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OSPAC Presents the Fourth Annual Jazz Festival in West Orange NJ 9/8-10 |
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Written by Administrator
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Thursday, 31 August 2006 |
 Joe Lovano © Andrea Canter
This year they feature Kevin Mahogany, Joe Lovano Quartet, Rene Rosnes,
Dave Stryker Organ Trio,
Duke Ellington Legacy Band featuring Norman Simmons,
Vera Mara and Cidinho Teixeira and the Brazilian Project, Quimbombo,
Richie Cole and Alto Madness Orchestra featuring vocalist Kate Baker,
Vera and Cidinho Mara and the Brazilian Project,
Vic Juris Power Trio with Jay Anderson and Adam Nussbaum, and
Cecil Brooks.
The jazz festival is two days of outdoor summer fun in which some of
the most talented musicians in the tri-state area will take the stage
to bring to you soulful jazz performances and to spread passion for the
music. Children are invited to enjoy face painting, jugglers, a magic
show and giveaways. The festival includes an art show in which vendors
from the area will display crafts and original art work. Friday,
September 8th 6:30 - 9 pm; Saturday, September 9th 12:30 - 9 pm; and
Sunday, September 10th 12:30 - 6 pm. Detailed Schedule and Bios
of Performers follow.
The festival is free! With suggested donation of $5.00 - OSPAC’s Fourth
Annual Jazz Festival is sponsored by Commerce Bank, Organon
Pharmaceuticals, and the New Jersey State Council for the Arts, and
Discover New Jersey Arts.
Two Hot Days of Cool Quintessential Jazz:
Friday, September 8th
- 7:00 pm Yoga and Jazz (bring your matt)
- 8:00 pm Matt King and Tom Timko and Friends (The kick off party!)
Saturday, September 9
- 1:00 - Artist TBA
- 2:00 - Dave Stryker Organ Trio
- 3:00 - Duke Ellington Legacy Band featuring Norman Simmons on
piano
- 4:00 - Vera Mara and Cidinho Teixeira and the Brazilian Project
featuring Romero Lubambo, Nilson Matta, Helio Alves and Rogerio Bocato
on drums
- 5:00 - Quimbombo- Latin sounds!
- 6:00 - Richie Cole and Alto Madness Orchestra featuring vocalist
Kate Baker
- 7:00 – All Stars
 Renee Rosnes Sunday, September 10
- 1:00 - Vera and Cidinho Mara and the Brazilian Project
- 2:00 - Vic Juris Power Trio with Jay Anderson and Adam Nussbaum
- 3:00 - Cecil Brooks and the CBIII Band
- 4:00 - Kevin Mahogany
- 5:00 - Joe Lovano Quartet featuring Rene Rosnes
- 6:00 - Pianist Renee Rosnes with special surprise guest
Come relax on the beautiful lakeside view, enjoy great jazz , paint the
music, taste great food, get a massage and visit the art and craft
vendors! Bring jacket and chair or blanket!
Matt King/Tom Timko and Friends
This high energy 5 piece electric Jazz Group is sure to make you
groove. The group is lead by Matt King, pianist and West Orange
resident and Tom Timko. Matt is currently on tour with jazz guitarist
Chuck Loeb and Blood Sweat and Tears. Tom Timko performs and records
with Gloria Estefan and Blood Sweat and Tears. The Band plays it’s own
brand of “Feel Good” music also featuring the talents of Ken Sebesky
(Guitar), Leo Huppert bass, Jonathon Peretz drums.
The Dave Stryker Organ Trio
Whether you've heard guitarist Dave Stryker fronting his own group
(with 18 CD's as a leader to date), or as a featured sideman with
Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, and Kevin Mahogany, you know why Gary
Giddins in the Village Voice calls him "one of the most distinctive
guitarists to come along in recent years." He was just voted a Rising
Star in the 2006 Downbeat Critics Poll.
Stryker joined organist Jack McDuff's group in 1984, traveling all over
the U.S. for two years. From 1986 to 1995, Stryker played with tenor
saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, performing at all the major festivals,
concert halls, and clubs throughout the world, as well as recording two
Turrentine CDs. Stryker has released 15 CDs on the SteepleChase label.
Big City (Mel Bay Records) received 4 Stars and was voted one of the
Best CDs of 2005 in Downbeat Magazine. His new CD "The Chaser" features
his trio with Jared Gold on organ and Tony Reedus on drums, who will be
performing at OSPAC.
