TED KURLAND ASSOCIATES
Discover the Art of Excellence
2014-2015
TED KURLAND ASSOCIATES
173 Brighton Avenue, Boston MA 02134 p: 1.617.254.0007 / tedkurland.com
agents@tedkurland.com
follow us on
FACEBOOK @TedKurlandAssociates TWITTER @TedKurland
1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44
Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn Angelique Kidjo Celebrates Mama Africa, A Tribute To Miriam Makeba John Pizzarelli Quartet with Jane Monheit in Singers Over Manhattan Del McCoury & Woody Guthrie: One Night Only POEMJAZZ: Robert Pinsky & Laurence Hobgood Jon Anderson Terence Blanchard Rory Block Dee Dee Bridgewater Gary Burton Ann Hampton Callaway Michel Camilo James Carter Bill Charlap Jeff Coffin & the Mu’tet Ravi Coltrane Chick Corea Béla Fleck Roy Haynes Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis Stacey Kent Angelique Kidjo Julian Lage Ramsey Lewis Lisa Fischer Harold López-Nussa Ellis Marsalis Christian McBride Del McCoury Band John McLaughlin Cécile McLorin Salvant Pat Metheny Jane Monheit Danilo Pérez Madeleine Peyroux John Pizzarelli Red Baraat Sonny Rollins Poncho Sanchez Arturo Sandoval Maria Schneider The Soul Rebels Wintergatan
BÉLA FLECK & ABIGAIL WASHBURN Banjoists BÉLA FLECK and ABIGAIL WASHBURN have mastered the deceptively intricate art of the duet. Their performances embrace a diversity almost unthinkable—coming from just two banjos and one voice. Fleck, a 15-time Grammy winner, has collaborated with Chick Corea, Oumou Sangare, Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer, Dave Mathews, Earl Scruggs. Washburn’s banjo has taken her far beyond the usual old - timey comfort zone, musically and geographically. Abby’s adopted second homeland is China, and her music resounds with echoes of Appalachia and the tidal wave of emerging Chinese cultural influence. Together, Fleck and Washburn employ the relatively rare 3 - finger and clawhammer banjo duet to create an explosion of musical white heat. “...a daring, definite talent..” ⑈ WALL STREET JOURNAL “...exhilirating.” ⑈ EAST BAY EXPRESS
ANGELIQUE KIDJO Celebrates MAMA AFRICA a tribute to MIRIAM MAKEBA The Grammy-winning singer ANGELIQUE KIDJO has created a special concert honoring the eventful life and the moving career of Miriam Makeba, the former servant girl from Johannesburg who won over international audiences with her incomparable voice and boundless energy. “Mama Africa” as she was affectionately known to her fans, had worldwide success with hits such as Pata Pata, Westwinds and The Click Song. Angelique offers an evening of unforgettable melodies, frenzied rhythms and dance in honour of this unique artist who, until her last breath, combined her artistic and political commitments. Mama Africa will feature special guests, in the past these have included Baaba Maal, Rokia Traore, Vusi Mahlasela (or Asa), Vusi Mbutho, Stella Khumalo, Faith Kekan, the original background singers of Miriam Makeba. “5 stars: “Magnificent” ⑈ LONDON EVENING STANDARD
2
JOHN PIZZARELLI QUARTET with JANE MONHEIT in Singers Over Manhattan Soulful elegance, virtuosic musicianship, melodic creativity, and an unfailing swing will be operative during this meeting of JOHN PIZZARELLI and JANE MONHEIT, each a world-class communicator of an encyclopedic array of American—and other—popular song styles. A formidable practitioner of the 7-string guitar and the most conversational of singers, Pizzarelli addresses, in his own manner, repertoire associated with Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, the Beatles, and others. Known for her extraordinary vocal instrument since she burst onto the scene in her early twenties, Monheit has steadily matured, consistently following Rosemary Clooney’s exhortation “to keep telling the truth, because everybody knows the difference.” “With Monheit, you get a beautiful, theatrically supple voice — masterful and effortless in every jaw-dropping delivery; with Pizzarelli, you get a terrific jazz guitarist armed with incredible improv skills and a smile-inducing rapport with the audience that’s part stand-up comic routine, part head-boppin’ fun.” ⑈ BROADWAY WORLD
DEL McCOURY & WOODY GUTHRIE One Night Only The latest project from DEL McCOURY features unheard and unsung words of Woody Guthrie set to music by Del himself. To help bring new life to the work of American folk poet Woody Guthrie, his daughter, Nora Guthrie, gave Del McCoury exclusive access to the archives of her father’s unpublished work. Now, with the support of Woody Guthrie’s family, The DEL McCOURY BAND performs an evening of never-before-heard lyrics written by the “Dust Bowl Troubadour” set to new music by Del McCoury and including a multi-media presentation featuring Guthrie’s original words, drawings and other materials from the archives that inspired this performance. In addition, McCoury includes his trademark Bluegrass standards and favorites. “What better way to celebrate the roots of American music than a new collaboration between American icons.” ⑈ MAGGIE LANDAU, Artistic Director of American Roots Music
4
POEMJAZZ: ROBERT PINSKY & LAURENCE HOBGOOD POEMJAZZ treats a voice speaking poetry like that of a horn: speech
