ROY HAYNES
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH WITH
RON CARTER
TWO JAZZ LEGENDS, TWO NIGHTS ONLY FEB 25 & 26 F E B R U A R Y
2 0 1 4
P R O G R A M
131 W. 3RD ST. NEW YORK CITY 212. 475. 8592 WWW.BLUENOTEJAZZ.COM
TWO SHOWS NIGHTLY: 8:00PM & 10:30PM LATE NIGHT GROOVE SERIES: FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS 12:30AM MIDNIGHT SUNDAY JAZZ BRUNCH: 11:30AM & 1:30 PM
FEBRUARY CALENDAR ROY NATHANSON’S JAZZ PASSENGERS W/ STUDENTS OF I.CE. FEB 3 RON CARTER QUARTET FEB 4-9 INTERNATIONAL GUITAR NIGHT FEB 10
VALENTINE’S WEEK NICOLE HENRY FEB 11 & 12 RACHELLE FERRELL FEB 13-16 MINO CINELU WORLD JAZZ ENSEMBLE FEB 17
LATE NIGHT GROOVE SERIES SEAN SCHULICH, PETER LEVIN, AARON MAXWELL, DAVID DIAMOND, W/ MARITRI FEB 7 THIEFS FEB 8 KELLI SAE FEB 14 ILLSPOKINN FEB 15 AKIM FUNK BUDDHA FEB 21 TY STEPHENS FEB 22 FARAH SIRAJ FEB 28
JAVON JACKSON BAND W/ LES McCANN FEB 18-20
OPENING ACT: JOE ALTERMAN & JAMES CAMMACK DUO
FEB 18
PATRICIA BARBER FEB 21-23 “MUSIC FOR TOMORROW: A BENEFIT FOR JAPAN” HOSTED BY BOB JAMES FEATURING MAKOTO OZONE, JOHN SCOFIELD, MIKE STERN + OTHERS FEB 24 ROY HAYNES FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH WITH RON CARTER FEB 25 & 26 BILL EVANS SOULGRASS WITH SPECIAL GUESTS TIM CARBONE, NEAL EVANS & ERIC KRASNO (27) JOHN MEDESKI (28), JOHN POPPER (28-1), MARCO BENEVENTO (1) FEB 27 - MAR 1
SUNDAY BRUNCH SERIES “WHO DAT! @ BLUE NOTE: SUNDAY MARDI GRAS BRUNCH” THE NEW ORLEANS SWAMP DONKEYS TRADITIONAL JASS BAND FEB 9 JASON PROVER & THE SNEAK THIEVERY ORCHESTRA FEB 16 HIGH & MIGHTY BRASS BAND! FEB 23
ROY NATHANSON’S JAZZ PASSENGERS
& SOTTO VOCE PRESENT “SUBWAY MOON, A POETIC REVERIE” FEATURING THE STUDENTS OF I.C.E. FEB 3, 7:30PM & 9:30PM
Roy Nathanson’s Jazz Passengers and Sotto Voce band will join New York City’s Institute for Collaboration’s senior songwriters and band in a poetic, musical reverie about the subway. Over the course of the last year, students in this 6-12th grade NYC public school have taken parts of poems and prose pieces and transformed them into songs about romance, loss and angst with the backdrop of the NYC subway. Under the guidance of their music teacher, the poet and jazz saxophonist, Nathanson, the students have arranged the songs and rehearsed them into multi-layered compositions that provide a generational contrast to Nathanson’s songs from his 2009 Enja release, Subway Moon. Performed together around a backdrop of Andrew Gurian’s video, they give a broad sense of the diverse magic of our underground
imagination. This will be the forth incarnation of this collaborative project. This “Subway Moon” project has been has now been performed at The Gateshead International Jazz Festival in England, The Banlieus Bleus International Jazz Festival in Paris, and at Amerika Haus concert hall in Munich Germany. For the evening, Roy will be joined by vibist Bill Ware (Jazz Passengers), bassist and vocalist Tim Kiah (Sotto Voce), violinist Sam Bardfeld and drummer Pete Karp (who also happens to be Institute for Collaboration principal. We are proud to present this 10th incarnation of the “Subway Moon” project featuring songs, musical improvisation as well as tight arrangement, choral singing and video imaging at the Blue Note Jazz Club. n
RON CARTER QUARTET FEB 4-9, 8:00PM & 10:30PM ist of the Decade by the Detroit News, Jazz Bassist of the Year by DownBeat magazine, and Most Valuable Player by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Carter holds degrees from the Eastman School and the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. He has also received two honorary doctorates and was the 2002 recipient of the prestigious Hutchinson Award from the Eastman School at the University of Rochester. Most recently, he was honored by the French Minister of Culture with France’s premier cultural award, the medallion and title of Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters, given to those who have distinguished themselves in the domain of artistic or literary creation.
