Saturday, December 26, 2009

Artista da Semana (dezembro 27, 2009 - janeiro 2, 2010) - Anke Helfrich

Artista da Semana - Anke Helfrich





http://www.anke-helfrich.de

sept. 2009 Concerts in Southafrika and Namibia with Anke Helfrich Trio (supported by Goetheinstitut
and Federal Foreign Office)

july 2009 teaching at the Jazzworkshop in Meran/l; Anke Helfrich Trio plays at Aarhus Jazzfestival/DK

may 2009 Anke Helfrich Trio plays on Jazzcruise in Spain

march 2009 Anke Helfrich Trio invited to "BMW World Jazz Award" in Munich; Nils Landgren Projekt
"Respect" Jazzfestival
jan./feb. 2009 JazzToDay -Tour: 14 Doublebillconcerts with Anke Helfrich Trio/Manu Katché Band
(Kammermusiksaal/Philharmonie Berlin, Gewandhaus Leipzig, Theaterhaus Stuttgart
a.m.m.) Anke Helfrich plays concerts in Mallorca/Spain

nov. 2008 Jazzfestival Cagliari/I; Mariann’s Jazzroom Bern/CH, Jazz in Ministergärten/Berlin

sept. 2008 Recording the CD “Stormproof“ for ENJA Records with Henning Sieverts (b), Dejan Terzic
(dr) and specialguest Nils Wogram (pos); Anke Helfrich Trio Musikfest
Bremen/Spiekeroog

july 2008 Jazzfestival Bingen, Jazzfestival Ettlingen and Flims-Klang-Festival/CH with Anke Helfrich Trio;
Jahrhunderthalle Bochum “Paul Kuhn-Geburtstagskonzert“

april 2008 German Jazzmeeting Bremen: Anke Helfrich Trio represents (among 9 other bands) the
German Jazzscene today

march 2008 Anke Helfrich Trio plays at Kurt-Weill-Festival, Dessau and Brestonias
Jazzfestival/Lithuania (supported by Goetheinstitut)

dez. 2007 Penang Jazzfestival/Malaysia, Cagliari/Sardegna with Anke Helfrich Trio

sept. 2007 with Jens Winther Quartet in Peking/China supported by the danish Cultural Institut;
Jazzfestival Viersen with Anke Helfrich Trio feat .J.Winther

juli 2007 Jazz im Park/Hamburg Anke Helfrich Trio (a.o. Madeleine Peyroux&Band, Reunion feat. Till
Bröner, Wolfgang Haffner&Band)

june 2007 Solokoncerts NDR/Hamburg, Philharmonie/Luxemburg

may 2007 Anke Helfrich playing at the finals of the “M.L.Williams Competition“ in Washington DC/USA

march 2007 Jazzfestival Emsdetten, BR-liverecording Anke Helfrich Trio concerts with specialguests
like Nils Wogram, Jens Winther and Claus Stötter

june 2006 on number 3 of the German Jazzcharts with the CD “Better times ahead“. proposed for
"German recordaward"

may 2006 Release of the CD "Better times ahead" Anke Helfrich Trio feat. Roy Hargrove, CD
Releasekoncerts in Germany and Switzerland, radiopresentations and reviews in all
jazzmagazins.

nov. 2005 CD-recording "Better times ahead" with Anke Helfrich Trio: Martin Gjakonovski (bass), Dejan
Terzic (drums) and Specialguest Roy Hargrove (trumpet & fluegelhorn)

sept. 2005 A.H.Trio in Cagliari/Italy

may 2005 Balticum Jazzcruise with Witchcraft, Paul Kuhn, Dave Glasser, Gianni Basso, Roman
Schwaller, Ack van Rooyen a.o.

feb. 2005 concert with Jimmy Woode in Weinheim; music for the film “Föhr.Insel.Mosaik” from Michael
Steuer with Martin Gjakonovski and Dejan Terzic.

july 2004 soloconcert at the Beethovenhouse in Bonn, A.Helfrich Trio at Jazzbaltica

april 2004 Mediterranean Sea-Jazzcruise with Witchcraft, D.Goykovich, Paul Kuhn, Charlie Antolini,
Jiggs Wiggham a.o.

march 2004 CD recording with Witchcraft in Weinheim, and with Barbara Jungfer in Berlin

nov. 2003 Anke Helfrich receives “Jazzaward of the city of Worms”

march 2003 Anke Helfrich Trio opens the Jazzfestival in Sofia/Bulgaria

nov. 2002 part of the “Jazz Lexikon“ ( Martin Kunzler, rororo-Verlag)

march 2002 tour through Germany (Jazzfestival Mannheim, Jazzfestival Emsdetten..)

dec. 2001 Anke Helfrich receives 2. price “Jazzaward Baden-Württemberg“, radiorecording at the
Theaterhaus Stuttgart.

nov. 2001 concert "Anke Helfrich Trio" in Cagliari/ Sardenia

march 2001 radioportrait in HR1; tv-liverecording at RNF, CD-presentationtour in Germany

feb. 2001 broadcast of a TV-special about Anke with interviews, rehearsals, concerts called SWR3 - "Kultur-Cafe"

sept. 2000 release of her debutalbum "You'll See"; CD-presentations in radiostations: BR, Radio
Bremen, Deutschlandradio Berlin, HR, WDR, MDR, SWR für den proposed for the
award of “german recordcritics“ (Vierteljahrspreis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik").

feb. 2000 Anke Helfrich receives “Muddy's Club-Award 2000” in Weinheim.

1999 recordingsession for her first album as a leader "You`ll see" in New York: A. Helfrich (p), J.
Weidenmueller (b), J, Rueckert (dr), feat. Mark Turner (sax)

1999-2004 member of Jürgen Seefelder Quartett

since 1999 member of the faculty at the “University of music and performing arts” in Mannheim.
Teacher at jazzworkshops.

sept. 1998 Anke Helfrich Trio wins “Hennessy Jazz Search 1998” in Munich

1997-2002 Jazzpianoteacher musicschool Viernheim.

1997 touring Germany and Spain with her trio (Getxo Festival, Jamboree Barcelona, Subway
Cologne, Hessen Jazz Festival)

1996 Anke Helfrich Trio wins "European Jazz Competition" in Leverkusen.

1996 6 month-stay in New York with a dutch scholarship, lessons with Kenny Barron, Larry
Goldings, Dado Moroni a.o. Concerts in clubs and cafés.

1994-1996 concerts with C. Breuer-Fee Claasen Quintett and Saskia Laroo´s Color (North Sea Jazz
Festival, Jamboree Barcelona, radio and tv-productions. ).

1994 4 week workshop in Banff/Canada (with Jim Hall, Kenny Wheeler, John Clayton, Robin
Eubanks..)

1993 three week engagement “Anke Helfrich Trio“ in Istanbul/Turkey (feat. Carolyn Breuer and Özay)

1989 - 1994 studies in Hilversum/ Netherlands at the Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten“.
She recieves her “master in performing arts” and “master in teaching”

cd releases:
- Anke Helfrich: “Stormproof“ feat. Nils Wogram (2009)
- Anke Helfrich Trio feat. Roy Hargrove: “Better times ahead” (2006)
- Barbara Jungfer Quintett: “Berlin Spirits” (2004)
- Witchcraft: “Witchcraft live” (2004)
- Anke Helfrich Trio feat. Mark Turner: "You`ll see" (2000)
- Christian Eckert Quartet: "Up "(1998)
- Jens Bunge: "With all my heart "(1996)
- Christian Eckert Quartet: "Musing"(1995)

radio- and
tv-recordings SDR, HR, SR, WDR, BR, RNF, SWR, radio- and tv-stations in the Netherlands.

played with Johnny Griffin, Jimmy Woode, Benny Bailey, Roy Hargrove, Tony Lakatos, Johannes
Enders, Gianni Basso, Dave Glasser, Jens Winther, John Marshall, Thomas Stabenow,
Thomas Heidepriem, Stacy Rowles, Jürgen Seefelder, Keith Copeland, Thomas
Bramerie, Mark Turner, Johannes Weidenmueller, Jochen Rueckert, Wolfgang Haffner,
Christian von Kaphengst, Martin Gjakonovski, Dejan Terzic u.a.

concerts Germany, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Sweden, Netherlands, Bulgaria, USA

workshops: D. Thompson, K. Wheeler, J. Hall, M. Levine, H. Fraser, R.Beirach

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Artista da Semana (dezembro 20 - 26) - Marilia Gabriela

Artista da Semana - Marilia Gabriela






MARÍLIA GABRIELA

BIOGRAFIA DE MARÍLIA GABRIELA, PARA O MUSEU DA TELEVISÃO BRASILEIRA

Marília Gabriela Baston de Toledo nasceu em Campinas, interior de São Paulo, em 31 de maio de 1948. Moça inteligente e irrequieta, formou-se como professora primária e então prestou vestibular para várias faculdades. Passou em todas ,mas logo resolveu ser modelo, pois era alta, elegante, esguia e fotografava bem, o que lhe rendeu uma curta, mas bem sucedida carreira como modelo. Logo, porém, conseguiu iniciar a carreira de jornalista. Era o ano de 1969, e Marília era bem jovem. Entrou como estagiária do "Jornal Nacional" da Rede Globo. Lugar ótimo para uma garota. Tanto que no mesmo ano, foi chamada para ser apresentadora do telejornal " Hoje", feito em São Paulo. Em 1972, estreou no "Fantástico", com uma reportagem sobre o aniversário de Carmem Miranda. Logo depois foi contratada para ser repórter especial do" Fantástico",e fazia viagens por todo Brasil.

Na década de 80, Marília foi âncora do programa "TV Mulher ", que foi um grande sucesso no Brasil, e ficou no ar até 84. Tinha como co-apresentadores o jornalista Ney Gonçalves Dias, a então sexóloga Marta Suplicy , que foi anos depois, eleita prefeita da cidade de São Paulo, o estilista Clodovil Hernandez e o cartunista Henfil. Nessa época, ela gravou dois discos pela Som Livre. Ainda na década de 80,Marília Gabriela foi correspondente da TV Globo na Inglaterra, durante seis meses. Foi se elevando muito no conceito nacional.