with its own poetic melody and rhythm in conversation with what the music is doing; a vibrant conversation between the sounds of poetry and music. ROBERT PINSKY, the only three-term United States Poet Laureate, brings an innovative energy to all he does. In 2010, his libretto for Tod Machover’s opera, Death and the Powers: A Robot Pageant, premiered in Monaco before coming to Boston’s ART. His recent adaptation of Friedrich Schiller’s Wallenstein was presented in 2013 by the Shakespeare Theater of Washington, D.C. LAURENCE HOBGOOD is a multiple Grammy nominee and 2010 Grammy Award winner, best known for his collaboration with vocalist Kurt Elling. He’s played on, composed, arranged and co-produced all of Elling’s CDs, each Grammy-nominated. “The poet’s performances are rich with spontaneous touches— repeating phrases, doubling back on words, inserting freshly elucidating text—worthy of Ella, Anita O’Day or, most accurately, Mark Murphy and Elling.” ⑈ JAZZTIMES By special arrangement with the Steven Barclay Agency
ARTISTS
6
JON ANDERSON Best known as the lead singer/songwriter of the legendary supergroup, Yes, JON ANDERSON is also an accomplished solo artist and composer. Anderson’s innovative solo music career has placed him prominently in center stage, but Jon has also teamed up with other superstars Vangelis, Kitaro, Rick Wakeman and Mike Oldfield. Jon’s solo show includes many classic songs from all across the Yes songbook & his own eclectic solo work. “Former Yes frontman Jon Anderson packs stories and serenades into one career-spanning flashback.” ⑈ SOOT MAGAZINE
TERENCE BLANCHARD Early on, TERENCE BLANCHARD made a name for himself as a toptier jazz trumpeter from New Orleans and has since gone on to enjoy a multifaceted career both in the jazz camp and beyond. He’s not only a five-time Grammy Award winner, but he’s also a renowned film-score and soundtrack composer (most recently for George Lucas). For the stage, he created the score for the Emily Manndirected revival of Tennessee Williams’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play A Streetcar Named Desire and an opera commissioned by Opera St. Louis (with librettist Michael Cristofer). Blanchard is the artistic director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s jazz series as well as for the Henry Mancini Institute and for a decade served as the artistic director of the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. His latest album for Blue Note is the compellingly titled, Magnetic. “Magnetic is the sound of jazz growing in meaningful ways.” ⑈ STEREOPHILE
8
RORY BLOCK Heralded as “a living landmark” (Berkeley Express), “a national treasure” (Guitar Extra), and “one of the greatest living acoustic blues artists” (Blues Revue), RORY BLOCK has committed her life and her career to preserving the Delta blues tradition and bringing it to life for 21st century audiences around the world. A traditionalist and an innovator at the same time, she wields a fiery and haunting guitar and a vocal style that redefines the boundaries of acoustic blues and folk. After more than twenty highly acclaimed releases and five Blues Music Awards, Block is at the absolute height of her creative powers, bringing a world full of life lessons to bear on what she calls “a total celebration of my beloved instrument and best friend, the guitar.” “If you like music steeped in tradition and genuine feeling, this is your woman.” ⑈ PEOPLE MAGAZINE
DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER Over her multifaceted career, Grammy and Tony Award-winning jazz diva DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER has risen to the top tier of vocalists, putting her own unique spin on standards and taking intrepid leaps of faith in re-envisioning jazz classics while bridging musical genres. The legendary Thad Jones/Mel Louis Big Band was her first professional gig, and throughout the 1970s she performed with jazz notables the likes of Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, and Dizzy Gillespie. Nominated for seven Grammys, Bridgewater has won three, most recently, in 2011, for her Billie Holiday tribute album. She is the first American inducted to the Haut Conseil de la Francophonie and received France’s prestigious Award of Arts and Letters. She won the 1975 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her work in The Wiz. In 2013-14, Dee Dee returns to the stage starring in the Off-Broadway musical, Lady Day, as the late, legendary jazz artist, Billie Holiday. “Her understanding of The Great American Songbook makes pretenders pale in comparison…and the audience adores her.” ⑈ GUARDIAN [UK]
10
GARY BURTON Since his acclaimed Generations albums earlier this decade, GARY BURTON has focused his recording and performing efforts on collaborations with old friends and new, including Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Makoto Ozone, Spanish pianist/composer Polo Orti, and French accordionist Richard Galliano. The Armistad Suite with Polo Orti and the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra was released in spring 2007. The New Crystal Silence, a double-CD live concert recording with Chick Corea and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, resulted in another award at the 2009 Grammys. Over his career, Burton has been nominated 15 times, winning 7 Grammys in total. Gary’s New Quartet features Antonio Sanchez on drums, Scott Colley on bass, and Julian Lage on guitar. Their latest Mack Avenue release is called Guided Tour. Gary’s autobiography, Learning To Listen, has been cited as “one of the most personal and insightful jazz books ever written.” “Whatever they’re playing, Burton’s group addresses it with vibrancy, subtle power and—most important—discernible enjoyment of each other’s playing.” ⑈ LONDON JAZZ NEWS
ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY A leading champion of The Great American Songbook, ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY has made her mark as a singer, pianist, composer, lyricist, arranger, actress, educator, TV host, and producer. Her unique way of blending jazz and traditional pop makes her a mainstay in concert halls, theaters, and clubs, as well as on television and in film. Tony-nominated for her performance in the Broadway hit Swing!, she is also a Platinum Award-winning songwriter with her songs gracing six of Barbra Streisand’s recent CDs. She has also written songs with Carole King, Rolf Lovland, Barbara Carroll, and is the only composer to have collaborated with Cole Porter. For 2014-15, Ann’s latest project will be a celebration of the music of Sarah Vaughan entitled, The Sarah Vaughan Project. “Her understanding of The Great American Songbook makes pretenders pale in comparison…and the audience adores her.” ⑈ GUARDIAN [UK]
12
MICHEL CAMILO He is a composer and pianist extraordinaire. He is a bandleader, lecturer, and visiting professor. He is a chart-topping producer; a Grammy, Latin Grammy and Emmy Award winner. He is the recipient of his native country’s highest civilian honors. MICHEL CAMILO is all of these things and more, wrapped in a human being of boundless enthusiasm, musical passion, and love of life. The artistry and virtuosity of Michel Camilo bridges the genres of Jazz, Classical, Popular and World music. He is a pianist with a brilliant technique and a composer who flavors his tunes with the spice of Caribbean rhythms and jazz harmonies. To see him perform live is to witness the energy of a tropical storm being unleashed on 88 keys. “Michel Camilo operates at the top of the musical world and without borders.” ⑈ NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO
JAMES CARTER JAMES CARTER is a powerhouse musician and one of the most
admired saxophonists of his generation, garnering plaudits for his role in helping to propel jazz full tilt into the future over the past twenty-five years. His music is fueled by deep respect and intimate knowledge of the jazz tradition. Rolling Stone (August 3, 2000) asserted that “…saxophonist James Carter is as near as jazz gets nowadays to a Young Turk—not some ironically avant-post-rock experimentalist but a cocky scene stealer with…a knack for coming up with noticeable records.” For Atlantic Records, Sony, UMG and independent labels, Carter has released 15 titles under his own name with an additional 17 titles in collaboration with other world class artists such as Madeleine Peyroux, John Medeski, Cyrus Chestnut, Julius Hemphill and the Detroit Symphony. He plays all genres of music to a world without boundaries—he is the complete musician, a technician with no apparent limits and a poet of deep sensibility. “Carter’s ease with swing, bop and avant-garde styles also gave notice that a staggeringly inclusive figure—the apotheosis of the postmodern jazzman—was now among us.” ⑈ THE WASHINGTON POST
14
BILL CHARLAP One of the world’s premier jazz pianists, BILL CHARLAP has performed and recorded with many leading artists of our time, ranging from jazz masters Phil Woods and Wynton Marsalis, to singers Tony Bennett and Barbra Streisand. His Bill Charlap Trio is now recognized as one of the leading groups in jazz. Charlap is the artistic director of New York City’s Jazz in July Festival at the 92nd Street Y, and he has produced concerts for Jazz at Lincoln Center, the JVC Jazz Festival, and the Hollywood Bowl. A two-time Grammy nominee, Charlap is married to renowned jazz pianist Renee Rosnes, and together they released the gorgeous duo piano recording Double Portrait on the Blue Note label. “...his approach to The Great American Songbook is never less than dazzling.” ⑈ BBC
JEFF COFFIN & THE MU’TET THE MU’TET is led by JEFF COFFIN, saxophonist from Dave Matthews
Band. Also a composer, educator, and 3x Grammy winner, you likely know Jeff from his 14 years with the genre-defying Béla Fleck & the Flecktones (1997-2010). The Mu’tet takes its name from the word ‘mutation’, reflecting Jeff’s idea that music must continue to change and mutate in order to grow. Coffin strives to expand himself, his band mates and listeners, with music flavored by his wide musical interests. Drawing from the deep wells of African, New Orleans, Indian, funk, jazz, folk, Gypsy, rock, fusion, Brazilian and other styles of music, Coffin sends shockwaves down people’s spines with his fierce soloing and inspiring, memorable compositions. The Mu’tet is Roy “Futureman” Wooten on drums, Felix Pastorius on electric bass, Bill Fanning on trumpet and space trumpet, and Chris Walters on keyboards. “…equal parts Galactic and Dirty Dozen Brass Band.” ⑈ JAZZTIMES
16
RAVI COLTRANE RAVI COLTRANE is at the forefront of the restless few who are carving up
new paths in jazz. DownBeat called him, “A modernist who has absorbed a wealth of jazz [and] those influences are couched so well, resulting in a unique sound, best described as ‘elusive beauty.’” Passionately committed to the value of “working bands,” Ravi pulls together likeminded individuals who can contribute to the group, moving their repertoire forward with original compositions and fresh takes on jazz standards. The Grammy-nominated Saxophonist recently debuted his album Spirit Fiction on the Blue Note Label to critical acclaim. “…powerful music, but not full of its own glory. It resisted premade frames and made its own.” ⑈ THE NEW YORK TIMES
CHICK COREA CHICK COREA is the fourth most-nominated artist in the history of
the Grammys, with 61 nominations. He’s also earned 3 Latin Grammy Awards, the most of any artist in the Best Instrumental Album category. From straight-ahead to avant-garde, bebop to fusion, children’s songs to chamber music, along with some far-reaching forays into symphonic works, Chick has touched an astonishing number of musical bases in his illustrious career while maintaining a standard of excellence that is awe-inspiring. A tirelessly creative spirit, Chick continues to forge ahead, continually reinventing himself in the process. “His career is among the most kaleidoscopic in jazz.” ⑈ THE NEW YORK TIMES