Ron Carter is among the most original, prolific, and influential bassists in jazz. With more than 2,000 albums to his credit, he has recorded with many of the music’s greats: Tommy Flanagan, Gil Evans, Lena Horne, Bill Evans, B.B. King, the Kronos Quartet, Dexter Gordon, Wes Montgomery, and Bobby Timmons, among many others. In the early 1960s, Carter performed throughout the United States in concert halls and nightclubs with Jaki Byard and Eric Dolphy. He later toured Europe with Cannonball Adderley. From 1963 to 1968, he was a member of the classic and acclaimed Miles Davis Quintet. He has been named Outstanding Bass-
In 1993, Carter earned a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Group, and he followed up with another win in 1998 for “Sheet Blues,” an instrumental composition from the film Round Midnight. In addition to scoring and arranging music for many films, he has also shared his expertise in the series of books, among which are Building Jazz Bass Lines and The Music of Ron Carter; the latter contains 130 of his published and recorded compositions. Carter has lectured, conducted, and performed at clinics and master classes, instructing jazz ensembles and teaching the business of music at numerous universities. He was Artistic Director of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Studies while it was located in Boston and, after 18 years on the faculty of the Music Department of The City College of New York, he is now Distinguished Professor Emeritus although, as a performer, he remains as active as ever. n
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SEAN SCHULICH, PETER LEVIN, AARON MAXWELL, DAVID DIAMOND, W/ MARITRI FRIDAY NIGHT, FEB 7 12:30AM
Sean Schulich has played with the Funky Meters, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, the New Orleans Suspects, Bernie Worrell, Meshell Ndegeocello and Zigaboo Modeliste. He’s played at Jazz Fest in New Orleans, The Mint in LA, at BB King’s, Brooklyn Bowl and The Bowery Ballroom here in New York City. Sean hails from Woodstock, NY, and after earning his Masters from Yale, he won Artists International, selling out his
debut at Carnegie’s Weill Hall. Being a multi-genre musician, he then went on to co-found the fusion group Alpha Mosaic, winning a Sony Jazz Competition. His playing is soulful, performances electric, and his band is powerful. This is not a show to miss. n
THIEFS
SATURDAY NIGHT, FEB 8 12:30AM
Collectively led by drummer and vocalist Guillermo E Brown, bassist Keith Witty and saxophonist Christophe Panzani, THIEFS is a grammatically incoherent jazz bastardization. Fully acoustic to fully electronic, THIEFS weaves elements of modern composition and improvisation into a boundary-less foundation of beats. Between them, Brown, Witty and Panzani have supported artists as varied as Amel Larrieux, Anthony Braxton, Carla Bley, David S. Ware, EL-P, Hocus Pocus, Jamie Lidell, Saul Williams, Somi and VIjay Iyer. THIEFS has recently been named an FAJE (French American Jazz Exchange) grantee for 2012-2013, a joint program
of FACE (French American Cultural Exchange) and Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, with generous funding from The Cultural Services of the French Embassy, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs de Musique (SACEM), Florence Gould Foundation, and Institute Francais. n
SUNDAY BRUNCH SERIES
“WHO DAT! @ BLUE NOTE: SUNDAY MARDI GRAS BRUNCH”
THE NEW ORLEANS SWAMP DONKEYS TRADITIONAL JASS BAND
programs, playing in concerts across the country. Their diverse sound is enormously accessible FEB 9 with their frontmen, the Louis Armstrong-sound11:30AM & 1:30PM ing James Williams, and the audience-wooing, $29.50 includes music, entree & 1 drink banjo-strumming Sam Friend. (Though James The Swamp Donkeys play traditional jazz, does plenty of audience-wooing himself!). blues, jass originals, vaudeville, modern jazz adaptations, and many other jazz The Swamp Donkeys can play large and small and New Orleans-derived styles. They are venues, vast and intimate crowds just the same. extremely versatile. They have beginnings They bring a remarkable, diverse appearance and educations in the authentic, New and sound to the stage, hailing from the south, Orleans, grassroots music scene, play- north-east and -west; most definitely, this melting local festivals and second lines, then ing-pot of American musical culture brings peogrowth into world-class music education ple together from all walks of life. n
ARRIVE EARLY, EAT DINNER & GET THE BEST SEATS
ERIC BIBB
FEB 10 MON WITH MICHAEL JEROME BROWNE
FEB DAVE HOLLAND PRISM 16 WITH KEVIN EUBANKS SUN CRAIG TABORN & ERIC HARLAND
