorrow, so tell your friends and act fast!

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Cassadra Wilson - The Pop Side

Cassandra Wilson has one of the most distinct sounds in vocal jazz, and yet her taste is as versatile as any vocalist in the music's history. Her most recent release on Blue Note Records, Closer To You: The Pop Side, shows how Ms. Wilson and her band can effortlessly transform songs and blend genres, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Check out this live rendition of Neil Young's "Harvest Moon" - it's live, which is Ms. Wilson at her best - and she'll be singing live for just three nights at the Blue Note this week from March 9 - 11.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

WYNTON MARSALIS writes a poem about the New Orleans Saints - Pre-Game

The Spirit of New Orleans - by Wynton Marsalis

Down on the Bayou where the mighty Mississippi kisses Lake Pontchartrain and spills into the Gulf of Mexico. There sits that jewel of the Southland. What the French lost to the British who gave it to the Spanish who lost it back to the French who sold it to America for..... Well, some folks say Jefferson conned Napoleon in a card game and won it for some jambalaya and a chicory coffee.

New Orleans, N'Awlins, the Crescent City, the Big Easy, the northern capitol of the Caribbean, Groove City. Man, they have things down there you wouldn't believe. A mythic place of Mardi-Gras and mumbo, voodoo and the moss-covered alligator-spiked pathways of back-country swamp drained and sprinkled with gris-gris dust to house a wild, unruly population. A city with they own cuisine, they own architecture, they own music..streets with names like Dorgenois and Tchoupitoulas.

People in crazy costumes parading talkin 'bout "throw me somethin' mistah", dressed like Indians chanting 'bout, "Madi, Madi-Cudifiyo", sittin in the young twilight on the 'poach' of they camelback shotgun house eatin po' boys bout to 'make' groceries for the crawfish 'burl' they gon' have on 'Sadday'. They sing through horns down there you know. Yeah Padnah! Something called Jazz, started by a cornet man named Bolden. They say Bolden could play so loud the sun was scared to set. Some folks say the air is so thick down here you, can eat it with a spoon.

Drummers drag rhythms in dirgey solemnity down neighborhood streets as horns moan, mock and moo. Man, hot notes echo against the sky with such weight as to be objects. Objects of sorrow so passionately played that the dead begin to cry. Then that trumpet calls and everyone falls in behind the band for a second line parade and those musicians get to hollerin and shoutin and folks get to struttin and steppin and the living let go of the dead and sorrow soon becomes laughter. In New Orleans, we bury our dead above ground.

They always walk amongst us.... but that music. It always ends happy. So when a strong rain brings angry winds howlin' down the Mississippi or up from the Gulf, those misty winds carry the dreams of ghosts, yes, but not just the goblins of Marie Laveau the voodoo queen, or the tortured spirits of the legendary lascivious lovelies of Storyville sporting houses, or even the undead demons of corrupt politicians who have steeled our idealism over three colorful centuries. They also brings the spirits of Saints, of those who have lived here in quiet dignity and sanctified religiosity, of those who have raised kids in the shadow of the St. Louis Cathedral and Sundayed in Jackson Square or of the River Walk lovers holding hands... of many who have fallen in love here, proposed here, honeymooned here. Not just the howling ghouls of the frat-boy drunks on Bourbon street, but they also bring the angels of all who have romanced in and with this beautiful land on the Delta.

Yes, the 'haints become more famous but the Saints endure. Where were you when 85,000 people gathered in the last open seated stadium in professional football to witness John Gilliam run our very first kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown? When Tom Dempsey kicked that 63 yard field goal with half-a-right foot? When Tom Fears, Hank Stram, and Jim Mora prowled the sidelines? Were you there when Howard Stevens, Danny Abromowicz, Rickey Jackson, and Archie Manning donned the black and gold? Ahhh..those New Orleans Saints! Confined to a purgatory of their own making looking for the fast track to hell. Maybe a brand new dome would appease the gods of football---a Superdome.

Fathers bounced kids on their knees while explaining how we would certainly blow our 30 point halftime lead by game's end.....and the Saints did not disappoint. Where you there when the Dome Patrol brought us to the upper chambers of purgatory in search of playoffs, playoffs..playoffs? Yes, 'haints become famous but Saints endure. Just ask Deuce. If 4 years is a long time: (your high school years, your college days, the length of the Civil War..WWII)...then 43 yrs is an eternity. You ever wait for something so long that waiting for it becomes the something? You ever see grown folks put bags over their heads in public, covering up to hide from themselves like an old alcoholic who won't admit? We can't help it. We're with our Saints even when we 'aint. New Orleans people are stubborn and hate to leave home.