18
BÉLA FLECK BÉLA FLECK, the world’s preeminent banjo player with 14 Grammy
wins, has garnered a reputation for genre-bending, exemplified by his collaborations with a tabla player, an African thumb pianist, and a traditional bluegrass band. Since forming in 1988, Béla Fleck and the Flecktones were famed for a non-stop touring schedule, reaching more than 500,000 audience members yearly. Already a powerfully creative force in bluegrass, jazz, pop, rock and world beat, Béla made the classical connection with Perpetual Motion, his critically acclaimed recording that went on to win a pair of Grammys, including Best Classical Crossover Album, in the 44th annual Grammy Awards. For those keeping records, Fleck has been nominated in more different categories than anyone in Grammy history. Recently Béla has been performing duets with his wife, Abigail Washburn, touring The Enchantment duets with Chick Corea and sitting in with the Brooklyn, NY-based string quartet, Brooklyn Rider. “Béla Anton Leoš Fleck—named after Hungarian composer Béla Bartók—is like no other banjoist who’s ever walked this Earth.” ⑈ JAZZTIMES
ROY HAYNES ROY HAYNES is true jazz royalty. For over 50 years Roy Haynes has been
a prime mover, shaker, and innovator, shaping some of the greatest recordings in jazz with his joyous drumming. With the true legends, Haynes altered the very fabric and direction of jazz improvisation. Louis Armstrong. Lester Young. Charlie Parker. Thelonius Monk. Sarah Vaughn. Miles Davis. John Coltrane. Dizzy Gillespie. Bud Powell. Ella Fitzgerald. Stan Getz. Chick Corea. Pat Metheny. The Allman Brothers. The list goes on and on as does Roy’s unflagging energy and marvelous invention, for which he was given a Lifetime Achievement Grammy. He and his FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH band have been together for nearly a decade and their communication with each other borders on the telepathic. And, as if that’s not enough Smithsonian Magazine hailed him as “The World’s Greatest Drummer.” “One of the most accurate ways to understand jazz these days is through Roy Haynes’s cymbal beat...It was mesmerizing, affirmative, flexible and incredibly artful.” ⑈ THE NEW YORK TIMES
20
JAZZ at LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA with WYNTON MARSALIS THE JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA (JLCO), comprising 15
of the finest jazz soloists and ensemble players today, has been the Jazz at Lincoln Center resident orchestra since 1988. Featured in all aspects of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s programming, this remarkably versatile orchestra performs and leads educational events in New York, across the U.S. and around the globe; in concert halls, dance venues, jazz clubs, public parks; and with symphony orchestras, ballet troupes, local students and an ever-expanding roster of guest artists. The Orchestra’s December 2014 “Holiday” program was created by Wynton specially around jazz vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant. “The finest big band in the world today.” ⑈ DAILY TELEGRAPH [UK]
STACEY KENT STACEY KENT now rides high as one of the world’s foremost jazz
singers. She has now released eight best-selling albums, including Breakfast On The Morning Tram, a Grammy-nominated album awarded Platinum status in France. Her career also holds a slew of gold records, a string of awards, including the 2001 British Jazz Award, the 2002 BBC Jazz Award for ‘Best Vocalist,’ the 2004 Backstage Bistro Award for best live performance, the 2006 “Album of the Year” Award for her work on The Lyric, and France’s prestigious Chevalier Dans L’ordre Des Arts Et Des Lettres in 2009. With her latest album, The Changing Lights, her second collaboration with famed novelist Kazuo Ishiguro, Kent reaches new heights of calm, intensity and clarity in her vocal art that distinguishes her from many of her contemporaries. “Her voice is like a fresh, invigorating breeze blowing in from the surf.” ⑈ THE VILLAGE VOICE
22
ANGELIQUE KIDJO Born in Benin (West Africa), ANGELIQUE KIDJO is a Grammy Awardwinning recording artist deemed “Africa’s premier diva” by Time Magazine. Kidjo’s internationally acclaimed repertoire includes collaborations with various recording artists such as Carlos Santana, Peter Gabriel, Alicia Keys, Josh Groban, Branford Marsalis, Joss Stone, and many more. After Miriam Makeba, Kidjo is the continent’s most internationally celebrated female musical exponent, known for her dynamic and uplifting music. And yet, the Grammy-winning artist has lived outside Africa for more than two decades. Angelique currently resides in New York City, where she is an exceptionally active member of the music scene, and she reaches people around the world with her recordings, tours and philanthropic work. For this season, the spirit of Africa’s best-known voice, Miriam Makeba, lives on through the program Angelique has crafted in tribute. “The sumptuous voice of Angelique Kidjo transcended genre and ethnic boundaries.” ⑈ THE BOSTON GLOBE