The Duke Ellington Legacy Band
The Duke Ellington Legacy, featuring the legendary pianist, composer,
and arranger Norman Simmons, was formed in 2003 by Ellington’s
grandson, Edward Kennedy Ellington II. The nine-piece group performs a
wide range of Ellington’s music, and was created in order to keep
Ellington’s music in the public ear. The Ellington Legacy has performed
at jazz festivals, clubs, outdoor concerts, schools, nursing homes and
prisons. The group also does artist-in-residencies.
The group plans to record in 2006. For more information, please go to
www.dukeellingtonlegacy.com
- Edward Kennedy Ellington II- guitar
- Virginia Mayhew - tenor saxophone/MD/arrange
- Special Guest trumpet player
- Rob Sussman - trombone
- Tom DiCarlo - bass
- Paul Wells - drums
- Nancy Reed on Vocals
Vera Mara and Cidinho Teixeira and the
Brazilian Project
Since 2002 the band has been working all over the US especially in New
York area. Brazilian Voyage was created by the Bassplayer Nilson Matta
to play Brazilian Jazz songs and originals songs such as: Paraty a
samba in 3/4 by Nilson Matta -- Wave by Tom Jobim -- Bebe by Hermeto
Pascoal -- Bachião by Romero Lubambo -- Bala com Bala by
João Bosco -- Vera Cruz by Milton Nascimento.
Nilson Matta on the Bass has been working and recording with Joe
Henderson, Yo Yo Ma, Trio Da Paz, Oscar Castro Neves, Don Friedman,
Paquito D'Rivera and many more... He just released a 2006 CD Walking
With My Bass, Blue Toucan Music.
Pianist Helio Alves have 2 CDs out, Trios and Portrait in Black and
White. He also worked with great jazz players such as, Slide Hampton,
Claudio Roditi, Joe
Henderson, Gato Barbieri, Vic Juris
and many more.
The Drummer is Rogerio Bocatto, he has recently relocated from
São Paulo, Brazil, to New York area. He is currently a guest
percussionist faculty member of The Hartt School of Music (University
of Hartford). Rogerio appears on percussion on Kenny Garrett's new
CD-Beyond the Wall.
Romero Lubambo is today one of the best acoustic guitar player in the
world. Romero has several CDs out in his name and you can find more
information about him on his site, romerolubambo.com
Quimbombó
Quimbombó is a seven piece band dedicated to creatively
interpreting the Cuban són (the contagious dance music
championed by Buena Vista Social Club that is the main ingredient in
salsa) by maintaining strong elements of improvisation and spontaneity
in its sound. Quimbombó (pronounced keem-bohm-BO) is the title
of a classic Cuban són popularized by Conjunto Chappotín
in the 1950's; a word of Congolese origin, it means “okra” in Spanish.
The group’s lively and unique sound has excited audiences at many
venues including Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night’s Swing, SOB’s, the
Empire State Building, the Brooklyn Museum, La Belle Epoque, Gonzalez y
Gonzalez, Sweet Rhythm, The Blue Water Grill, and Bennington College.
Richie Cole and the Alto Madness Orchestra Featuring Vocalist Kate Baker
A veteran of the Buddy Rich Big Band and the Manhattan Transfer, the
Alto Madness Orchestra is Cole’s latest exciting project. Richie has
recorded 50 albums, both on his own and along with Eddie Jefferson,
Freddie Hubbard, Art Pepper, James Moody, Bobby McFerrin, Nancy Wilson,
Sonny Stitt and Phil Woods. This ensemble is especially exciting with
the sultry sounds of vocalist Kate Baker.
Vic Juris Power Trio
This guitar master, Mel Bay recording artist and West Orange resident
performs with bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Adam Nusbaum. This
master of the guitar started his career right out of high school,
touring with organists Don Patterson and Jimmy Smith on a
recommendation from guitarist Pat Martino. Some of the artists Vic has
recorded and performed with include Freddie Hubbard, David Liebman, Mel
Torme, James Moody, Nancy Wilson, Michele LeGrand, Phil Woods and many
more. Vic is considered a “musicians guitarists” by his fellow
collegues. His last two albums have earned critical acclaim. “A Second
Look, like last year's Blue Horizon, continues to assert Juris'
extraordinary talents in a less-is-more context.