Down here, people like to brag about how they handle tragedy. Epochal hurricanes like Betsy and Camille are discussed as if they're people. "Betsy was bad but Camille, 'Lawd Have Mercy', the water was up here to my neck." Nobody brags on Katrina. She swept through here like death on a high horse. Those flood waters seemed to run all the demons, goblins, AND saints away forever. There goes old Jean Lafitte the pirate relocated to Houston, there goes old Jelly Roll Morton off somewhere in Memphis with that diamond still sparklin in his front tooth.

But quick to return is the unbending will and irrepressible spirit, sin-dipped in Tabasco sauce and spiced with file' in possession of an unshakable, unbreakable soul that Louis Armstrong first announced to the entire world through a red hot trumpet, that Danny Barker broadcasted on a burnished banjo, and Sidney Bechet shouted and screamed through a scorching horn said to be a soprano saxophone. And here comes that chastened Noah's arc of a dome rising from ignominy to become again a beacon of community. And, oh yes, they are still down here marching in those funny-named streets blowing history AND the present moment through singing horns. And people still dance with abandon, exuberance, and unbridled human feeling because that music tells 'em "what has been may be what is, but what will be cannot possibly be known."

We live the moment. Laissez les bon temps rouler! --Let the Good Times Roll. I think I hear that trumpet calling the children of the Who Dat Nation home--not Gabriel's or the horns that blew down the walls of Jericho--that jazz trumpet conjuring up the spirit world with a Congo Square drum cadence. Ghosts, goblins, and 'haints aggravate. Saints congregate. I hear them now bringing that 43yr second line to a glorious crescendo. "Who Dat Say What Dat When Us Do Dat?" Its like waiting 43yrs to hear somebody saya 'I Love You' back. And they do. Let the tale be told bout how the black and gold won the Super Bowl.

And those jazzmen still play sad songs but they always end happy.....they always do.

Wynton

Monday, February 1, 2010

JAZZ AT THE GRAMMYS - 2010

Though the jazz category did not make the main telecast, fans were able to check out pre-show action on the web. This year's winners included a number of musicians who perform regularly at the Blue Note like Kurt Elling, Terence Blanchard and Chick Corea, who will be at the Blue Note as a special guest of Roy Haynes on his 85th Birthday (March 19 - 20) and for two weeks in May in a leading role with trio members Eddie Gomez and Paul Motian in Further Explorations of Bill Evans (May 4-9 and May 11 - 16). Congrats to all the 2010 winners!

Grammy Winners 2010: Jazz


= winner

Field 10 -- Jazz

Category 44

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

  • Urbanus
    Stefon Harris & Blackout
    [Concord Jazz]
  • Sounding Point
    Julian Lage
    [Emarcy/Decca]
  • At World's Edge
    Philippe Saisse
    [E1 Music]
  • Big Neighborhood
    Mike Stern
    [Heads Up International]
  • 75
    Joe Zawinul & The Zawinul Syndicate
    [Heads Up International]

Category 45

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

  • No Regrets
    Randy Crawford (& Joe Sample)
    [PRA Records]
  • Dedicated To You: Kurt Elling Sings The Music Of Coltrane And Hartman
    Kurt Elling
    [Concord Jazz]
  • So In Love
    Roberta Gambarini
    [Groovin' High/Emarcy]

  • Tide
    Luciana Souza
    [Verve]
  • Desire
    Tierney Sutton (Band)
    [Telarc Jazz]

Category 46

Best Improvised Jazz 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.)

  • Dancin' 4 Chicken
    Terence Blanchard, soloist
    Track from: Watts (Jeff “Tain" Watts)
    [Dark Key Music]
  • All Of You
    Gerald Clayton, soloist
    Track from: Two-Shade
    [ArtistShare]
  • Ms. Garvey, Ms. Garvey
    Roy Hargrove, soloist
    Track from: Emergence
    [Groovin' High/Emarcy]

  • On Green Dolphin Street
    Martial Solal, soloist
    Track from: Live At The Village Vanguard
    [CamJazz]
  • Villa Palmeras
    Miguel Zenon, soloist
    Track from: Esta Plena
    [Marsalis Music]