JULIAN LAGE Hailed by All About Jazz as “a giant in the making” before he was even a teen, virtuoso guitarist JULIAN LAGE was the subject of the Academy Award-nominated documentary, Jules at Eight. He gained pivotal early exposure as a protégé of legendary vibraphonist Gary Burton, recording and touring with Burton on two projects: Generations (2004) and Next Generation (2005). Following his own Grammy-nominated 2009 debut Sounding Point, Lage returned with the evocative and finely wrought Gladwell — the second effort by his richly idiosyncratic group. Lage currently holds the guitar chair of the New Gary Burton Quartet while also immersing himself in an eclectic series of acclaimed duo projects with the likes of Nels Cline (Wilco), Chris Eldridge (Punch Brothers), Taylor Eigsti and Fred Hersch. “Transcending specific jazz languages, avoiding conventional instrumentation and stressing beauty of sound above all else, Lage and his quintet produce a richly lyrical music that’s as surprising as it is inevitable.” ⑈ CHICAGO TRIBUNE
24
RAMSEY LEWIS Composer, pianist and jazz legend RAMSEY LEWIS has been referred to as “the great performer,” a title reflecting his performance style and musical selections which display his early gospel playing and classical training along with his love of jazz and other musical forms. Ramsey Lewis captivated fans with his first album, Ramsey Lewis And The Gentlemen of Swing by the Ramsey Lewis Trio, in 1956. By 1965, he was one of the nation’s most successful jazz pianists, topping the charts with “The In Crowd,” “Hang On Sloopy” and “Wade In The Water.” He has three Grammy Awards and seven gold records to his credit. Beginning in 2005, Mr. Lewis began seriously composing largescale musical works, starting with the ballet, To Know Her..., created for The Joffrey. Two new works, Colors: The Ecology of Oneness performed in Tokyo, as well as the Kennedy Center performance of Proclamation of Hope, were broadcast by Chicago Public Television. “…in a word, astonishing.” ⑈ JAZZTIMES
LISA FISCHER On tour with the Rolling Stones, Sting, Chris Botti or Nine Inch Nails, LISA FISCHER ’s name may not be on the marquee, but she doesn’t care. She’s too busy loving every minute of it. Her astonishing range and intonation, her mastery of the stage, the way her tone wraps itself around your heart and won’t let go; these qualities keep her phone ringing. But it’s the sweetness of her smile, her visible pleasure in watching her bandmates do their stuff, her glamorous-girl-next-door quality that make fans all over the world think she’s their own secret discovery (despite the fact that the YouTube version of her duet with Mick Jagger on ‘Gimme Shelter’ has millions of hits). Lisa’s featured in the acclaimed documentary film Twenty Feet from Stardom along with many other top session singers like Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Patti Austin, and Judith Hill, “the greatest artists you’ve never heard of.” In the wake of that movie’s critical and popular success (and Oscar buzz), Lisa’s putting together a brand new band to explore some new territory on her own. ”she gloriously sings her heart out and reveals a piece of her soul every night.” ⑈ ROLLING STONES FANZINE
26
HAROLD LÓPEZ-NUSSA As scion of an illustrious musical family, the 29-year-old Cuban pianist HAROLD LÓPEZ-NUSSA is one of the brightest lights on Havana’s thriving jazz scene. Son of drummer Ruy López-Nussa and nephew of pianist Ernan López-Nussa, Harold gained international attention when he won top honors at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Piano Competition in 2005 (a triumph that earned him a featured festival spot the following year). While touring widely with the Buena Vista Social Club vocalist Omara Portuondo, he launched his solo career as the leader of a superlative trio with his younger brother, the phenomenal drummer Ruy Adrián López-Nussa. His performances reveal a mature musician who has fully integrated his classical training and love of the jazz continuum with his Cuban roots. Ultimately, López-Nussa is a player of astonishing gifts, combining dazzling technique with an abundance of soul. “Young Harold López-Nussa is among the greatest pianists of Cuba.” ⑈ HAVANA TIMES
ELLIS MARSALIS At his core, ELLIS MARSALIS is a modern jazz musician. The term may seem dated now, but it carried particular weight when Ellis was coming of a musical age in the ’50s and ’60s — especially in New Orleans, a city where tourism demanded jazz musicians be nothing more than traditionalists. Ellis was different; more attuned to jazz’s future, he developed a lean and commanding approach to the piano trio, helping to create a modern movement in New Orleans with his collective American Jazz Quintet and his own Quartet while also educating the next generation of jazz: Blanchard, Payton, Harry Connick Jr., and, of course, all those Marsalis Brothers. “His harmonic influences clearly reflected the ideas of the legendary beboppers of his youth, and his relaxed indulgences in those wanderings were hypnotic and unique.” ⑈ ALL ABOUT JAZZ
28
CHRISTIAN McBRIDE When he hit the jazz scene like a comet at age 17, CHRISTIAN McBRIDE’S huge, woodsy sound and precocious agility invited early comparisons to the legendary bassist Ray Brown. Brown, in fact, asked him to join him in his legendary group, Superbass. Since the early 1990s McBride has been the go-to bassist, having recorded on over 300 dates as a sideman. Aside from relatively recent travels with Pat Metheny; Chick Corea, Roy Haynes, John McLaughlin and Kenny Garrett, the Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour – 55th Anniversary, and residencies and artistic leadership roles with organizations ranging from New York’s 92nd St. Y and Jazz House Kids to NJPAC, McBride has toured consistently for years with his own quintet, Inside Straight and the trio he has formed from that quintet’s core of pianist Christian Sands and drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr. He also fronts the Christian McBride Big Band, whose recording, The Good Feeling, won the Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album in 2012—McBride’s third Grammy win overall. “Some throwback feel-good vibes get a hit of youthful energy.” ⑈ THE NEW YORK TIMES