HIGHLINE AD
FEB CEG & NOLAFUNK PRESENT 20 THU
ANDERS OSBORNE BILLY IUSO
FEB 27 THU
YASIIN BEY (AKA MOS DEF)
PRODUCED BY JILL NEWMAN PRODUCTIONS black logo on white background
white logo on black background
INTERNATIONAL GUITAR NIGHT MIKE DAWES (UK), GUITAR PINO FORASTIERE (ITALY), GUITAR QUIQUE SINESI (ARGENTINA), GUITAR BRIAN GORE (US), GUITAR FEATURING:
FEB 10, 8:00PM & 10:30PM
THE INTERNATIONAL GUITAR NIGHT (IGN) is the world’s premier touring guitar festival, each show bringing together the most interesting and innovative acoustic guitarists to exchange musical ideas in a public concert setting. For each tour, IGN founder Brian Gore invites a new cast of guitar luminaries to join him for special evenings of solos, duets, and quartets that highlight the dexterity and diversity within the world of acoustic guitar. Brian founded IGN in 1995 as a forum for the world’s finest guitarists/composers to play their latest original songs and share musical ideas and talent with their peers. This year IGN’s North American tour features Pino Forastiere, Mike Dawes, Quique Sinesi and Brian Gore.
visation, classical and world music. Over his career, Quique has played and recorded with an amazing array of musicians and his musical projects have taken him around the world. www.quiquesinesi.com
The music of Italian guitarist PINO FORASTIERE comes from a solid background in classical, contemporary and rock music, evolving into a style that’s hard to define. His music is “something like a mix of Steve Reich’s interlocking rhythmic patterns meet Michael Hedges’ techniques, all while admiring Eddie Van Halen” (John Schaefer, WNYC). www.forastiere.it
San Francisco-based guitar poet BRIAN GORE is gaining a reputation as one of the most interesting and influential performers of “the next generation.” A musical romantic, his compositions draw inspiration from myth and modern literature. His music has been featured on radio programs such as NPR’s nationally syndicated Echoes Radio, among others. Brian founded The International Guitar Night in 1995 as a forum for the world’s finest guitarists/composers to play their latest original songs and share musical ideas with their peers in public concert. This has evolved into critically acclaimed annual tours in the US, Canada and the UK. www.guitarpoet.com n
QUIQUE SINESI is considered one of the most important guitarists in Argentina for his personal style. His music is based in elements of Tango and Folklore from his country, and rhythms from “Rio de la Plata” like Candombe, incorporating elements of jazz, impro-
MIKE DAWES is hailed as one of the world’s finest young finger-style guitarists. His acclaimed solo music, littered with nuances and micro-techniques, has seen him tour almost every continent on the planet. He has also recorded with, and has been a session musician for multiple Grammy awardwinning artists. Additionally, Mike currently tours as Justin Hayward’s lead guitar player, performing Moody Blues classics throughout the USA. www. mikedawes.com
VALENTINE’S WEEK NICOLE HENRY FEB 11 & 12, 8:00PM & 10:30PM So Good, So Right: Nicole Henry Live. The 13-track live album, which was recorded at Henry’s sold-out performances at Feinstein’s in NYC in May 2012, showcases her soulful, inspired interpretations of some of her favorite classic hits of the 70’s from iconic artists including Bill Withers, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, The Commodores and Gladys Knight. Henry’s 2004 debut CD release, The Nearness of You, won considerable attention from audiences and critics in the U.S. and in Japan, where they named Nicole Best New Jazz Artist of 2004. The following year, Nicole’s Teach Me Tonight reached #1 in Japan and was named HMV Japan’s Best Vocal Jazz Album of 2005. 2008’s The Very Thought of You substantially expanded her American audience, reaching #7 on Billboard’s jazz chart. Henry’s 2011 release, Embraceable, was a slight departure from her prior recordings, and reached the top 20 on jazz and smooth jazz radio charts and was a creative triumph for Henry that established her as a peerless interpreter of jazz and pop standards, transcending genre boundaries. Nicole Henry has firmly established herself as one of the most acclaimed entertainers in jazz. Her powerfully expressive voice and her soulful, sophisticated and uplifting energy has earned her three top 10 albums. Adding to her vocal talents, Nicole’s beauty and onstage rapport combines confidence and sincerity, confirming her as an allaround beguiling performer to audiences in over 15 countries. Henry showcases her diversity and skills as a performer and refined interpreter on her January 29, 2013 release,