Category 47

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

  • Quartet Live
    Gary Burton, Pat Metheny, Steve Swallow & Antonio Sanchez
    [Concord Jazz]
  • Brother To Brother
    Clayton Brothers
    [ArtistShare]
  • Five Peace Band -- Live
    Chick Corea & John McLaughlin Five Peace Band
    [Concord Records]
  • Remembrance
    John Patitucci Trio
    [Concord Jazz]
  • The Bright Mississippi
    Allen Toussaint
    [Nonesuch]

Category 48

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

  • Legendary
    Bob Florence Limited Edition
    [MAMA Records]
  • Eternal Interlude
    John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble
    [Sunnyside]
  • Fun Time
    Sammy Nestico And The SWR Big Band
    [Hnssler Classic]
  • Book One
    New Orleans Jazz Orchestra
    [World Village]
  • Lab 2009
    University Of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band
    [North Texas Jazz]

Category 49

Best Latin Jazz Album

(Vocal or Instrumental.)

  • Things I Wanted To Do
    Chembo Corniel
    [Chemboro Records]
  • urea
    Geoffrey Keezer
    [ArtistShare]
  • Brazilliance X 4
    Claudio Roditi
    [Resonance Records]
  • Juntos Para Siempre
    Bebo Valdes And Chucho Valdes
    [Sony Music/Calle 54]
  • Esta Plena
    Miguel Zenon
    [Marsalis Music]

Category 84

Best Instrumental Composition
(A Composer's Award for an original composition (not an adaptation) first released during the Eligibility Year. Singles or Tracks only.)

  • Borat In Syracuse
    Paquito D'Rivera, composer (Paquito D'Rivera Quintet)
    Track from: Jazz-Clazz
    [Timba Records]
  • Counting To Infinity
    Tim Davies, composer (Tim Davies Big Band)
    Track from: Dialmentia
    [Origin Records]
  • Fluffy
    Bob Florence, composer (Bob Florence Limited Edition)
    Track from: Legendary
    [MAMA Records]
  • Ice-Nine
    Steve Wiest, composer (University Of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band)
    Track from: Lab 2009
    [North Texas Jazz]
  • Married Life (From Up)
    Michael Giacchino, composer (Michael Giacchino)
    Track from: Up Soundtrack
    [Walt Disney Records]

Category 85

Best Instrumental Arrangement
(An Arranger's Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)

  • Emmanuel
    Jeremy Lubbock, arranger (Chris Botti & Lucia Micarelli)
    Track from: In Boston
    [Columbia]
  • Hope
    Vince Mendoza, arranger (Jim Beard With Vince Mendoza & The Metropole Orchestra)
    Track from: Revolutions
    [Sunny Side Records]

  • Slings And Arrows
    Vince Mendoza, arranger (Chuck Owen & The Jazz Surge)
    Track from: The Comet's Tail: Performing The Compositions Of Michael Brecker
    [MAMA Records]
  • Up With End Credits (From Up)
    Michael Giacchino, arranger (Michael Giacchino)
    Track from: Up Soundtrack
    [Walt Disney Records]
  • West Side Story Medley
    Bill Cunliffe, arranger (Resonance Big Band)
    Track from: Resonance Big Band Plays Tribute To Oscar Peterson
    [Resonance Records]

Category 86

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
(An Arranger's Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)

  • A Change Is Gonna Come
    David Foster & Jerry Hey, arrangers (Seal)
    Track from: Soul
    [143/Warner Bros.]
  • Dedicated To You
    Laurence Hobgood, arranger (Kurt Elling)
    Track from: Dedicated To You: Kurt Elling Sings The Music Of Coltrane And Hartman
    [Concord Jazz]
  • In The Still Of The Night
    Thomas Zink, arranger (Anne Walsh)
    Track from: Pretty World
    [AtoZink Music]
  • My One And Only Thrill
    Vince Mendoza, arranger (Melody Gardot)
    Track from: My One And Only Thrill
    [Verve]
  • Quiet Nights
    Claus Ogerman, arranger (Diana Krall)
    Track from: Quiet Nights
    [Verve]

Field 23 Album Notes

Category 89

Best Album Notes

  • The Complete Louis Armstrong Decca Sessions (1935-1946)
    Dan Morgenstern, album notes writer (Louis Armstrong)
    [Mosaic Records]
  • Dance-O-Mania: Harry Yerkes And The Dawn Of The Jazz Age, 19191923
    Mark Berresford, album notes writer (The Happy Six)
    [Rivermont Records]
  • Gonzo: The Life And Work Of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson Music From The Film
    Douglas Brinkley & Johnny Depp, album notes writers (Various Artists)
    [Legacy Recordings]
  • My Dusty Road
    Ed Cray & Bill Nowlin, album notes writers (Woody Guthrie)
    [Rounder]
  • Origins Of The Red Hot Mama, 19101922
    Lloyd Ecker & Susan Ecker, album notes writers (Sophie Tucker)
    [Archeophone Records]

Category 109

Best Long Form Music Video
(For video album packages consisting of more than one song or track. Award to the Artist and to the Video Director/Producer of at least 51% of the total playing time.)