Em 1985, a jornalista apresentou o programa "Marília Gabi Gabriela", na TV Bandeirantes. De 1987 a 1994 apresentou o programa "Cara a Cara", onde entrevistou políticos e personalidades nacionais e internacionais. No período da primeira eleição para presidente, após o Golpe de 64, destacou-se por mediar o primeiro debate entre Lula e Fernando Collor de Mello, também pela Bandeirantes. Em 1997 foi contratada pelo SBT, onde apresentou o "SBT Repórter", durante quatro anos. Esteve ainda na TV Gazeta, onde conseguiu o maior salário de uma apresentadora, o que porém durou pouco tempo. No SBT apresentou ainda: "De Frente com Gabi", programa inicialmente semanal e que, a partir de maio de 2002, passou a ser apresentado de segunda a sexta-feira. Na primeira década do século 21, Marília Gabriela passou a apresentar o programa "Marília Gabriela Entrevista" no canal a cabo GNT, exibido no Brasil e em Portugal.

Embora sendo considerada a melhor jornalista televisiva do Brasil, Maria Gabriela, não satisfeita, estreou como atriz de teatro. Foi em 2001,quando protagonizou a peça:" Esperando Beckett", escrita e dirigida por Gerald Thomas.

Participou também, como atriz, de filmes e telenovelas. Na telenovela:" Senhora do Destino" da Rede Globo, escrita por Aguinaldo Silva, Marília Gabriela interpretou duas personagens em fases distintas: Josefa Magalhães Duarte Pinto, uma jornalista no período da ditadura militar, e sua filha, Guilhermina de Medeiros Duarte Pinto Lefevre. Em 2003, estrelou ao lado do ator Gianecchini o espetáculo;" Peça sobre o Bebê". Fez sucesso, quando estrelou a peça:"Lady Macbeth', que ficou em cartaz por uma temporada no Teatro do Sesc Pinheiros.

Marília Gabriela casou-se pela primeira vez aos 22 anos, com o empresário Reinaldo Haddad, mas ficou viúva. Foi casada por dez anos com o tenista Zeca Cochrane, responsável pela popularização das pulseiras Sabona no Brasil. Com ele teve dois filhos: o apresentador Christiano e o ator Theodoro. Maria Gabriela foi casada, por vários anos, com o ator Reynaldo Gianecchini, de quem se separou em outubro de 2006.
Ele é mais de 20 anos mais novo do que ela.

.Além de dois LPs gravados na década de 80, a apresentadora fez um disco em homenagem ao cantor Dick Farney em 2003. O trabalho teve direção musical da cantora Simone e contou com a participação de Gianecchini em uma das faixas.

Em seus quase 40 anos de carreira, Marília Gabriela já entrevistou bem mais de 10 mil pessoas.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Artista da Semana (dezembro 13-19) - Brenda Hopkins Miranda

Artista da Semana - Brenda Hopkins Miranda





Get Your Own Free Hypster.com Playlist.


Brenda Hopkins Miranda is a talented pianist, composer, arranger, improviser, band leader, writer and educator born in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

An exceptional and natural rhythmic inventor, she conjures up her own worlds - some jagged, others even more broken and interrupted. And she is good at it, putting the notes in the right places. Her repertoire includes original arrangements of traditional and contemporary Puerto Rican, Caribbean and Latin American songs and well as her own compositions. This music is about spirit, essence, intensity, passion, and honesty.

Hopkins Miranda has toured and/or recorded all over Latin America and the U.S. with international recording artists like Bob Moses, Oskar Cartaya, George Russel, Charlie Sepulveda, Peter Row, William Cepeda, Anthony Carrillo, Cachete Maldonado, Paoli Mejias, Endel Dueño, Juancito Torres, Polito Huertas, Oscar Stagnaro, Furito Rios, Eggie Castrillo, Luis Enrique Julia, Ricardo Montaner, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Pandora, Lucecita Benitez, Glenn Monroig, Ednita Nazario, Yolandita Monge, Roy Brown, Puya, Yeva, Choco Orta, Roberto Figueroa, Luis Angel, Jessica Cristina, Marco Antonio Muñiz, Lourdes Robles, Zorayda Santiago, Chucho Avellanet, Proyecto M, Hilda Ramos, Plena Libre, Tambo Tropical, Los Pleneros del Coco, Seres de Plasticina, Michael Bullock Quartet and many others. She was invited to play for the Dalai Lama during his first visit to Puerto Rico. Was the first woman musician invited to appear on the TV show En Clave de Jazz TV, included in the most important Puerto Rican Pianists list of the En Clave de Jazz radio show, performed at the first women in jazz concert in Puerto Rico E-Jazz and other jazz festivals such as Boriquen Jazz Fest, Mayagüez Internacional Jazz Fest, las Noches de Jazz del Hotel Marriot, las Noches de Jazz del Cafe de la Plaza en Santurce and the Festival de Jazz Chivas Regal. She was the keyboard player for four years for the TV show Marcano el Show which included performances with musical guests Tito Puente, Sheila E., Nestor Torres, Dave Valentin, Charlie Sepulveda, El Gran Combo, Franco de Vita and many others.

Also, Hopkins Miranda was Director of the Music Program at the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña. She has been a faculty member at the Metro Interamerican University and the Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico. She also gives master classes, seminars and workshops at different institutions and teaches privately, since she is deeply committed to music education. Her music related articles have been published in various important newspapers and magazines.


Brenda Hopkins Miranda is the most important female pianist from Puerto Rico today. Pianist, improviser, composer, arranger, group leader and educator, she holds a solid international professional career that includes tours, recordings and concerts both as a band leader and guest musician for world renowned artists. She has performed all over the world, has composed and recorded music for several CDs and short films, has several articles on different musical themes, and has given out master classes, workshops and conferences on improvisation, personal style and creativity.

Her music is a melting pot that includes every place and experience in Brenda's life transformed through a modern musical language approach. Her piano's percussive push and energy, and her intense and expressive touch unite with a passion for creative improvisation, making every concert a unique experience. “…Brenda, who has recorded two CDs and has been the most consistent female exponent of jazz in the last years.”

www.myspace.com/brendahopkinsmiranda
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brenda-Hopkins-Miranda/71085646129



Saturday, December 5, 2009

Artista da Semana (dezembro 6 -12 ) - Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers

Artista da Semana - Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers





Lavay Smith, vocalist and bandleader of the Red Hot Skillet Lickers, grew up in Southern California and the Phillipines. She has become an internationally recognized Diva of Jazz and Blues, with a singing style influenced by Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Bessie Smith, Little Esther Phillips and other legendary greats.


This sultry chanteuse evokes a sensuous era of Jazz queens and sexy pinups and adds a modern, feminist twist. No wonder Los Angeles Magazine chose her as one of the sexiest people around! Lavay’s big, bluesy voice, exciting stage personality, and glamorous approach attract crowds around the world. According to Fox TV, the band has become “a San Francisco Landmark”, winning numerous awards including a “Wammie” and a “Bammie”. In 1998, the reader’s of San Francisco’s two major newspapers, the Chronicle and the Examiner, voted Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers the “Best Band” in the annual readers poll.

Important publications have sung the praises of Lavay Smith and her band, including Downbeat, The Los Angeles Times, Jazziz, The Boston Globe, Blues Revue, The New York Press, Living Blues, and the Alternative Press (see attached pages for juicy quotes). Television and Radio appearances include Public Television’s “The News Hour with Jim Lehrer”, Fox TV’s “Fox Files”, and NPR’s “To The Best of Our Knowledge”. World famous celebrities have jumped on the Lavay Smith bandwagon as well. Johnny Otis says “Lavay is wonderful! She and her band are a breath of fresh air.” Dan Aykroyd, a.k.a. Elwood Blues, says of Lavay’s debut album, “One Hour Mama”, “...this CD is guaranteed to make you feel better.” Even President Clinton has seen the light, proclaiming, “I love this band - they’re great!”


Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers maintain a busy schedule, including extensive touring throughout the United States, Europe, Canada and Japan. They have performed at many prestigious venues including Lincoln Center, the Monterey Jazz Festival, The Chicago Jazz Festival, The Montreal Jazz Festival, The Playboy Jazz Festival at The Hollywood Bowl, The San Francisco Blues Festival, The Toronto Jazz Festival, The Santa Barbara Jazz Festival, The Ottawa Jazz Fesitval, The Portland Waterfront Blues Festival, The San Francisco Jazz Festival, The Salt Lake City Jazz Festival, The Doheny Blues Festival and Jazz Aspen/Snowmass. When not on the road, Lavay and her band are showcased in the San Francisco Bay Area's premier nightclubs, including the Cafe du Nord, Biscuits & Blues, Enrico’s, Jazz at Pearl’s, Ashkenaz, Rancho Nicasio, Kuumbwa Jazz Center and Moe's Alley.


Lavay’s latest CD, “Everybody’s Talkin’ ‘Bout Miss Thing” (Fat Note Records) incorporates a variety of classic American musical styles, including swing, bebop, salsa, jump blues, and New Orleans R&B. Enlisting the arranging talents of David Berger, arranger for Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, the album includes six outstanding original tunes, many classics, and several obscure gems. Lavay and the band have produced an epic, best-selling album that is great for both dancing and listening.


Lavay approaches her material from the standpoint of an independent woman, combining world-class singing and musicianship with hilarious, provocative lyrics. Lavay’s musical stance is echoed in her real life role as owner of her own record label, Fat Note Records. Her debut CD, “One Hour Mama” received widespread critical acclaim and became a smash hit, outselling most independent releases. Her second CD, "Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing!" received a prestigious 4 & 1/2 Star review from Downbeat Magazine, and remained on the Billboard Jazz Charts for 20 straight weeks, reachng number 10. Her red-hot stage presence and high musical standards ensure that this sexy diva will continue to be a best-selling independent phenomenon well in the new millennium.


For Booking, call Jim Cassell of The Berkeley Agency 510-843-4902, or send an email to mail@berkeleyagency.com


To contact Lavay Smith, send an email to lavay@lavaysmith.com




The Red Hot Skillet Lickers

Mike Olmos (Trumpet) was raised in Merced, CA. He moved to the Bay Area in 1997 to attend California State University, Hayward, to pursue a degree in music. Mike is currently the Trumpet player for the legendary Etta James. He has performed with Rosemary Clooney, The Stan Kenton Alumni Big Band, Michael Feinstein, Jon Hendricks, Michael Brecker, Maria Schneider, as well as many other local Bay Area greats. He has recorded with Matt Catingub's "Big Kahuna and the Copa Cat Pack", Rosemary Clooney, Mike Vax, Cannonball, Madeline Eastman and The Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra. Mike is regularly seen performing around the Bay Area with Madeline Eastman, the Contemorary Jazz Orchestra, and the Fil Lorenz Nonet/Big Band, as well as his own quartet.