DEL McCOURY BAND Among the most distinguished practitioners of traditional bluegrass, DEL McCOURY has been the epitome of the “high lonesome sound” for over three decades. McCoury got his first big break in 1963 when Bill Monroe, impressed by Del’s picking, invited him to join his Blue Grass Boys, where McCoury slid into the group’s lead vocal slot and took up rhythm guitar. In 1987, he formed the Del McCoury Band following the additions of his sons Ronnie on mandolin and Robbie on banjo along with fiddler Tad Marks and bass player Mike Brantley. Today, the DEL McCOURY BAND enjoys the praise of traditional bluegrass lovers and tie-dyed clad “DelHeads” alike. Their current dates range from performing arts centers to hardcore bluegrass festivals to hip, youth-oriented “jamfests” such as Bonnaroo and High Sierra, spreading the bluegrass gospel wherever they go. Del has proven not to be a relic of bluegrass music’s past, but an architect of its future. To that end, Del has been helping bring new life to the work of the “Dust Bowl Troubadour,” folk poet Woody Guthrie. With the support of Woody Guthrie’s family, Del has taken an evening’s worth of never-before-heard lyrics and set them to music. “McCoury once again proves why he was revered long before he was inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame.” ⑈ RELIX
30
JOHN McLAUGHLIN JOHN MCLAUGHLIN has famously performed with Miles Davis, Tony
Williams, and his own historic bands: The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Shakti and The Guitar Trio. In fact, his work on Davis’ first gold record, Bitches Brew, pointed the way to new jazz possibilities. Through the almost four decades of his career, one constant has been Mr. McLaughlin’s artistry as a virtuoso guitarist and venturesome improviser. McLaughlin has managed to not be eclipsed by his own history, though, forever moving forward with stellar outfits to interpret his latest musical direction, surrounding himself with musicians who are more than sidemen, but true collaborators. His latest, Fourth Dimension, more than holds its own to make the case for the enduring and sublime power of rock-influenced jazz. “…his music is as powerful and hard-hitting as it ever was…a triumphant homecoming..” ⑈ LONDON JAZZ NEWS
CÉCILE McLORIN SALVANT Jazz songstress CÉCILE MCLORIN SALVANT has dazzled audiences around the world with her expressive style and masterful vocal technique. Winner of the 2010 Thelonious Monk Competition, she has been called a “true and remarkable jazz singer… a young jazz prodigy” by Paris Hot Club Magazine. Rediscovering unique interpretations of unknown and scarcely recorded jazz and blues compositions, McLorin Salvant has performed with renowned musicians such as Jean-Francois Bonnel, Rodney Whitaker, Dan Nimmer, Jackie Terrasson, Sadao Watanabe, Archie Shepp, and Aaron Diehl, and as a featured soloist with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. McLorin Salvant released her second album, Woman Child, in 2013 on Mack Avenue Records, and in 2014-15 will tour with a trio.
“Ms. McLorin Salvant has it all...If anyone can extend the lineage of the Big Three—Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald—it is this 23-year-old virtuoso.” ⑈ THE NEW YORK TIMES
32
PAT METHENY It is one thing to attain popularity as a musician, but it is another to receive the kind of acclaim PAT METHENY has garnered from critics and peers. Over the years, Metheny has won countless polls as “Best Jazz Guitarist” and awards, including three gold records for (Still Life) Talking, Letter from Home, and Secret Story. He has also won 20 Grammy Awards in 12 different categories including Best Rock Instrumental, Best Contemporary Jazz Recording, Best Jazz Instrumental Solo and Best Instrumental Composition. The Pat Metheny Group won an unprecedented seven consecutive Grammys for seven consecutive albums. Metheny has spent most of his life on tour, averaging between 120 - 240 shows a year since 1974 and he continues to be one of the brightest stars of the jazz community, dedicating time to both his own projects and those of emerging artists and established veterans alike, helping them to reach their audience as well as realizing their own artistic visions. “Metheny’s solos remain a thing of wonder: melodic at any tempo and packed with fresh ideas, his fertile imagination and phenomenal technique show no signs of flagging.” ⑈ JAZZWISE
JANE MONHEIT Grammy-nominated JANE MONHEIT has been a leading light in both the jazz and cabaret worlds since emerging as a finalist in the Thelonious Monk Institute’s 1998 vocal competition. By 2000, Monheit had joined Diana Krall as one of the highest-touted female talents in jazz. In addition to her own recordings, she has worked alongside the likes of Terence Blanchard, Tom Harrell, Les Brown, Fred Hersch, Adam Dorn and Ivan Lins. Her 11 CDs represent a broad spectrum of her repertoire, as she is at home with soulful ballads, bluesy mid-tempo romps and bop flag-wavers. Monheit has also been a featured performer in the nationally televised Christmas at the White House, the Capitol Fourth of July Celebration, and The National Memorial Day Celebration. She has appeared on numerous television shows including Emeril, Ramsey Lewis’ Legends of Jazz, Letterman, The View, and The Today Show. “Ms. Monheit, now 35, has matured into a confident, expressive interpreter eager to take chances.” ⑈ THE NEW YORK TIMES