  • In Boston
    Chris Botti
    Jim Gable, video director; Bobby Colomby, video producer
    [Columbia]
  • Johnny Cash's America
    (Johnny Cash)
    Robert Gordon & Morgan Neville, video directors; Robert Gordon & Morgan Neville, video producers
    [Columbia/Legacy]
  • Anita O'Day The Life Of A Jazz Singer
    (Anita O'Day)
    Robbie Cavolina & Ian McCrudden, video directors; Robbie Cavolina, Melissa Davis & Ian McCrudden, video producers
    [AOD Productions]
  • Love, Pain & The Whole Crazy World Tour Live
    Keith Urban
    Chris Hicky, video director; Blake Morrison, video producer
    [Capitol Nashville]
  • The Beatles Love All Together Now
    (Various Artists)
    Adrian Wills, video director; Martin Bolduc & Jonathan Clyde, video producers
    [Apple/Capitol]

Monday, January 25, 2010

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

VILLAGE VOICE 2009 JAZZ CRITICS POLL RELEASED - HALF NOTE MAKES TOP 50!

The Village Voice's annual Jazz Critics Poll for 2009 was released. The Blue Note's in-house record label, Half Note Records, has two records in the top 50 for album of the year:

16. Charles Tolliver Big Band
, Emperor March (Half Note) 55 (7)

49. James CarterJohn Medeski–Christian McBride–Adam RogersJoey Baron, Heaven on Earth (Half Note) 22 (3)

Congrats Half Note - look for more top releases in 2010.

For the complete list of VV's Jazz Critics Poll winners, including album of the year, reissue of the year, best debut and more, CLICK HERE


Tuesday, January 12, 2010

ENTER TO WIN: 2 FREE TICKETS TO THE WINTER LATIN JAZZ FESTIVAL FEATURING DAVE VALENTIN WITH CANDIDO, ARTURO SANDOVAL, GATO BARBIERI & PONCHO SANCHEZ!


Cold weather got you down? Come warm up at the Blue Note's Winter Latin Jazz Festival featuring Dave Valentin with Candido (Jan. 19 - 20), Arturo Sandoval (Jan. 21 - 24), Gato Barbieri (Jan. 25 - 27) and Poncho Sanchez (Jan. 28 - 31). The Blue Note will be offering a limited number of free ticket pairs to see any one of these artists, excluding Friday and Saturday during both weeks.

Tickets will be awarded via email by noon on the day of the show, so make sure you check your email to see if you are a winner, and follow the instructions below:

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 - " followed by the name of the artist you would like to see.
3. Indicate which night/date and set you would like tickets for.

Remember - this giveaway is only available for the following dates: January 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31!

MARK O'CONNOR, JOHN PATITUCCI & JULIAN LAGE TRIO PROFILED ON WNYC - LISTEN HERE!

LISTEN HERE!



WATCH HERE!

JOE SAMPLE AT THE BLUE NOTE THIS WEEK

Joe Sample is back this week with his Trio - should be a fantastic run of concerts. Here's a little bit of Joe with his trio and George Benson to get you started on the right foot...for more you'll just have to come down to the club to check out the show!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

MARK O'CONNOR PROFILED IN TODAY'S WALL ST. JOURNAL - TO APPEAR WITH NEW TRIO ft. JOHN PATITUCCI & JULIAN LAGE Jan. 7 - 9

A Violinist Fluent in Many Vernaculars

New York

None of this classical music in one corner, bluegrass in another, jazz in yet a third for the violinist and composer Mark O'Connor. It's all part of a whole in which different musical styles are blended naturally by and for the open-minded.

Consider his recent recordings, all available on his OMAC label: his composition "Americana Symphony," performed with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; "Mark O'Connor String Quartets No.'s 2 & 3"; "Mark O'Connor's Hot Swing Trio Live in New York"; his "Double Violin Concerto" with Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra; and his "Folk Mass" recorded with the 40-voice Gloriae Dei Cantores choir. In April, the 48-year-old Mr. O'Connor will issue a dazzling live recording, "Jam Session," featuring Bryan Sutton, Frank Vignola and Chris Thile, among others. This week, he's playing at the Blue Note here with bassist John Patitucci and guitarist Julian Lage.

