INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN JAZZ VOCALIST DEBORAH BROWN
(Greeley, CO) The acclaimed jazz vocalist Deborah Brown will make a rare Colorado appearance as part of the University of Northern Colorado's Sunset Jazz Series. The concert will be held at 7:00pm, Wednesday, March 8, in the Panorama Lounge in UNC's University Center, at the corner of 11th Avenue and 20th Street in Greeley. Admission is $7 and $5 for students. There is no charge for UNC students, faculty, and staff. Tickets are available at the door only; no reservations are accepted.For more information, call 970-351-2577 or visit www.uncjazz.com.Brown has received critical and popular acclaim throughout the world, and especially in Europe where she is well recognized and in high demand as a major jazz artist. She is known as a superb interpreter of lyrics as well as a gifted improviser. Her voice is brilliant, strong, clear, and above all, inviting. Deborah has recorded 11 albums as a leader, has been featured on numerous other recordings, and has performed with the likes of Cedar Walton, Johnny Griffin, Michelle LeGrand, "Toots" Thielemans, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Bobby Shew, Roy Hargrove, and many others. For many years, she co-led the group JAZZ 4 JAZZ that featured pianist Horace Parlan, Red Mitchell on bass, and drum wizard Ed Thigpen."It's a bit ironic and a real shame," explains Dana Landry, UNC's director of jazz studies, "that since Deborah was embraced so strongly by overseas audiences and artists, she¹s not as well known in her native country (the US) as she deserves to be."
For this concert, Deborah will be joined by UNC faculty members Dana Landry (piano), Erik Applegate (bass), and Jim White (drums). UNC's Sunset Jazz Series is presented by the UNC Jazz Studies Program in cooperation with the UNC student chapter of the International Association for Jazz Education.
JAZZ PIANO AND FLUTE CONCERT FEATURING JEFF AND ANNE BARNHART
BOULDER - The Boulder Friends of Jazz will host a concert by the famous jazz pianist Jeff Barnhart and his wife, flautist Anne Barnhart in Boulder's Unity Church, Folsom and Valmont, at 7:30 pm on Friday, February 17th. Jeff Barnhart will be interviewed during his live studio performance in the KGNU Kabaret during the Ragtime America show with host Jack Rummel on Thursday, February 16th at 8 pm.
Jeff Barnhart is a highly regarded pianist, vocalist, arranger, band- leader, recording artist, composer, pedagogue and entertainer. He’s in demand as a soloist and band pianist at parties, festivals, clubs and cruises in all corners of the globe. He currently manages The Titan Hot 7, one of the most acclaimed traditional jazz bands in the country. Jeff Barnhart has been featured as both pianist and vocalist on over 40 recordings.
Flutist Anne M. Barnhart is a magna cum laude graduate of the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. and holds both bachelor and masters degrees in music. As a result of extensive master-class experience performing for such world famous artists as Jeffrey Khaner and Goran Marcusson, Anne was invited to participate in the Acadmie International dete de Nice held in Nice, France. Anne is a member of the International Who's Who in Music and Musicians in the Classical and Light-Classical Fields.
Through Anne's encouragement, Jeff is now including classical works as part of his performing repertoire. As a duo, Anne and Jeff Barnhart bring much variety to their performances, due in large part to their rapport and their diverse backgrounds. Each holds a master's in music, but Jeff has concentrated on the American forms of music such as ragtime, jazz and Tin Pan Alley, while Anne's expertise lies in classical flute literature. A typical concert with Anne and Jeff consists of everything from baroque masters Bach and Loillet, to ragtime and jazz pioneers Scott Joplin, Zez Confrey, Willie "the Lion" Smith and Bill Evans. Add to this eclectic mix a smattering of 20th century classical composers such as John Rutter and Joachim Andersen, contemporary ragtime composers including William Bolcom and Hal Isbitz, and famous Broadway composers past and present, and audiences experience a sonic treat as flute and piano weave seamlessly through the ages, trading melodic and accompaniment ideas in a unique combination.
Tickets for the concert are $15 in advance; $17 at door. Send check to BFJ, P.O. Box 1492, Boulder, CO 80306. Contact: Gloria Stuber at (303) 449-5930 or by e-mail at RStuber@comcast.net.
KGNU may be heard at 88.5 FM in the Boulder/Longmont/Louisville area, 1390 AM in the seven county Denver metro area, and streaming worldwide on the Web at kgnu.org.
JAZZ LEGEND JAMES MOODY TO PERFORM AT MOUNT VERNON COUNTRY CLUB
Jazz legend, composer, multi-instrumentalist, James Moody will perform for the first time at Mount Vernon. Moody began his career upon his discharge from the U.S. Air Force in 1947. He worked with the legendary Dizzy Gillispie prior to beginning his own solo career. His most famous composition, “Moody’s Mood for Love” has been recorded and performed by thousands over the years. In 1998, he was inducted into the International Jazz Hall of Fame and received the Jazz Masters Fellowship Award granted by the National Endowment for the Arts. He also holds honorary doctorates from Florida Memorial College and Berklee College of Music. In 2005, Moody celebrated his 80th birthday and continues to perform, tour, lecture, and inspire young talent through his high standard of musicianship and his positive outlook on life. The saxophonist will be supported by bassist Ken Walker, pianist Eric Gunnison, and drummer Paul Romaine.