Bill Ortiz (Trumpet) was born and raised in San Francisco. Bill is currently the Trumpet player for the legendary Carlos Santana. He has played/and or recorded with Tito Puente, Quincy Jones, En Vogue, Bobby Hutcherson, Bennie Maupin, Peter Apfelbaum and the Hieroglyphics Ensemble, Don Cherry, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Otis Clay, T.L.C., Pete Escovedo, Toni, Tony, Tone, Airto and Flora Purim, and Boz Skaggs. Bill played on Santana’s historic multiple-grammy winning album “Supernatural”, including the smash hit "Smooth”. That’s right-that was Bill performing with Carlos Santana at the Grammies! He has been touring with Santana ever since, and is featured on Santana's upcoming album. Bill’s hot new album is now available.

Allen Smith (Trumpet) was raised in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and played with the Navy Band during World War II, replacing Clark Terry. After World War II, Allen moved to San Francisco and worked with T-Bone Walker, Saunders King, and many others. He then went on the road with Johnny Otis in 1947. He has recorded with Duke Ellington, Gil Evans and Benny Goodman, and has performed with many of the biggest names in jazz, including Ella Fitzgerald, Nat “King” Cole, Sarah Vaughan, Quincy Jones, Gerald Wilson, Joe Williams, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and many others. Allen’s fantastic new CD, "Cornocopia" is now available on BluePort Records.

Danny Armstrong (Trombone & Vocals) was born and raised in San Diego. Danny has performed and recorded with many greats, including Rufus Thomas, Archie Bell and the Drells, Pete Escovedo, Elvin Bishop, Elouise Laws, Ann Peebles, The Legendary Sy Klopps Band, The Coasters, Bobby Freeman, and Lee Oskar. He performed with the legendary Johnny Otis’ working band for years in addition to his work with Lavay Smith. In addition to being the world’s greatest trombone player, you can hear Danny’s wonderful singing in duets with Lavay as well.

Jules Broussard (Alto and Tenor Saxophones) was born and raised in Alexandria, Louisiana. He learned to play by listening to Louis Jordan, Illinois Jacquet, and Earl Bostic in the 1940's. He has played and/or recorded with Ray Charles, Little Esther Phillips, Johnny Otis, Big Mama Thornton, Earl Grant, John Handy, Santana, Boz Skaggs, Steve Miller, Van Morrison and many other music greats. Jules is a renowned bandleader in his own right with a superb brand-new CD out entitled “Jules Broussard...With Strings Attached”. You can find out about Jules and his band and order his CDs at broussard.com.

Howard Wiley (Tenor Saxophone) is a Bay Area native. He performed with Lauryn Hill’s band on her 2007 world tour. He has worked with Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, David Murray, Faye Carol, Marcus Shelby, Bill Bell, Bishop Norman Williams, and many other greats. Howard has several superb CDs under his own name, including his latest CD “The Angola Project”, which features an exciting lineup that includes vocalists Faye Carol, Jeannine Anderson and Lorin Benedict, trumpet, tenor sax, two violins, piano, two basses and drums. You can find out more about Howard and order his CDs at his website, howardwiley.com.

Rhythm Section

Charlie Siebert (Guitar) grew up in New York City and Los Angeles. He has performed with Larry Vukovich, Mal Sharpe and the Blue Room Boys. Charlie was the co-founder of the Molasses Brothers along with his brother Chris. He is currently teaching English in Jinan, the capitol of Shandong Province in China, and plans to travel throughout Asia and beyond. You can reach Charlie at emailcharlie@yahoo.com. You can also visit Charlie and check out some great photos from China at facebook.

David Ewell (String Bass) hails from Berkeley, CA, and graduated from Berkeley High's nationally renowned music program. David toured the world with Lauryn Hill in 2007. He has worked with Arthur Blythe, Bobby Watson, Greg Tardy, Babatunde Lea, Mark Levine, Bishop Norman Williams, Randy Vincent and many other greats. David often performs in a trio format with New York-based Piano player Marc Carey as well as The Howard Wiley Trio. He is also a founding member of the excellent Brazilian band Vivendo de Pao and performs regularly with The Supplicants. You can visit David at myspace.

Darrell Green (Drums) grew up in Oakland, CA and lives in Harlem. Darrell tours with Sherman Irby from the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Steve Turre and Jeremy Pelt. He has performed with Dr. Lonnie Smith, Stephon Harris, Marlena Shaw, Myron Walden, Tony Monaco, Faye Carol, Marcus Shelby, Howard Wiley and Dave Ellis. Darrell is also a Jazz educator, and he works with students of all ages at Jazz Camp West and The Young Musician's Program at UC Berkeley. You can visit Darrell at myspace.

Chris Siebert (Piano, Arranger, Bandleader) grew up in New York City and Los Angeles. In addition to founding the Red Hot Skillet Lickers with Lavay Smith in 1989, he has also played and/or recorded with Snooky Pryor, Taj Mahal, Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir, Howard “Louie Bluie” Armstrong, Alvin “Youngblood” Hart, Little Charlie & The Night Cats, Big Bones, Los Lobos, The Turk Murphy Alumni Band, Bo Grumpus, Denise Perrier, Brenda Boykin, Ledisi and Sugar Pie DeSanto. A noted authority on swing, jazz, and blues music, Chris, along with Lavay, was a special consultant to MCA Records for their re-issue of the classic Decca recordings of Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, Jimmy Lunceford and Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb. Chris is the musical director for the band, writes most of the arrangements and composes the original songs with Lavay Smith. You can visit Chris at myspace and facebook.

David Berger (Arranger) is from Long Island and makes his home in Manhattan. He is a renowned arranger, and is know as the world’s foremost authority on the music of Duke Ellington. In addition to his outstanding original arrangements and compositions, he is a noted transcriber. He has contributed a large percentage of the arrangements performed by Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. David has written for John Hendricks, and his arrangements were featured in the Broadway show “Sophisticated Ladies.”

David’s leads his own orchestra, the Sultan’s of Swing, one of the finest Big Bands in the world, and has featured such legendary performers as Jerome Richardson, Jerry Dodgion, Marcus Belgrave, Britt Woodman, Bill Easley, Art Baron and many others. The wonderful Aria Hendricks is the featured vocalist. They perform regularly in Manhattan, and go on the road as the house band for the acclaimed jazz ballet “The Harlem Nutcracker”.

David travels the world as conductor, presenting his own music as well as programs of the music of Duke Ellington. He often conducts his own transcriptions of Ellington’s Sacred Concerts, featuring all-star ensembles that include performers such as Jessye Norman.

David Berger & The Sultans of Swing have 3 CDs available on Such Sweet Thunder Records: “The Harlem Nutcracker”, "Doin' the Do!" and their latest release, "Marlowe", which Dan Morgenstern of the Institute for Jazz Studies at Rutgers University call "some of the best big-band writing and playing you're likely to hear".

David has contributed many arrangements to the Lavay Smith repertoire, including 7 charts on our CD “Everybody’s Talkin’ ‘Bout Miss Thing!” David's chart for our original tune "The Busy Woman's Blues" from that album is now available from Smart Chart Music in an expanded Big Band version which includes lyrics. You can hear it and order it at smartchartmusic.com.

For more information about David Berger & The Sultans of Swing, check out sultansofswing.com.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Artista da Semana (novembro 29 - dezembro 5) - Ligia Piro

Artista da Semana - Ligia Piro





http://www.ligiapiro.com.ar/inicio.html?novedades

Nació en Buenos Aires. Se formó en el Conservatorio Nacional de Música L. Buchardo en canto, con los maestros Roberto Britos y África De Retes. En la escuela de teatro de Agustín Alezzo se formó como actriz. Trabajó en distintas obras de teatro, como “Vino de Ciruela” (dirección: Rubén Pires) y en musicales como “Nine” (dirección: David Leveaux), “Gotan” y “El romance del Romeo y la Julieta” (dirigidas por Manuel G. Gil) entre otras.
Abocada al jazz y a la bossa nova desde el año 1995, realizó presentaciones en todo el circuito porteño y festivales de jazz. Su carrera solista la llevó a grabar su primer CD: “LP” en el año 2003, el que presentó en distintos teatros de Bs. As: teatro PTE. ALVEAR, teatro ND ATENEO, LA TRASTIENDA, teatro LA COMEDIA (Rosario), etc.
En el año 2005 gana el Premio KONEX a mejor intérprete solista de jazz y recientemente lanza su segundo CD: BABY!

Nominaciones:
1996- Premio ACE. Revelación por “Gotán”
2003- Premio Estrella de Mar por mejor musical unipersonal
2003- Premio ACE mejor actriz por “Vino de ciruela”

Friday, November 20, 2009

Artista da Semana (novembro 22 - 28) - Pauline Jean

Artista da Semana - Pauline Jean



Jazz vocalist Pauline Jean is a native New Yorker of Haitian descent. In 2007 Pauline graduated cum laude from the Berklee College of Music with a BM degree in Vocal Performance. After graduating from Berklee, Pauline returned to New York and immediately became actively involved in the music community. Pauline has been building on the classic art form of jazz by adding her own fresh approach. Her repertoire includes original compositions, unique arrangements of the standards, blues and traditional Afro-Haitian music fused with jazz. Her musical renditions are performed both in English and in her parents’ native tongue kreyòl. Pauline's velvety voice has a range from the low resonance and earthiness of the great Sarah Vaughan to the electrifying voltage of Nina Simone.

Her extraordinary performances have led her to share the stage with a variety of musicians such as Nina Simone’s percussionist Leopoldo Fleming, Randy Weston, Dave Valentin, Ted Curson, Terri Lyne Carrington, Ingrid Jensen, Miriam Sullivan, Luis Perdomo, Alvin Atkinson, Jr., Buyu Ambroise and Emeline Michel.