34
DANILO PÉREZ Grammy Award-winning pianist and composer DANILO PÉREZ has made an indelible mark on contemporary jazz as leader of his own ensembles and as a member of the new Wayne Shorter Quartet. His latest project, CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT TRIO, extends from the Shorter Quartet’s rhythm section: PÉREZ, JOHN PATITUCCI and BRIAN BLADE. Danilo’s abundant talents and joyous enthusiasm make his concerts both memorable and inspiring while putting a decidedly fresh imprint on contemporary music, guided, as always, by his deep love for jazz. Pérez has earned three Grammy nominations, one Grammy Award, numerous critic’s awards, and acclaim for his recorded works and passionate live performances. Pérez has become a shining beacon among the current generation of jazz and Latin jazz musicians, notable for his insightful and innovative treatments of the standard jazz repertoire and as a leading exponent of Pan-American jazz music. Pérez also serves as the Artistic Director of Berklee College of Music’s Global Jazz Institute. “A band of spellbinding intuition, with an absolute commitment to the spirit of discovery, it has had an incalculable influence on the practice of jazz in the 21st century.” ⑈ THE NEW YORK TIMES
MADELEINE PEYROUX MADELEINE PEYROUX began as a teenage busker, honing her vocal
and guitar skills on the famously quaint, acoustic streets of Europe, molding her style on the cornerstones of jazz: Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong. As early as her first album, her husky voice, her way of telling the story of her life, of her failures, losses, while underscoring the precariousness of existence, endowed Peyroux with the aura of postmodern melancholy. In 2007, the BBC named her Best International Jazz Artist. Through intensely distinctive renditions of old classics and modern tunes by the likes of Leonard Cohen and The Beatles, Peyroux has proved to be an uncannily insightful ‘interpreter’ with her consistently impeccable choice of material. Peyroux’s new album, The Blue Room, sees the genreblending singer reworking some landmark musical gems, in a repeat collaboration with longtime Peyroux producer Larry Klein (Joni Mitchell, Walter Becker, Tracy Chapman, Herbie Hancock). The result is a sophisticated project that, rather than just ‘crossing over’, seamlessly fuses musical styles together to create an entirely new sound. In 2014-15, Madeleine will be performing in a small ensemble setting. “...she sings such lovely songs, so well.” ⑈ THE NEW YORK TIMES
36
JOHN PIZZARELLI The Grammy-nominated, JOHN PIZZARELLI has established himself as one of the prime interpreters of The Great American Songbook and beyond, bringing to his work the cool jazz flavor of his guitar playing and singing. He is both a bandleader and solo performer, and has been a special guest on recordings for artists such as Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Natalie Cole, Kristin Chenoweth, Donna Summer, Roberta Flack, Rosemary Clooney, Ruby Braff, Johnny Frigo, Buddy DeFranco, Harry Allen and, his father Bucky Pizzarelli. After his recent smash success with the Boston Pops, he was hailed by the Boston Globe for “reinvigorating the Great American Songbook and re-popularizing jazz.” And the Seattle Times called him “a tour de force” and “a rare entertainer of the old school.” Before a recent show in the northwest, the local paper quipped “John Pizzarelli is so impossibly cool, he shouldn’t be legally allowed to enter Oregon.” “Mr. Pizzarelli is both jazz virtuoso and a skilled interpreter of the Great American Songbook. What sets him apart are his skills as an entertainer and a firm belief the Songbook is an ever-evolving work in progress.” ⑈ PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
RED BARAAT There’s a reason NPR called RED BARAAT ‘The Best Party Band in Years.’ The pioneering eight-piece band from Brooklyn fuse North Indian bhangra rhythms with New Orleans’ brass, jazz virtuosity, and soul. This utterly unique sound is matched by the band’s infectious and abounding energy—turning staid theaters and seated rooms into dance parties from the opening number. Red Baraat’s last album debuted at #1 on the Billboard World Music Charts and the group was a subject of features in the Wall St. Journal, Rolling Stone, and in nearly every major daily newspaper of their tour markets. One of the most exceptional and vital groups playing today, their tour history includes some of the most prestigious theatres and PACs in the world, (Lincoln Center, Rialto Center, Scottsdale Center) biggest festivals, (Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, Bestival UK) and best clubs, (Bowery Ballroom, 9:30 Club, Tipitinas). And at each stop, the band draws an audience as diverse as the group itself—pulled together to celebrate and dance in Red Baraat’s spirit of joy, inclusion, and plurality. “Brooklyn’s Red Baraat stormed the stage with a sound that fused hiphop, jazz, and Indian folk music for something that was greater than the sum of its parts and simply impossible not to move to.” ⑈ BOSTON GLOBE
38