To hear someone who constantly pushes the boundaries of jazz guitar and
also incorporates great melodic sense and romanticism one needs to look
no further”. Jay Anderson list of credits span from Woody Herman
Orchestra, Carmen McRae, Michael and Randy Brecker, Toots Thielemans,
Michael Franks, Eliane Elias, Joe Sample, Mike Stern, Marie Schneider
Big band. He has also recorded with Chaka Khan, Celine Dion, Tom Waits,
Michel Legrand and others. He has also been nominated for a grammy for
his original compositions. Adam Nussbaum performed with Sonny Rollins,
John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Stan Getz, the Gil Evans Orchestra,
Eliane Alias and Randy Brecker, Gary Burton, James Moody and Toots
Theilemnan.
Cecil Brooks III
A West Orange resident, Brooks is not only the proprietor of the
world-famous Cecil’s Jazz Restaurant, but an internationally-known
drummer and producer of many well-known recordings. A recent winner of
Downbeat Magazine’s Critic’s Poll for “Producer Deserving Wider
Recognition”. Cecil has performed with many greats such as Stanley
Turrentines, John Hicks, Billy Eckstine, Jimmy Smith, Geri Allen, Nat
Adderly and many others.
Kevin Mahogany
With his gift for bebop, ballads, blues, and swinging jazz, Kevin
Mahogany's talents emerged long before he was old enough to spell
"record deal". The latest venture for Kevin Mahogany has him stretching
his wings and adding the title of "entrepreneur" to his resume. He has
started his own label, Mahogany Jazz with his partner Rick Cioffi, and
has two projects scheduled for release. With eleven CDs as a leader,
and quite a few as a sideman, Kevin has proved to be the quintessential
jazz vocalist. Newsweek describes him as "the standout jazz vocalist of
his generation." New Yorker Magazine writer Whitney Balliet says,
"There is little Mahogany cannot do." Says the LA Times, "Mahogany is
one of the first truly gifted male vocalists to emerge in years."
Joe Lovano
Joe’s reputation as one of today’s great tenor saxophonists stems from
his fearless ability to challenge and push the conceptual and thematic
choices he makes in a quest for new modes of artistic expression in
jazz. Recent highlights of his many awards and accolades include “Jazz
Album of the Year” for “52nd St. Themes”, “2001 Musician of the Year”
from Down Beat Critic’s Choice Awards, and “2001 Musician of the Year”
from the Jazz Journalists Association Critic’s Choice Awards.
Renee Rosnes
Pianist and composer Renee Rosnes’ career has been on a steady upward
trajectory since she first moved from Vancouver, Canada to New York
City in 1986. She has been the pianist of choice for many of the
world’s greatest jazz masters including Joe Henderson, JJ Johnson,
Wayne Shorter, James Moody, and Bobby Hutcherson among others. Rosnes
has released a series of nine musically imaginative and illuminating
recordings on the Blue Note label. She is currently a founding member
of the San Francisco Jazz Collective, an all-star octet led by artistic
director and saxophonist Joshua Redman.
"Rosnes rubs balm in jaded ears. She offers exquisite balances of
delicacy and power, witty and weighted ideas, assertiveness and
deference.” Down Beat
OSPAC is a 501c3 non-profit organization with a dual mission: to
present performances of the highest artistic quality for free or at a
minimal cost to the public; and to have a strong commitment to arts
education. "OSPAC is symbolic of the cultural spirit in the community
and it will designate West Orange as an epicenter for the performing
arts." - West Orange Mayor John McKeon
OSPAC seeks to foster appreciation of the performing arts. OSPAC is
dedicated to representing many facets of world culture and performing
arts. Our dedication is shown through our array of performers that
include local, regional and international artists. We believe by
offering performances expressing a myriad of cultures and creative
events, OSPAC will become a destination of choice for the surrounding
area.
With the vision of Town Council Member John Skarbnik, OSPAC was
created. Larry Pantirer of Millennium Homes donated the amphitheater
and surrounding three acres of land to the township of West Orange. His
sole request was to name the amphitheater after Oskar Schindler, who
saved hundreds of Jews during the Holocaust, including Pantirer's
father, Murray Pantirer. West Orange town leaders were pleased to
oblige Pantirer's request. The OSPAC is the only performing arts
theater in the United States named for Oskar Schindler.
The amphitheater boasts a large curtained stage, a sophisticated sound
system, light equipment and numerous amenities for performers and
patrons. The facility also is ADA compliant. The theater is surrounded
by scenic lakeside pathways that wind around the grounds, providing an
idyllic ambience for patrons to enjoy the various productions.
The Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center
4 Boland Drive
West Orange, NJ 07052
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 Tuesday, 02 December 2008
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