Pauline has been featured in many venues such as: Lincoln Center, United Nations, Scullers Jazz Club, St. Peter’s Church, Metropolitan Room, Kitano, Chelsea Art Museum, Zinc Bar, Minton's Playhouse, Cachaca, SOB’s, Sage Theater, Enzo’s Jazz Room and the Berklee Performance Center. She has also performed at the 2nd Annual Women in Jazz Festival, the JVC Jazz Festival-New York, the Haitian Jazz Festival and the St. Kitts-Nevis SAS Jazz Reggae Vibes Festival.

Her most recent successes include performing at the 44th International Pori Jazz Festival in Finland and a tribute to Nina Simone at The Cabaret at the Connoisseur Room in Indianapolis, where she was celebrated with standing ovations by an enthusiastic audience for three stellar performances.

Pauline released her debut CD A Musical Offering in June 2009. The album is stirring and best described as swingin’, bluesy and soulful. Musicians on this project include: Sharp Radway (piano), Corcoran Holt (bass), Alvin Atkinson, Jr. (drums), McClenty Hunter (drums), Markus Schwartz (percussion), Marcelo Woloski (percussion), Jean Caze (trumpet) and Thaddeus Hogarth (harmonica).

For more information about Pauline, please visit her website at www.paulinejean.com.

FOR BOOKING INQUIRIES PLEASE EMAIL: pauline@paulinejean.com






Pauline Jean

Friday, November 13, 2009

Artista da Semana (novembro 15 -21) - Anat Cohen

Artista da Semana - Anat Cohen





Anat Cohen

An established bandleader and prolific composer, idiomatically conversant with modern and traditional jazz, classical music, Brazilian choro, Argentine tango, and an expansive timeline of Afro-Cuban styles, Anat Cohen has established herself as one of the primary voices of her generation on both the tenor saxophone and clarinet since arriving in New York in 1999.

In September 2008, Anat Cohen released Notes From The Village, her fourth album as a leader. Recorded at Avatar studios in New York City, the album builds on Cohen's acclaimed 2007 releases, captures the thrilling energy of her live shows, and proves her to be an artistically adventurous writer and performer. Notes From The Village finds Anat leading a quartet of some of the most sought-after, engaging young performers in New York, including pianist Jason Lindner, bassist Omer Avital, and drummer Daniel Freedman, with accompaniment from guitarist Gilad Hekselman on three tracks. The album features compositions written by Cohen as well as her interpretations of songs by Fats Waller, John Coltrane, Sam Cooke and Ernesto Lecuona.

“In preparing for the recording,” says Anat “I really wanted to capture the free, risk-taking, open quality this band achieves when performing live. I also wanted to stretch my compositions, and arrangements.” Early responses to the album have been overwhelmingly positive; The New York Times’ Nate Chinen wrote that “Notes From The Village is a resounding confirmation; yes, she is the real deal”, DownBeat Magazine awarded the release four stars, stating that “Cohen makes it seem easy, mixing a gift for melody and an improvisational fluidity that has few peers today.” Anat’s previous outings, Noir and Poetica were released simultaneously in April 2007, inspiring a string of enthusiastic reviews. The Washington Post said that “Cohen has emerged as one of the brightest, most original young instrumentalists in jazz [...] [she] has expanded the vocabulary of jazz with a distinctive accent of her own.” The Village Voice spoke of her “Enviable insouciance” and how “she alludes to the mystical in a merry way,” and Downbeat magazine expressed the opinion that “Noir could be a classic” and “[Cohen’s] stately intonation and unforced elegance on clarinet could take her to the top.”

Anat has performed for audiences in New York’s Village Vanguard, Jazz Standard, Iridium, The Jazz Gallery, and the JVC Jazz Festival. She has also appeared at the Chicago Jazz Festival, Washington DC’s Kennedy Center, San Francisco’s Yoshi's, Boston’s Regattabar, the North Sea Jazz Festival, the Monterey Jazz Festival, and the Montreal Jazz Festival. Anat’s July 2007 engagement at the Village Vanguard in New York was a historic one; Anat is the first female reed player, and the first Israeli to headline at the club. Ms. Cohen’s accomplishments have been recognized in a flurry of awards and distinctions from critics and fans alike; She topped the Rising Star- Clarinet category in DownBeat Magazine’s critics poll in both 2007 and
2008, and placed prominently in a total of four categories including Rising Star Jazz Artist - where she ranked second and was the only female artist to make the list. Anat was also mentioned on DownBeat’s readers poll in 2007 and 2008. The Jazz Journalists Association named Anat Cohen Clarinetist of the Year by in both 2007 and 2008 – the first time in the history of the awards that an artist has earned top clarinet honors two years running. Noir and Poetica both appeared on many year-end best-of summary lists, including those of Paste magazine, The New York Sun, Slate, JazzTimes and others.

Born in Tel Aviv, Israel, Anat grew up with musical siblings; her older brother Yuval is himself a saxophonist of note, and her younger brother, Avishai, is one of New York’s busiest trumpeters. She began clarinet studies at age 12 and played jazz on clarinet for the first time in the Jaffa Conservatory’s Dixieland band. At 16, she joined the school’s big band and learned to play the tenor saxophone. The same year, Anat entered the prestigious “Thelma Yelin” High School for the Arts, where she majored in jazz. After graduation, she discharged her mandatory Israeli military service duty from 1993-95, playing tenor saxophone in the Israeli Air Force band.
In 1996, Anat matriculated at Berklee College of Music in Boston. There she met faculty member Phil Wilson, who encouraged her to play clarinet, and other inspiring teachers such as Greg Hopkins, Ed Tomassi, Hal Crook, George Garzone, and Bill Pierce, and an elite international peer group of students.

During her Berklee years, Anat visited New York during breaks between semesters, making a beeline for Smalls to soak up the hybrid of grooves, world music and mainstream jazz that people like Jason Lindner and Omer Avital were then evolving. Back in Boston, she played tenor saxophone in a variety of musical contexts with various bands including Afro-Cuban, Argentinean, klezmer, contemporary Brazilian music and classical Brazilian choro. Anat also began her association with Sherrie Maricle’s top-shelf allwoman big band Diva Jazz Orchestra, which continued into the new millennium.

Once ensconced in New York, Anat quickly found work in various Brazilian ensembles like the Choro Ensemble and Duduka Da Fonseca’s Samba Jazz Quintet, and started performing with David Ostwald’s “Gully Low Jazz Band,” which explores the music of Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Jelly Roll Morton, Sidney Bechet and their Pan-American contemporaries. Anat documented her bona fides on her debut CD, Place and Time, one of All About Jazz-New York’s “Best Debut Albums of 2005.” On the liner notes for Notes From the Village, Ira Gitler writes “She is formidable. Long may she continue to enrich the music in myriad ways.” There is every indication that her star will continue to rise for a long time to come.

http://www.AnatCohen.com
http://www.imnworld.com/anatcohen
http://shorefiremedia.com/clients/acohen

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Artista da semana (novembro 8 - 14) - Miguel Zenón

Artista da Semana - Miguel Zenón




http://www.miguelzenon.com/index.htm



Miguel Zenón Bio

“This young musician and composer is at once reestablishing the artistic, cultural, and social tradition of jazz while creating an entirely new jazz language for the 21st century.”

--MacArthur Foundation,2008.

Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow Miguel Zenón was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. There, he studied classical saxophone at the famed Escuela Libre de Musica. Although Zenón was exposed to jazz while in high school, it wasn’t until he began his studies at the Berklee School of Music that his formal jazz training began. After graduating from Berklee, Zenón received a scholarship to attend Manhattan School of Music and in 2001, he received a Masters in Saxophone Performance. The distinguished list of educators he has studied with include: Angel Marrero, Leslie Lopez, Rafael Martinez, Danilo Perez, Dick Oatts, Dave Liebman, George Garzone and Bill Pierce.

In his relatively short, but rather illustrious career, Zenón has performed and/or recorded with a quite a diverse array of artists including: David Sanchez, Charlie Haden, The Village Vanguard Orchestra, Bobby Hutcherson, Bob Moses and Mozamba, The Either Orchestra, Guillermo Klein y Los Guachos, The Mingus Big Band, Jerry Gonzalez & The Fort Apache Band, Ray Barretto, and Steve Coleman, among others.

In 2004 Zenón was asked to become one of the founding members of the SF Jazz Collective; an octet whose past and present members include Joshua Redman, Bobby Hutcherson, Nicholas Payton, Joe Lovano, Dave Douglas and Brian Blade. The members, who participate in a residency period where they workshop and rehearse new music, divide their time (roughly two months) between composing, performing and teaching. The SF Jazz Collective has toured in the US, Canada, Asia, and Europe and to date, have released five critically acclaimed live recordings, garnering them a spot in the Downbeat Critic’s Poll Rising Star Small Group category in both 2006 and 2007 – an honor which, coincidentally, they shared with Zenón’s own quartet.

The Saxophonist and Composer has released four recordings as a Leader. His debut CD Looking Forward, was selected by the New York Times as the number one independent jazz record of 2002. In 2004, after being one of the first artists signed to Marsalis Music, he released the critically acclaimed Ceremonial. This same year also marked the beginning of three consecutive years on the top of the Downbeat Critic’s Poll in the Rising Star Alto Sax category. Zenón topped that category as well in 2008,making that the fourth time in the last five years. In 2005 Zenón was honored by Billboard magazine as one of the “Faces to Watch-- 30 Under 30: Top Young Acts and Executives.” That year Zenón also released Jibaro, a tribute to the "Musica Jibara" of Puerto Rico and commissioned by a grant from the New York State Council of the Arts. Like his previous recordings, Jibaro was uniformly well received and appeared on many top ten lists including The New York Times, Latin Beat, El Nuevo Dia, and the Chicago Tribune. In 2006, the readers of Jazz Times Magazine voted him the Best New Artist of the Year. Awake, his fourth recording as a leader was released in April 2008. It was chosen as one of the Best Jazz Cd's of 2008 by Jazz.com, Jazz Improv Magazine, Cuadernos de Jazz, JazzTimes and El Nuevo Dia, among others. (Read Reviews)

In addition to touring extensively throughout the US and Europe and Latin America with his quartet, Zenón has made teaching a priority in his professional career. In 2003, as part of the Kennedy Center’s Jazz Ambassador’s Program, Zenón’s quartet was selected to teach and perform throughout West Africa. Since then he as done master classes, clinics and/or residencies in such diverse institutions as the Banff Centre, University of Manitoba, LeMoyne College, UMASS-Amherst, the Brubeck Institute, Berklee College of Music, Conservatoire de Paris, Rotterdam Conservatory, Manhattan School of Music, Amsterdam Conservatory and the Diaz Institute. Zenón also serves as a private saxophone instructor at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York. Starting in the Fall of 2009, Zenón will be joining the Jazz Faculty at the New England Corservatory in Boston,MA.