SONNY ROLLINS When SONNY ROLLINS picks up the tenor saxophone, the world listens. For over half a century, he has played music with the majesty of a Greek god, and today remains one of the few surviving icons from a golden era of jazz that will probably never be equaled. Rollins first recorded in 1949 and was immediately recognized as one of the most promising, spontaneous, and creative tenor players on the jazz scene, being sought after by Miles, Monk, and the Modern Jazz Quartet. As the most formidable of all jazz improvisers, Sonny remains a living inspiration to musicians and listeners worldwide, he has maintained a steady program of carefully chosen performances and recordings, each one illuminating why, as the Village Voice so aptly put it, Rollins is “the last jazz immortal.” “…a showcase for one of the titans of the music to flex his ongoing dedication to an unfettered exploration of melody, invention and time.” ⑈ LOS ANGELES TIMES
PONCHO SANCHEZ If you wanted to picture the music of percussionist PONCHO SANCHEZ, you’d be looking at a kaleidoscopic swirl of some of the hottest color and brightest lights to emerge from either side of the Mexi-Cali border. Sanchez’s musical consciousness, by his teen years, had already been solidified by the likes of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Cal Tjader, Mongo Santamaria, Wilson Pickett, and James Brown. Whatever the genre, the mesmerizing array of sounds and colors from Poncho Sanchez’s youth have telegraphed across the decades continuing to inform his creative sensibilities. His relationship with Concord Records is now in its second decade and has yielded two dozen recordings, a Grammy Award, and several Grammy nominations. “When the house lights went down and the stage lights came up, the party officially began.” ⑈ TWIN CITIES DAILY PLANET
40
ARTURO SANDOVAL A 9-time Grammy Award winner, 17 times nominated 6 time Billboard Award winner, Emmy Award winner, ARTURO SANDOVAL is also soonto-be awarded the Presidential Medal Of Freedom this year. A protégé of the legendary jazz master Dizzy Gillespie, Arturo was born in Artemisa, a small town in the outskirts of Havana, Cuba, on November 6, 1949, just two years after Gillespie became the first musician to bring Latin influences into American Jazz. Sandoval began studying classical trumpet at the age of twelve, but it didn’t take him long to catch the excitement of the jazz world. He has since evolved into one of the world’s most acknowledged guardians of jazz trumpet and flugel horn, as well as a renowned classical artist, pianist and composer. He is one of the most dynamic and vivacious live performers of our time, and has been seen by millions at the Oscars performing with Celine Dion, at the Grammy Awards with Justin Timberlake and in his own right as a leader. He also performed at the Billboard Awards with Alicia Keys. “Sandoval’s performance reminded us, we should hold onto the classics. Not for the sake of the past, but in pursuit of the timeless ideal of boundless creativity. Of ageless art.” ⑈ SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
MARIA SCHNEIDER MARIA SCHNEIDER has composed music hailed by critics as
“evocative, majestic, magical, heart-stoppingly gorgeous, and beyond categorization.” From their first recording, “Evanescence,” Schneider began to develop a personal way of writing for her 17-member collective, tailoring her compositions to distinctly highlight the unique voices of the group. In doing so, she created a distinguished body of work, garnering nine Grammy nominations and two Grammy Awards. Subsequently, the Orchestra has performed at festivals and concert halls worldwide. Schneider herself has received numerous and varied commissions as well as guest conducting invites, working with 80 plus groups from more than 30 countries spanning Europe, Australia, Asia, North and South America. “…rich and compelling...original and mesmerizing.” ⑈ MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE
42
THE SOUL REBELS Imagine blending the sounds of Mardi Gras funk, rock, and reggae so seamlessly it defies category. Now distill that idea into an eight piece ensemble, add a hip hop sensibility plus a hundred years of New Orleans tradition, and you’ll get the powerful band known as THE SOUL REBELS. This shrewd crew of multi-instrumentalists create a high energy, groove-laden performance engineered to force audiences worldwide to party to their contagious sound. Averaging over 250 shows per year, The Soul Rebels bring the party to stages far and wide, including: South By Southwest, Austin City Limits, WOMAD, Bonnaroo, Electric Forest, Umbria Jazz Fest, Antibes Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, the Wanee Festival and, of course, NOLA’s Jazz and Heritage Festival. “They throw soul, rap, and funk into the brass band mix, resulting in a delightful amalgamation of nasty trumpet and trombone lines and feel good tunes.” ⑈ POP MATTERS
WINTERGATAN The Swedish band WINTERGATAN is about music and musical instruments. And sounds and melodies. With pounding beats in the bottom end, autoharp and accordion in the middle and Vibraphone, Glockenspiel and Music box toward the high end, the sound of Wintergatan is both beauty and beast. Grand and minimalistic. Occasionally the Modulin, a monophonic analogue homebuilt theremin/violin-esque syntheseizer dives in singing in the sci-fi key. The band´s name derives from the recording session where Wintergatan created their debut album in a vast forest in Sweden. Wintergatan is Swedish for “The Milky Way” and on cloud free nights in the forest, distant from city lights blocking your eyesight you can see how our galaxy lies tilted, as a line crossing the starry sky. This sensation of actually being a part of, and in, the galaxy gave name to the band. In a way it also give subtext to their immense sound.
“The delicate and dynamic layers of sound that are produced are dimensionally transcendental.” ⑈ INDIE ROCK REVIEW
44
173 BRIGHTON AVENUE BOSTON MA 02134 ☎ 617.254.0007 ☞ AGENTS@TEDKURLAND.COM 〄 TEDKURLAND.COM