Another project is his new, two-book "The O'Connor Violin Method." Subtitled "A New American School of String Playing," it's a guide for string teachers and violin students based on the development of technique through exposure to a variety of string music from every region in the U.S. Beginners move through African-American hoedowns, minstrel-show music, hymns, spirituals, folk songs, boogie-woogie and O'Connor compositions before turning to sea shanties, fiddle tunes and ragtime, as well as French-Canadian jigs, Scottish and Irish reels, Mexican mariachi and ranchera ballads, and movements from Antonín Dvořák's America-influenced Ninth Symphony. The method evolved from Mr. O'Connor's experiences at his string camps, where young players are introduced to classical, jazz and world music together with what he calls folk fiddling. (See www.markoconnor.com for information on this year's camps.)

When we met at his apartment here, Mr. O'Connor told me he came late to the violin. "I picked it up very late—at age 11. All my classical training was on guitar: reading, technique, form. Then I dived right into the world of fiddling and jazz."

His first violin teacher, Barbara Lamb, "was a hybrid too, a classical violinist who was learning to play bluegrass and country fiddle," Mr. O'Connor recalled. As he built his technical foundation as a violinist, his playing became informed by what he called "the language of American music."

Mr. O'Connor's unorthodox training continued with his mentors, Benny Thomasson, who "almost single-handedly invented a folk system with Texas-style or contest fiddling," Mr. O'Connor said, and Stéphane Grappelli, who "revolutionized and popularized the jazz violin." He says he's the only musician who was mentored by both.

In 1993, Mr. O'Connor recorded "Heroes," an album on which he plays with violinists ranging from country fiddlers Vassar Clements and Texas Shorty to classical music's Pinchas Zukerman and India's eclectic L. Shankar. For the listener, the album is a celebration of the instrument's versatility. For Mr. O'Connor, it was a revelation.

"These guys didn't know each other. I was introducing my heroes to each other," he said. "I thought it was a big moment for violin playing. The unknowing was holding some of these people back."

Prior to the sessions, Mr. Zukerman visited Mr. O'Connor in Nashville. "I asked him, 'Have you ever heard of L. Shankar?' I put his music on. His mouth dropped. He was in shock. He said, 'L. Shankar, East India . . . I must ask Zubin Mehta about this.' I thought, 'Oh my gosh. This is going to open up whole new avenues for fiddle music.'"

Mr. O'Connor's zigzag path to a satisfying career may seem an impractical model for young players, but he disagrees. "People used to say Mark O'Connor is unique; it can't be duplicated; it's not very viable. But if we take the model of training that encompasses American music, classical, jazz and world music, and implement it with proper technique, it's completely viable."

He believes early exposure to American music will help encourage more of it in concert settings. "If we can get 15-year-old classical students to swing, we're onto something. But there's not been enough music composed and developed that would encompass both of those things." He cites Béla Bartók, Dvořák and Astor Piazzolla as precedents for composers who infused classical composition with indigenous folk traditions to create synthesized forms. Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, George Gershwin and Charles Ives employed American folk traditions in their work. Mr. O'Connor said, "The door was being opened, but it never fully swung open all the way."

Mr. O'Connor spent a week in December as an artist-in-residence at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, teaching master classes by day and preparing for what would be a joyous and illuminating concert with well more than 100 young musicians on stage playing country, bluegrass, blues and jazz as well as Mr. O'Connor's compositions that embrace all those forms. At a master class I attended, he began his instruction with a 400-year-old African-American hoedown, "Boil 'em Cabbage Down"—it's the first lesson in his method books too—and built on it until it was a darting, complex piece. He played a piece of fiddle music by William Hamilton Stepp that appears note for note as the "Hoedown" in Copland's "Rodeo." At the concert at the Berklee Performance Center, an audience member with a less democratic view of music than Mr. O'Connor and the Berklee students, graduates and faculty of its new American Roots Music program might have sat there and thought, "Oh, that's swing. Wait, that's Stephen Foster. Hold on, that's Dvořák. Isn't that Grappelli's Hot Club? Now that's bluegrass." But very quickly, it all became one rich stream of American music.

"It wouldn't surprise me if in 20 years we had a host of composers who knew the whole vernacular of American music," said Mr. O'Connor, who will be responsible if his prediction comes true.

Mr. Fusilli is the Journal's rock and pop music critic. Email him at jfusilli@wsj.com or follow him on Twitter: @wsjrock.