In April 2008 Zenón received a fellowship from the prestigious John Simon Guggenheim Foundation to work on his next project, which focused on Plena Music from Puerto Rico. Later that year he was one of 25 distinguished individuals chosen to receive the coveted MacArthur Grant, also know as the “Genius Grant”.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Artista da Semana: Dani Gurgel (novembro 1 - 7)

Artista da Semana - Dani Gurgel



Biografia

DANI GURGEL trilhou uma escalada de instrumento a instrumento até encontrar o seu: a voz. Como instrumentista foram 15 anos. Dani foi saxofonista da big band regida por Roberto Sion e da banda que acompanhava o Zimbo Trio. Foi quando nasceram suas primeiras músicas que começou a cantá-las, despretensiosamente, no grupo de compositores “Quincas”.

Ao montar o repertório de seu primeiro show solo, após bastante dedicação ao novo instrumento, Dani Gurgel decidiu-se pelas canções de seus contemporâneos, ao invés das já consagradas. Assim surgiu a série de shows “Dani Gurgel e Novos Compositores”, que direcionou o repertório de seus três discos e foi tema do concerto que fez junto com a Orquestra Tom Jobim, como convidada e curadora.

A cantora e compositora foi vencedora na categoria música popular do Prêmio Nascente, mantido pela USP, onde se formou em Comunicação Social. Da faculdade, ela traz o interesse pelas mudanças na música com o digital, já abordado no seu trabalho de conclusão de curso em 2007, e também a busca incansável por novos meios de levar seu som até o público.

AGORA – Dani Gurgel e Novos Compositores, terceiro disco da cantora e compositora paulistana Dani Gurgel, é inspirado na série de shows homônima apresentada em 2007, na qual Dani convidava seus contemporâneos a participarem dos shows e apresentarem suas músicas. O novo trabalho reúne canções inéditas e conta com a participação de 23 jovens músicos da nova cena musical brasileira. Um trabalho eclético, amarrado pela interpretação de Dani, combinada com cada convidado. Brincando, vai do jazz ao pop. Há sambas, como “Linha na Pipa”, de Vinicius Calderoni, grooves, por exemplo, “Clinch”, de Danilo Moraes e Ricardo Teté, e outros quase eruditos, como a canção “Depois”, parceria de Dani com Tatiana Parra.
credits
released 16 September 2009
Produzido por Thiago Rabello
Co-produzido e idealizado por Dani Gurgel

Dani Gurgel [voz]
Thiago Rabello [bateria]
Debora Gurgel [piano]
Daniel Amorin [baixo acústico e elétrico]
Michi Ruzitschka [violão e guitarra]
André Kurchal [percussão]

Participação especial:
Conrado Goys [violão] em "Lé com Cré"
Jaziel Gomes [trombone] em "Clinch"
Ubaldo Versolato [clarinete e clarone] em "Lé com Cré" e "Depois"

E os compositores, que participam em suas respectivas canções:
Rafa Barreto, Vinicius Calderoni, Danilo Moraes, Ricardo Teté, Dani Black, Leo Versolato, Tatiana Parra, Tó Brandileone, Leo Bianchini, Demetrius Lulo, Wagner Barbosa, Ricardo Barros.


http://www.danigurgel.com.br/musica/index.html


Dani Gurgel - Neneca from Dani Gurgel on Vimeo.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Artista da Semana: Gretchen Parlato (outubro 25 - novembro 1)

Artista da Semana - Gretchen Parlato




http://www.gretchenparlato.com/



bio —

Gretchen Parlato´s voice is a thing of wonder. Striking the ideal balance between precision and flexibility, she is never predictable, blurring the lines between singer and instrumentalist as she takes a lyric—and at other times improvised flights of wordless fancy—to places it´s never before been. On In a Dream, her debut album for ObliqSound, which releases August 25, Parlato and her intuitive support team reinvent constantly, Parlato impeccably articulating in a voice so ethereal that the listener might very well feel that he or she is "in a dream."

Coming four years after her self-titled debut, In a Dream finds Parlato embarking on a beguiling journey deep into the heart of both her own compositions and classic material by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Duke Ellington, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and others—all of which she instantly makes her own. Each song emerges as a unique world unto itself, yet there´s an undeniable thread linking them all together.

Aligning with a virtuosic quartet she describes as "inspiring, creative, sensitive, musical souls"—Lionel Loueke on guitar, Aaron Parks on piano and Fender Rhodes, Derrick Hodge on acoustic and electric bass, and drummer Kendrick Scott—Parlato brings the warmth and compelling command of her much-heralded live performances to 10 exquisite new peeks into her artistic personality. In a Dream firmly places Gretchen Parlato in the upper echelon of today´s vocal artists.

Both Hancock and Shorter are already fans. Hancock has said that Parlato has a "deep, almost magical connection to the music," and Shorter has said "in an inconspicuous way, Gretchen plays the same instrument as Frank Sinatra."

Michele Locatelli, the album´s producer and co-founder of ObliqSound, notes that Parlato´s desire to blend a broad range of musical influences sets her apart. "Even though her means of expression is jazz-based, it goes beyond that. The defining thing about her, however, is her subtle sense of rhythm and timing: she makes a song seem easy when it´s not."

From the opening number, her interpretation of Wonder´s "I Can´t Help It," best known via Michael Jackson´s rendition, Parlato´s extraordinary vocal calisthenics, immaculate sense of timing and nuanced phrasing are in full bloom. Parlato transforms the song into a breathy neo-bossa nova, joined solely by Loueke´s closely intertwined, sweet guitar lines and vocalized percussion and bass accompaniment. "The song just grew organically and has continued to develop every time we play it," Parlato says.

The song list runs the gamut from classic Brazilian—"Doralice," learned from the legendary singer/guitarist Jo„o Gilberto—to the flowing "Turning Into Blue," penned by the bassist Alan Hampton, with lyrics by Parlato based on Buddhist teachings. The way in which she stretches out the word "turning," then catches up with "into blue" is indicative of Parlato´s innate ability to work miracles with a lyric and hold the listener´s attention via her ingenuity. Ellington´s "Azure," says Parlato, "taps into that dreamlike state we can be in when we long for someone and feel completely alone. I love to reveal the beauty in the darkness." Performed in a 5/4 rhythm, the track features a stunning bass solo by Hodge.

Hancock´s "Butterfly," she says, "is about the beauty of simplicity and space. I arranged it so that we could play around rhythmically, while still allowing the lyrics to shine through." In this arrangement, Parlato stays on top of the groove without deviating, even while exploring every nuance it has to offer. Shorter´s "ESP," not surprisingly the purest jazz track on In a Dream, eases in via meditative vocalizations and ultimately gives way to Parks´ spellbinding Rhodes solo and intricate drum work from Scott. The title track, with music by the young pianist Robert Glasper and lyrics by Parlato, is appropriately dreamy, a groove-based, harmony-rich rumination on the otherworldly quality of being in love.

Two tracks, "Within Me" and "On the Other Side," arrived via guitarist Francis Jacob. On the first, Parlato´s vocal sneaks in with a whisper, then barely rises, yet remains dynamic and alluring. Appropriately introspective, she drills deep inside of the lyric and instinctively delivers it the way it begs to be delivered. The latter song is more rambunctious, a tight weave of precision, melody and heart. "Weak," which closes the album, was originally performed by the R&B trio SWV in 1992. Says Parlato, "I thought it would be cool to sing this song in a new way and have people say, ´Wait, why do I know this?´"

The theme of the album´s title, In a Dream, runs throughout each song. "Every song has a purpose, relates to my life in some way, and tells a story," Parlato explains. Her own story begins in Los Angeles, where she was born into a highly artistic and musical family that shaped her ears. In her youth, Parlato soaked up every sound that came her way, from rock and pop to classical, musical theatre, soul and R&B and, especially, African percussion and the sensuous rhythms of Brazil—all of which worked its way into her nascent style. Jazz gained a special foothold in her musical life because, she says, it forces an artist "to figure out who you are and find your own voice."

Her talent became apparent in her early childhood—in fact, In a Dream includes a handful of snippets of Parlato belting out songs in perfect rhythm and remarkable pitch at age 2! "I thought it was fitting to try to work these early recordings in with my current music, because it shows the first steps of my musical path, who I am, where I come from," she says. "It makes me realize that music was in me since the very beginning, I had no choice but to pursue it and share it."

As she grew, Parlato´s musical abilities blossomed. She attended the L.A. County High School for the Arts, later graduated from UCLA with a BA in Ethnomusicology/Jazz Studies, then went on to attend the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance, as the Institute´s very first vocalist. That was followed by a 2003 move to New York to pursue her dream. A year later, Parlato won the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition and, in 2005, self-released her debut.

In the years since, Parlato´s star has only risen. She´s toured internationally with her own band and as a guest of many A-list artists; notable performances include La Villette in Paris with Wayne Shorter as her guest, the Hollywood Bowl with Oscar Castro-Neves, Gal Costa, Ivan Lins, and Dianne Reeves, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. Her recording credits include Terence Blanchard´s 2005 Grammy-nominated album Flow, Kenny Barron´s The Traveler, and Esperanza Spalding´s 2008 self-titled album. She was recently featured in The Documentary Channel´s 4-part series "Icons Among Us: Jazz in the Present Tense," and in a special called "Rising Stars" on Japan´s NHK-TV, with a one-hour focus on Parlato. Glowing reviews have followed her around, such as the one from the New York Times´ Ben Ratliff that singled out her attention to rhythm and dynamics, and proclaimed, "It´s evident that she´s an extraordinary singer."

Adds Lionel Loueke, "She is the only singer that I never have to account for or change the way I play; the guitar and the voice are so well balanced that no one is ever out in front." That is in fact true of each of her accompanists. Inherently aware of the leader´s ability to find herself within a given song, the musicians instinctively find their place alongside her and serve to accent Parlato´s fine-tuned arrangements.