As usual, a delicious buffet dinner will precede the concert beginning at 6:00 p.m. The concert will start at 8:00 p.m. The price for dinner and concert is $44.95 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Concert only seating is available for $16.00. Reservations should be made by calling 303-526-0616. Mount Vernon Country Club is located 17 miles west of Denver. Master Card and Visa are accepted.
DOUBLE BILL: NATE BIRKEY & ILONA KNOPFLER at DAZZLE and NISSI'S
Valentine's Day, Tuesday, February 14 at Dazzle - 6:00 & 8:00 pmWednesday, February 15 at Nissi's - 7:30pmJazz trumpeter/singer/composer, Nate Birkey will be returning to his native Colorado for his third annual Valentine's Day performance at Denver's Dazzle Jazz Club, and his first appearance at Lafayettes' newest live music venue, Nissi's. Nate will be sharing the stage both eveningswith renowned singer, and Mack Avenue recording artist, Ilona Knopfler. Nate and Ilona met in New York City in 2005 and have shared the stage numerous times since.
Although a native of Evergreen, CO., and a California resident for the past 19 years, Birkey now calls New York City home. In the short time that he has been on the music scene in New York he has found himself playing alongside some of the greats, including trumpeters, Lew Solof and Roy Hargrove; saxophonists, Dave Liebman, Andy Middleton and Tim Warfield; and Sonny Rollins' former pianist, Mark Soskin. His New York quartet consists of pianist, Soskin, along with drummer, Marko Marcinko and bassist, Tony Marino, both of whom are regulars with the Dave Liebman Quartet. Nate has also found himself recording and freelancing with such varied groups as Finish pop duo, Mei and Lo; R & B singer, Nicole Rue; and New Jersey Ska band, Bigger Thomas.
When not performing, Nate travels to public schools in the Bronx and Brooklyn to teach music to elementary and jr. high school students.
While in Denver, Nate will be reunited with some of the area's finest. Pianist, Jeff Jenkins will once again bring his brilliance to the stage, as will bassist, Ken Walker and drummer, Paul Romaine. In December of 2004 Birkey appeared at Dazzle in celebration of his latest CD release, "Shortest Day". This live recording, captured at Soho in Santa Barbara, CA., is comprised of several original compositions, including Birkey's "Shortest Day" which was penned on the winter solstice, along with beautiful arrangements of such classics as "Tennessee Waltz", "Always On My Mind", and "Autumn Leaves". Nate will soon be releasing his seventh album for Household Ink Records - an album recorded live in New York City.
"Make way for Nate Birkey, a talented trumpeter / vocalist / composer who has been honing his talents in the Santa Barbara jazz scene and is now getting the national exposure he deserves. Birkey's latest release, Shortest Day, recorded live in 2004, showcases his considerable gifts and puts him front and center among jazz' most promising musicians."
Florence Wetzel, AllAboutJazz-New York
On "Live the Life," her new release for Mack Avenue, French chanteuse Ilona Knopfler makes a strong musical statement that further defines her place in the jazz world. The CD features twelve timeless songs from the pens of such legendary and diverse songwriters as Ivan Lins, Charles Aznavour, Thelonius Monk, Claude Nougaro, Abbey Lincoln, and Thomas A. Dorsey – whose "I’m Going to Live the Life I Sing About in My Song" kicks off the session and inspired the CD,s title. "Live the Life" highlights the purity of Ilona's voice, emphasizes her eclectic stylistic abilities and pairs her with a world panoply of supporting players. The result is a lush, atmospheric collection that, in Ilona’s own words, "is a tribute to my unconditional love of music."
Born in France and raised in a musical family, Ilona had traveled the world by the time she was in pre-school. That early exposure to the world’s cultures finds its expression on "Live the Life," on which Ilona sings in both English and French (she's equally fluent in both) and which was recorded in both Paris and New York. Adding to the CD’s global spirit is the cast of international musicians, recruited by producers Jay Ashby and Al Pryor to add the right flavor to each different track. Among the more than 30 musical artists who contributed their talents to "Live the Life" are Alain Mallet on piano, James Genus and Rufus Reed on bass, Marty Ashby on guitar, Paquito D'Rivera on clarinet, and Mack Avenue label-mate Sean Jones on trumpet, as well as a string section and an oud player (on different tracks, of course).
HUGH RAGIN FEATURED IN TRIBUTE TO WOODY SHAW
Lynn Baker with the WOYKS will present Trumpeter Wood Shaw playing the music of Wood Shaw on February 9. This is the first concert of the Winter 2006 "Jazz Legend" concert series which will run through May and feature two sets each evening, at 7 and 9 pm. Tickets are $10 per person and concert series tickets are available and include a Dazzle discount certificate.
Repertoire includes Little Red's Fantasy, In Case You Haven't Heard, Nutville (from Shaw's time with Horace Silver), Isotope (from Shaw's time with Joe Henderson) and other classic Woody Shaw tunes. The powerhouse ensemble assembled by Hugh includes Lynn Baker - Tenor Saxophone, Joe Bonner - Piano, Jimmy Trujillo - Bass and Mike Marlier - Drums.
Further concerts in the winter series are:March 9: Guitarist Alan Joseph, performing Wes Montgomery's musicApril 13: Trombonist Al Hermann, playing musical tribute to Carl FontanaMay 8: Pianist Jeff Jenkins playing music by Herbie HancockDazzle is located at 930 Lincoln Street, Denver, CO and reservations can be made by calling 303.839.5100
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