Parlato is understandably proud. "I sing from my heart and soul and hope that people feel that. I just want them to feel something. That could be joy or sadness, as long as it moves them in some way." Anyone who is not moved by In a Dream is quite possibly incapable of moving at all.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Artista da Semana (outubro 18 - 24) - Mariana Aydar

Artista da Semana - Mariana Aydar





Biografia

Aydar é filha de Mario Manga, integrante do grupo Premê, e de Bia Aydar, produtora de diversos artistas brasileiros, entre os quais Lulu Santos e Luiz Gonzaga. Nesse ambiente, ficava atrás dos palcos, dormia nos camarins [1] e ia junto com os cantores para o estúdio, aprendendo muita coisa só observando.[2][3]

A trajetória musical teve início em 2000. Em 2004, após anos de estudo no Brasil e na Berklee School of Music, em Boston, morou em Paris por um ano. Lá conheceu Seu Jorge, que a convidou para abrir os shows na turnê européia. De volta ao Brasil em 2005, passou a investir no disco de estréia, Kavita 1, lançado em setembro de 2006.[4]

Mariana, que estudou cello, violão e canto,[2] já esteve no palco com Seu Jorge, Elba Ramalho, Dominguinhos, Arnaldo Antunes, Toni Garrido, Samuel Rosa, Daniela Mercury , Céu, João Donato, entre outros.

É considerada como integrante de uma safra de cantoras no cenário da nova MPB.

Em abril de 2007, a música "Deixa o Verão" foi convocada para entrar na trilha sonora do seriado adolescente Malhação 2007, da Rede Globo.

Em agosto para setembro de 2007, Mariana Aydar foi indicada a Revelação no VMB (Video Music Brasil), realizado pela MTV

Em janeiro de 2008, realizou o primeiro show em Salvador, na Praça Tereza Batista, no Pelourinho, para um público superior a mil pessoas totalmente envolvido e conhecedor das ´músicas do repertório da cantora. O show foi uma parceria entre o Projeto Pelourinho Cultural, do IPAC - SECULT, com o produtor baiano Chicco Assis e o Movimento ChA Com Cultura.

Em 2009, a música "Prainha" entrou para a trilha de Malhação 2009, sendo tema do Ceará.
[editar] Discografia
[editar] Álbuns

* 2006 - Kavita 1
* 2009 - Peixes, Pássaros E Pessoas

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Artista da Semana (outubro 11 - 17) - Stacey Kent





The story of Stacey Kent's rise to international fame reads like a Hollywood script.

An American language student visits Europe to study French, Italian and German for a Masters degree in comparative literature. Her life takes an unexpected twist that sees Stacey Kent become one of the world's foremost jazz singers.

Stacey, a recent addition to the Blue Note roster of recording artists, now boasts seven best-selling albums including Breakfast on the Morning Tram (2007) and The Boy Next Door (2003) both of which achieved Gold status, a string of awards, including the 2001 British Jazz Award and 2002 BBC Jazz Award for 'Best Vocalist,' the 2004 Backstage Bistro Award for best live performance and the 2006 "Album of the Year" for Jim Tomlinson's album, 'The Lyric' on which she was the featured vocalist, as well as a fan base that enables her to sell out concert halls around the world.

Her new Blue Note release, 'Breakfast On The Morning Tram' (Blue Note 2007) features four original songs, including the title track, written especially for Stacey by Jim Tomlinson and acclaimed novelist, Kazuo Ishiguro, as well as a selection of French chansons and choice standards. Since its release in September 2007, it has remained at the top of the French jazz chart as well as holding its own in the top 20 of the general album charts. Its release around the world is sure to mirror this success.

The twist of fate that took her life in this new direction was a chance meeting in Oxford with saxophonist, Jim Tomlinson. Like Stacey, Jim was embarked on an academic path, but their meeting sparked in each other the desire to pursue their love of music together. After a year's study at the Guildhall School of Music, Stacey set about honing her skills on the London scene in the company of, now husband, Jim Tomlinson.

A demo tape, sent simultaneously to Polygram, Candid Records and broadcaster, Humphrey Lyttelton, secured her a role in Ian McKellen's film version of Richard III, a recording contract and national airplay and endorsement from Britain's most respected jazz broadcaster.

Since the release of Stacey's first album, Close Your Eyes (1997), she has achieved, without compromise, both critical and popular success, with her fresh and heart-felt interpretations of the finest love songs of the twentieth century. But it was a feature on CBS Sunday Morning in 1999 that gave Stacey national exposure in the USA and brought her to wider recognition. Since then, her career has become truly international and she has performed at major festivals and concert halls from Taipei’s Chiang Kai-shek Concert Hall to Carnegie Hall to Paris' famed Olympia.

Stacey's admirers are not limited to the loyal fans that buy her albums and pack out her concerts. Best-selling crime writer, John Harvey, has Stacey sing, if only fictionally, in his latest novel, Still Water. A track from her third album, Let Yourself Go, was selected by novelist, Kazuo Ishiguro, on his appearance on Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio. It was this event that led Kent, Ishiguro and Tomlinson towards the song-writing collaboration that features this new album.

Clint Eastwood invited Stacey to sing at his 70th birthday party, Michael Parkinson invited Stacey to sing on his television show, as did Sir David Frost, who asked her to join him one Sunday morning, to sing a song and review the morning papers with him on "Breakast with Frost" and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler , in a recent interview, listed Stacey, alongside Willie Nelson, as being among his favourite singers.

Most tellingly perhaps, Stacey is appreciated by the writers of the songs she sings.

Three-time Oscar-winning songwriter, Jay Livingston, wrote of her, "Stacey Kent is a revelation. There is nobody singing today who can compare with her. She has the style of the greats, like Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. And she sings the words like Nat Cole - clean, clear and almost conversational with perfect phrasing. And that's as good as it gets."

If there is one theme that runs through Stacey's music, it is that of romance. Stacey is herself an avowed romantic, and the songs she sings are timeless stories that touch young and old alike, fulfilling a desire for sophisticated love songs that is not catered to by today's pop music industry. She receives fan mail from people of all ages and nationalities and, in an age where music is more likely to divide than unite the generations, it is quite common for three generations of the same family to attend her concerts.

This romanticism is best demonstrated on the award winning recording with Jim Tomlinson, 'The Lyric ... featuring Stacey Kent' (Token 0501). It is the most complete collaboration between Stacey and husband, Jim. On this album, Jim’s saxophone and Stacey’s voice achieve a level of empathy only hinted at on earlier recordings. As the New York Times’, Stephen Holden put it, “Sometimes the chemistry between musicians and the chemistry of love get all tangled up in wonderful ways. When watching the jazz singer Stacey Kent make music with her husband, the tenor saxophonist Jim Tomlinson, it is easy to imagine yourself eavesdropping on intimate pillow talk by besotted partners in a luxury suite atop some faraway pop-jazz Olympus.”

Her new latest album, Breakfast On The Morning Tram, hints at a more confessional side to Stacey's artistic persona. This is a more complete, personal and mature expression of feeling than Kent has delivered on any of her previous recordings.

It is not easy to account for Stacey's success and she herself remains characteristically coy. What is sure is that Stacey has a voice that grabs you. It demands to be listened to and yet never draws attention to itself. As her new collaborator, Ishiguro put it in his liner notes to her 2002 album, In Love Again, "In song after song, we find a route to the emotional heart of the music without first having to admire her technique." Stacey's natural and unaffected delivery allows the craft of the songwriters, whose work she performs, to shine through. She has an appeal that transcends category.

http://www.staceykent.com/bio0.html

Friday, October 2, 2009

Artista da Semana (outubro 4 - 10) - Mimi Jones

Artista da Semana - Mimi Jones





http://www.mimijonesmusic.com/

Bio- Mimi Jones

Mimi Jones, multi talented bassist, vocalist and composer, brings her beacon of musical light to the world while embracing a positive future with her inspiring messages. Mimi’s elegant sound is an eclectic mix of genres based on a strong jazz foundation that leaves room for funky bass grooves, world beat rhythms, gentle textures and the soulful cries of the Wurlizter. “My music taps in directly to the senses using elements of jazz, folk, rock, blues and different sounds from around the world which have all had such a profound effect on me.”

Miriam Sullivan (aka Mimi Jones) was born in New York City and raised in the Bronx by parents that descended from Barbados and St.Croix, which explains why Mimi has so many musical influences that flow easily through her compositional style. “As a child my parents always played music around the house,” remarks Mimi, “besides their traditional roots they had tons of records from Gene Ammons, Miles Davis, James Brown, Gloria Lynn, Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Willie Nelson, Frank Sinatra, The Doors, Beatles, BeeGees, Barbara Streisand, and Peter Paul and Mary. Every Sunday we had a ritual of cleaning while the music blasted through the house.” Mimi started buying her own records and showed such enthusiasm to play the guitar that her father enrolled her in the Harlem School of the Arts. There she learned the classical guitar and eventually the instrument of her choice, the electric guitar. By the age of twelve she was studying guitar with her first teacher, Jim Bartow, taking classes in dance, chorus, drums, music theory, piano and composition which all helped her secure a spot at Fiorello La Guardia High School of Music and Performing Arts. Once there she realized that the school didn’t have a guitar program so she was quickly switched to cello and placed into the orchestra. However, during cello practice time she could be found in the mirror spinning the bass and playing the “Barney Miller” theme. “I was spotted doing this one afternoon by the band director, Justin Diccioccio, and he asked if I played the bass. I said no and he responded saying “well you do now because we need a bassist for the jazz band.” This was an exciting experience because for the first time I found my own musical voice.” 
 Mimi began her relationship with the bass by receiving classical lessons from Linda McKnight and attending the Jazz Mobile Workshop to study with world-class bassist Lisle Atkinson who became her first mentor and even supplied Mimi with her first bass, a Juzak. “I’ve often said that the bass chose me,” said Mimi “and there were so many early experiences that confirmed that feeling.”

Mimi’s determination and talent helped her to receive a full scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music Conservatory where she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Music. While at the Manhattan School she continued off campus to study, attend workshops or mentor with saxophonist Charles Davis, Barry Harris, Ron Carter, Milt Hinton, Dr. Billy Taylor, Yusef Latif, Max Roach, and Latin bass techniques with Guillermo Edgehill. “I even missed my own graduation at the Manhattan School because I got my first music tour days before the graduation and had to fly to Japan. And you know, I’ve been doing music ever since.”

Since then “side man” Miriam Sullivan (aka Mimi Jones) has gone on to share the stage with such talents as the great Lionel Hampton, Roy Hargrove, Rachel Z, Sean Jones, Kenny Barron, Jesse Davis, Ingrid Jenson, Kevin Mahogany, Denis Charles, Joshua Redman and Onaje Allan Gumbs just to name a few.

She has even toured extensively throughout Europe and the United States. In 2003, Miriam Sullivan co founded the group ”Jazz Sabroson” with drummer Antonio De Vivo and was commissioned by the Kennedy Center and Department of State to participate in the international program of cultural exchange performing in Brazil, Uruguay, Ecuador, Barbados, Jamaica, Nevis and the Dominican Republic. The group was elected in 2006 by the Department of State and Jazz at Lincoln Center to participate in the Rhythm Abroad Program, this time traveling to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco and Algeria. Later on Miriam returned to Mali with guitarist Steve Bloom, where the two diligently worked with Malian students of all ages, exploring the possibilities of musical expansion, and gladly partaking in the cultural exchange. Miriam explains that going into the motherland of Africa is always a heart-felt experience and continues to change her outlook on life. She constantly looks for new opportunities in which to aid her brothers and sisters abroad as well as at home with her own organization “The Girls Group” located in the South Bronx.

In September 2009 Mimi Jones emerged and her debut recording, “A New Day” was born. The title of the CD speaks of embracing a changing world with a positive point of view while maintaining the courage to move forward just as the new persona and alter ego, Mimi Jones, was transformed from “side man” Miriam Sullivan in order to fully express her individual messages of change and personal evolution. “A New Day,” is bursting with original compositions seamlessly melting from one song to another and caressed by the warmth of Mimi’s sultry voice. The music is a statement of grooves, musical textures, and compositional variations all flawlessly executed by Mimi Jones (acoustic bass, electric bass, vocals, composer, arranger, and assistant producer), Marvin Sewell (acoustic and electric guitars), Miki Hayama (piano, key board and Wurlitzer), Marcus Gilmore (drums), Lucianna Padmore (drums on tracks 1 and 11) and Ambrose Akinmisure (trumpet). The title of the CD speaks of embracing a changing world with a positive point of view while maintaining the courage to move from our old habits. Songs like “Fast Lane,” “Spiral,” “Watch Your Step” and “Mighty Time” send those messages by allowing the music to take shape without fear of definition and genre restriction. The concept is to cross borders and to reach out to a broader perception of time, space and rhythm. Mimi’s philosophy is profound, yet simple, “It’s important to me that this music is for everyone. I believe that I have a calling to heal and make people feel good so I want to pass on what comes to me musically. Hopefully this music will make our world a little bit better.”

A recurring face since 2000 at the Kennedy Center’s annual Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival as Miriam Sullivan (playing in bands led by pianist Rachel Z and Joanne Brackeen), now Mimi Jones brings her project to the stage on May 14, 2009 premièring her debut release, “A New Day.” Mimi Jones has already appeared at the Kitano Hotel, Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, the Puffin Foundation, and Sista’s Place. In the future Mimi Jones plans to incorporate multimedia performances and collaborations with other artists. She wants to find more diverse ways to reach out to the public by making her music accessible while maintaining the integrity of the music that has propelled her on her journey.

Although Mimi plays acoustic bass, baby bass, electric bass, and numerous styles of music (including jazz, funk, hip hop, Cuban, free, folk, and pop) she thrives on remaining open to learning unfamiliar sounds. "I hope that my music sends a message of unconditional love and encouragement in order to let people know that we all experience the same things but in different ways. If we find the joy within eventually it will be all around us." For more about Mimi Jones: www.MimiJonesMusic.com

Friday, September 25, 2009

Artista da Semana (setembro 27 - outubro 3) - La Forja

Artista da Semana - La Forja





La Forja (Ciudad de México).

Fundada en 1995, esta compañía de danza y música no sólo ha cultivado el flamenco, lo ha mezclado con otros géneros como el jazz y el rock. La Forja se ha presentado en todos los tablaos de la Ciudad de México y ha viajado por todo el país, desde Durango hasta Quintana Roo. Teatros, restaurantes, museos y universidades en los estados de San Luis Potosí, Tlaxcala, Campeche, Veracruz, Michoacán, Tamaulipas, Morelos y Puebla, entre otros, han disfrutado diferentes espectáculos diseñados por La Forja, como Un cante para el Quijote. Algunos de los más importantes festivales y ferias en los que la compañía ha participado son: el Festival del Centro Histórico de la Ciudad de México y la Feria de San Marcos, en Aguascalientes.

La compañía también ha hecho varios programas de radio y televisión, como La Valija diplomática en Horizonte, Cultura en línea en Canal 22, Los mejores músicos.com y Otro Rollo en Televisa. Actualmente, La Forja se encuentra promocionando su disco Con Aroma de Romero, un álbum espléndidamente grabado y bellamente ilustrado por el pintor mexicano Arturo Solís.

Tamaño de la compañía: 8 personas Escenarios: teatros, plazas, galerías, espacios cerrados y abiertos que tengan entarimado. Escenario mínimo: 5 x 4 metros.

Principales Producciones: 1 Un Cante para el Quijote Festival de las Artes, Mérida, Yucatán, 2006. 2 Corazón y Ritmo Festival Internacional de Puebla, 2002. 3 Xay Museo Universitario del Chopo, Ciudad de México, 1996.

Notas de prensa: “La Forja ha creado un estilo donde la música, el canto y la danza conviven en igualdad de condiciones” –Xavier Quirarte, Milenio Diario.

“La Forja encuentra nuevos mundos desde el flamenco” –Angélica Valenzuela, El Universal.

“Cuando la pasión, la sensibilidad y el arte conviven, son capaces de encender cualquier temperamento” –José Luis Martínez, Revista Milenio.

"Con Aroma de Romero es un álbum cuya naturaleza ecléctica mezcla en sus composiciones lo mejor del bagaje musical de sus integrantes" –Víctor Manuel Torres, Excélsior.

“Equilibrio y honestidad son virtudes de este disco que, además, ha sido bellamente editado”

PARTICIPACION EN FESTIVALES: CENTRO HISTORICO DE LA CIUDAD DE MEXICO DIA INTERNACIONAL DE LA DANZA EN EL CNA FESTIVAL ZOCALO EN MOVIMIENTO 2000 FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE PUEBLA IV EDICION FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL QUIMERA METEPEC 2007 FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL JOLGORIO DE QUERETARO FESTIVAL DE PRIMAVERA CENTRO HISTORICO DF 2005 FESTIVAL DEL DESIERTO EN SAN LUIS POTOSI 2004, 05, 06,07 FESTIVAL REY POETA NEZAHUALCOYOTL, TEXCOCO 2005, 06,07 FESTIVAL SAN LUIS POTOSI, CIRCUITO de la HUASTECA 2007 FESTIVAL CIUDAD. LERDO DURANGO 2007 FORO SOCIAL MUNDIAL ZOCALO DF 2008 FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE DANZA CD. DEL CARMEN CAMPECHE 2008 FESTIVAL CULTURAL DEL GRAN SEÑORIO CHALCO.EDO MEX.2008 FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE ZACATECAS 2009 PARTICIPACION EN PLANTELES EDUCATIVOS: UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMA METROPOLITANA UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL AUTONOMA DE MEXICO UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMA DE LA CIUDAD DE MEXICO UNIVERSIDAD DE LAS AMERICAS TECNOLOGICO DE MONTERREY. COLEGIO MADRID PREPARATORIA RECLUSORIO NORTE LICEO FRANCO MEXICANO

www.myspace.com/laforja

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Artista da Semana (setembro 20 - 26) - Sara Gazarek

Artista da Semana - Sara Gazarek



http://www.saragazarek.com/



Championed by some of music’s most celebrated figures, Sara Gazarek has emerged as a strikingly original artist with limitless potential. In follow up to Yours, her widely hailed 2005 debut focusing on American Songbook standards, the 25-year-old Gazarek delivers a sensational follow-up on her sophomore album Return to You (Native Language NLM-0967-2), seamlessly combining the intimacy of singer/songwriter stylings with the musical and improvisational elements of jazz. Blessed with a gorgeous, translucent voice, excellent pitch, and supple sense of time, Gazarek is steeped in the jazz tradition, but is not afraid to embrace the music that moves her generation.

Return to You was created by the same talented team that put together Yours (including Grammy-award nominated bass master John Clayton as producer, and her equally youthful, all-star LA based band, Josh Nelson (p), Erik Kertes (b), and Matt Slocum (d)). Return to You features well-planned arrangements of more contemporary standards by songwriters Leonard Cohen, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Harry Connick Jr., and Gillian Welch. Some of the best material, however, comes from Gazarek’s acclaimed pianist, Josh Nelson, as he displays his considerable gifts as a composer and lyricist with four new songs.

In choosing the material for Return to You, Gazarek explains, “our live performances are very different from the record. We do a lot more up-tempo and swinging material. But we felt secure in the base we’d created with Yours and wanted to explore some of our other influences. We wanted this album to have a flow, and a sense of purpose, and we feel the listener will be able to pick up on the part of our souls we gave to this album.” Among the album’s stand out tracks are a playful version of Mitchell’s “Carey,” and a haunting rendition of Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” with an obscure final chorus that has rarely been recorded. Gazarek’s knack for spotting first-rate material shines brightest on “Northern Lights,” a ravishing song written by the brilliant tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake – a collaboration so poignant and engaging that no one should be surprised if the tune ends up spearheading a Norah Jones-like breakthrough.

“Return to You” also introduces a number of new textures and sounds, not explored before on the bands prior release. Strings, guitar, horns, and duet vocals are, as Gazarek puts it “a way to get a message across that we couldn’t express as a quartet.” And while the singer could have had her pick of all-star instrumentalists to feature on her sophomore album, Gazarek, who possesses an easy-going charisma that quietly commands attention, refuses to hog the limelight. “In this band we prefer to keep it in the family, and featured some of our most talented friends,” Gazarek says, humbly, always referring to “we” rather than “I” when speaking of her music, highlighting the indispensability of her band mates. “We truly are a family now, and they are an integral part of the way our sound has progressed.” The quartet works together in shaping arrangements, and each piece is the result of extended collaboration. She notes the importance of this collaboration, “we are constantly learning from one another.”

Born and raised in Seattle, Gazarek grew up without much exposure to jazz. She denotes any and all preliminary jazz education to her high school big band and choir director, Scott Brown. “He afforded us a lot of educational opportunities at festivals and competitions,” Gazarek remembers. As a senior in high school, she was awarded the first ever Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation Outstanding Jazz Vocalist Award at the Essentially Ellington Festival in NYC. “I guess you could say my first gig was at Avery Fisher Hall with Wynton Marsalis,” Gazarek chuckles.

Sara made her way south to Los Angeles in 2000 and found herself at the prestigious Thornton School of Music at USC, studying under the tutelage of John Clayton, Shelly Berg, Tierney Sutton, and Carmen Bradford. While there, Sara helped develop the JazzReach program and, as a result, was able to spend 2 years working with inner city elementary school children as a jazz choir director. “I’ll never forget that experience. It is so important to me to be out there, educating young people.” Sara continues to educate young people today as the sole ambassador for the non-profit music and arts education organization, Music For All. Sara and her band give clinics at local schools while on tour, because, as Gazarek puts it, “education is such an important part of our lives, and the band and I know we wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for that one teacher who showed us the way. It is our duty to give back.”

In 2003, Sara was awarded the 2003 Downbeat Student Music Award for Best Collegiate Vocalist. Shortly after the publication hit the press, Sara was asked to perform with Oleta Adams, Karrin Allyson, and Diane Schuur as the "as yet undiscovered talent" on the Concord Jazz Festival tour. Simultaneously, Gazarek joined a number of a-list clientele (including Barry Manilow and Allyson) as a Stiletto Entertainment (management) client and was soon being booked by the industrious William Morris Agency. “I remember feeling very nervous about it all,” Sara recalls. “I’d had it drilled into me that a strong career at a young age was a fast track to obscurity.”

Luckily, at a time when it would have been easy for Gazarek to lose track of her artistic goals, John Clayton, a mentor and teacher at USC, provided a grounding influence. When record labels first came knocking and she started to question her place, it was Clayton who set her straight. “He said, ‘Sara, everyone has his or her own path, and there’s no path that’s any more respectable than any other,’” she recalls. “‘As long as you do your homework and keep striving to be a better musician, you’ll have a lasting career.’”

Clayton agreed to produce her first album, Yours, and insisted she develop the arrangements herself with the band she’d been performing with. She found musical soul mates in her group, and the resulting record was a debut that was released to national and international rave reviews. It ranked in the Top 10 on the Billboard Traditional Jazz Charts, Top 10 on the iTunes top Jazz Album Downloads (US, UK, Switzerland, and Belgium), #1 on the iTunes Top Jazz Album Downloads (Germany, France), #5 on the Jazz Week Radio Charts, #4 on the HMV (Japan) chart. In addition, Sara was voted the #3 Best New Artist in the JazzTimes Readers Poll.

With her strong sense of gratitude, this talented, graceful, constantly evolving, emotionally direct, label-pushing vocalist will continue to “do her homework.” And judging by her second album, Sara Gazarek is going to have a lot to offer the music scene for many years to come.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Artista da Semana (setembro 13 - 19) - Jussanam

Artista da Semana - Jussanam



http://jazznbossa.ning.com/profile/Jussanamdasilva



The Icelandic voice of Bossa Nova

Borned in Rio de Janeiro,Jussanam da Silva,grew up with the carioca Samba and Bossa Nova. Besides her singing, Jussanam became an actress in various novelas (soap operas) in Brazilian TV. In the play "Adoraveis Romeu e Julieta" she also became the first black Juliet ever in Brazilian theater. She was also actress in the play indicated 5 times to Shell's Prize in 2005, "O Santo Parto" by Lauro César Muniz.
Jussanam now lives in Reykavik in Iceland where she sucessfully collaborates with bassist Tomas Einarsson, one of Islands foremost Jazz musicians. With Tomás R. Einarsson and his band , Jussanam sang on TV program with highest audience in Iceland, Kastljós, in 2008 .
"Tomás R. Einarsson is my musical Godfather" says her

In Sweden she collaborates with Swedish pianist Harald Erici, with who she did shows in Gothemburg in February 2009.
Actually, She has a band of the respected musicians in Iceland and we destac Haukur Gröndal that is one of the best saxophonist in Iceland and Thordur Högnasson, contra-bass ex Björk musician that recorded Gling-Gló and others important Cds.
Jussanam has been warming the Icelandic audience with your voice and the best of the brazilian music, with her’s Icelandic Band: Haukur Grondal(Sax), Asgeir Asgeirsson(Guitar),Thordur Hognasson(Contra Bass) and Erik Qvick (Drumms). The most important shows in Iceland are:
- Icelandic National Day -17th june 2009 at Austurvollur -Reykjkavik

- Mullin Jazz Klubbur -2009

- Arts Summer Festival in Akureyri 2009

- Reykjavik Jazz Festival 2009 (with the Icelandic finest pianist Agnar Már Magnússon)

The CD "Ela é Carioca" with songs by Tom Jobim was recorded live at Tonn studio,in Reykjavik, giving to CD an athmospheric and spontaneus feeling. The propose of the CD was to record the songs how them have been presented in her show around Iceland.

Below is a critic article from the news paper in Iceland, about her first show in Iceland by Vernhard Linnet, jazz critic:

“Hot Samba on a cold night"

Is there anything sweeter than a Brazilian samba, specially if it is of an Bossa Nova origin and created by the master Antonio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim?

…Tvelve of these songs could be heard at the Gauknum performed by the Brazilian singer Jussanam da Silva and the quartet of Tomas R. Einarssonar bass player and Matti Hemstock on drums, and the brothers Oskar and Omar Gudjonsson on sax and guitar. Da Silva sang twelve of Jobim’s songs and naturally among the fantastic collection some guests where missing there favourite songs. By my side was a grate singer who wanted to hear “Insensatez” but the song pearls where many from the opening song “Dindi” to the last one “Samba de Uma Nota So”. Da Silva sang songs that most of the guests knew, like “Desafinado” and Garota de Ipanema”. She also performed “ A Felicidade” and “Triste” and songs rather unfamiliar to me. The Girl from Rio (Ele e Carioca), which is where Da Silva is originally from, and “Favela” which of the Jobim songs is the one most resembling a N-American musical song play of the Jobims songs that I have heard.

Da Silva is possibly related to the Brazilian athletic jumper who snatched the gold from our Vilhelm in the past, at the Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. But she is charming singer with a good voice- …but what toped the night for me was the singing in Portuguese which I find the most beautiful language to sing in…. Tomas and Matthias where a solid erythematic duo in the southern swing.

A lovely night that warmed the root of one’s heart in the cold of the night.

Vernhard Linnet.

Morgunbladid
29. February 2008

Friday, September 4, 2009

Artista da Semana ( setembro 6 - 12) - Lynne Arriale

Artista da Semana - Lynne Arriale



http://www.lynnearriale.com/

Lynne Arriale has captured the imaginations of jazz and mainstream music lovers with her outstanding CD and DVD recordings and performances. She has been critically acclaimed as having a ‘singular voice’ as a pianist, leader, composer, arranger and for “putting the heart back into jazz” (London Times). Arriale’s consistently excellent recordings have topped every notable jazz chart. With back to back #1 Jazz Week radio hits, a #17 debut on Billboard’s Jazz Chart, the top ten “Best Of” lists for The New Yorker, United Press International and The German Record Critics Association, Arriale has earned her place among elite international jazz artists. Further evidence of her status includes her being featured on the PBS nationally televised program, Profile of a Recording Artist, and on multiple NPR programs including Weekend Edition, Jazz Set, and Piano Jazz with Marion McPartland.

In August ’08, and in a departure from her ten previous trio recordings, Arriale presented an extraordinary new lineup of iconic musicians who joined her on her new CD/DVD, “Nuance,” The Bennett Studio Sessions. In addition to Arriale as leader/composer/arranger, the remarkable band features jazz legend George Mraz on bass; Anthony Pinciotti on drums, whose work with James Moody and John Abercrombie has received high critical praise; and the great All-Star, Randy Brecker on trumpet / flugelhorn. The project was recorded at the multi-Grammy and Emmy Award winning BENNETT STUDIOS, and will include video documentation of behind the scenes footage of the CD recording, a bonus DVD program of a live, private, “in-studio” audience concert, and up close and personal interviews with each artist. With the release scheduled for April ’09, this stellar group will be on tour internationally in support of this CD/DVD release. This Motéma Music release will feature Arriale’s compelling new originals, as well as her innovative reinventions of pop classics, jazz and world music selections.

Arriale’s current release, LIVE (Motéma), recorded by BR-TV at Germany’s oldest and most prestigious jazz event, The Burghausen Jazz Festival, won the 2007 German Record Critics Award for best jazz CD/DVD recording. She has toured Japan with the legendary “100 Golden Fingers”group, a bill Lynne shared with jazz legends Hank Jones, Tommy Flanagan, Kenny Barron, Cedar Walton, Ray Bryant, Junior Mance, Harold Mabern, Roger Kellaway and Monty Alexander. In 1993 she earned first place at Jacksonville’s prestigious Great American Piano Competition. Arriale continues to perform such internationally prestigious venues as The Spoleto Arts Festival, Ireland’s Cork Jazz Festival, The Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Pori Jazz Festival, the Burghausen and Stuttgart Jazz Festivals, The Montreal Jazz Festival, The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, The Folly Theater, The Gilmore Festival, The Jacksonville Jazz Festival, The San Francisco Jazz Festival, the Monterey Jazz Festival and numerous other festivals, concerts and clubs throughout Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, Romania, Norway, The Czech Republic, Ireland, the UK and Australia.

Over the past few years, Arriale has performed with legendary saxophonist, Benny Golson as well as jazz luminaries Rufus Reid, Roy Hargrove, Buster Williams and Eddie Henderson. Upcoming dates in ‘09 include performances with Grammy winner, trumpet/flugelhorn player, Randy Brecker and jazz icon, bassist George Mraz.

Deeply committed to jazz education, Lynne Arriale is currently Assistant Professor of Jazz Piano and Director of the Jazz Combo Program at The University of North Florida. She also conducts master classes, clinics and workshops internationally for professionals, students and communities at large.