Growing up in a musical family in Bucks County, PA, Nicole immersed herself in the arts early on, singing in school and church, and studying cello and ballet. After graduating from the University of Miami with a degree in Communications and Theatre, Nicole launched a successful acting career, appearing in commercial roles as well as a series of voiceover assignments. But she directed her strongest passion toward the development of her fulltime singing career which was quickly rewarded in her present hometown, when the Miami New Times named Nicole “Best Solo Musician 2002.” n
VALENTINE’S WEEK RACHELLE FERRELL FEB 13-16, 8:00PM & 10:30PM (equally gifted as a vocalist and pianist). Such potency was made powerfully aware to Blue Note Record’s executive Bruce Lundvall, who first heard Ferrell on a demo tape and signed her shortly thereafter in 1990 upon seeing her perform. So impressed was Lundvall with her talents, that he signed Ferrell to both the Blue Note label and the Capitol label, allowing her to funnel her talents through the prism of traditional jazz and R&B. Lundvall quickly set out to plan Ferrell’s coming out party via a showcase at the 1991 Montreux Jazz Festival. In the past, the showcase was used to introduce the talents of Dianne Reeves (also signed to both labels), Stanley Jordan, and Gonzalo Rubalcaba. Live at Montreux 91-97 captures Ferrell’s moving debut at Montreux in July of 1991 and subsequent performances at the venue throughout the decade of the 1990s.
Celebrate Valentine’s Week at the Blue Note with vocalist Rachelle Ferrell. While Ferrell has an established fan base in the contemporary jazz world, her unique visibility on the pop/urban contemporary scene has boosted her audience’s interest in her overall breadth of work. She has made her mark as a crossover artist who’s equally at home with urban contemporary pop, gospel, classical music and jazz. Very few vocal artists in the industry have Ferrell’s potent combination of range, phrasing, and musicianship
She first emerged in the states with her R&B debut Rachelle Ferrell (1992), a solid collection of self-penned originals that featured a striking duet with Will Downing, titled “Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This.” It was with the release of First Instrument in 1994 that audiences were really introduced to Ferrell’s jazz sensibilities. Ferrell has sung backup for Lou Rawls, Patti LaBelle, Vanessa Williams and George Duke to name a few. Her prolific songwriting abilities and ability to accompany herself on piano seem only to further her natural talent as a vocalist. In short, Rachelle Ferrell’s talents transcend generic classification. n
L AT E N I G H T G R O O V E S E R I E S
KELLI SAE FRIDAY NIGHT, FEB 14 12:30AM
“Sae it’s so!” The powerfully soulful Kelli Sae returns to the Blue Note! Wonderfully sultry and startlingly gritty vocals lace Sae’s R&B dance grooves, pulsating beats and heart wrenching ballads into an experience that demands your attention. As lead singer for the internationally acclaimed band Count Basic and former lead singer of the renowned jazz/funk collective Incognito singer/songwriter/producer Kelli Sae has created a signature sound that has reached millions around the world. She’s also worked with legends Tina Turner, Paul Simon, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Gladys Knight, Lionel Richie, Philippe Saisse, Nona Hendryx and
musical trendsetters DJ Logic, MeShell N’degeocello, Jared Dietch, and more. “The depth and realness of her performance and songwriting is undeniable and downright intoxicating. You’re pulled into Sae’s world within seconds.”- Billboard n
ILLSPOKINN SATURDAY NIGHT, FEB 15 12:30AM
iLLspokinn is a Brooklyn-based Hip Hop Artist/Educator, rocking the world as an MC and DJ. In addition to being one of New York’s hip-hop cornerstones through both his contributions to the scene and his scene-stealing performances, iLLspokinn has built a global reputation and fan base, with tours across the U.S., Europe and China. The release of his internationally acclaimed debut LP, 60 Minute Spin Cycle, and his worldwide collaborations have allowed him to connect with the Global Hip Hop community. He has performed at major venues and festivals around the world.
Additionally, he co-founded and cohosts Freestyle Mondays, the longest running freestyle hip-hop open mic in New York City, now entering its eleventh year with recent international incarnations launched in Prague and France. n
SUNDAY BRUNCH SERIES
“WHO DAT! @ BLUE NOTE: SUNDAY MARDI GRAS BRUNCH”
JASON PROVER & THE SNEAK THIEVERY ORCHESTRA FEB 16
11:30AM & 1:30PM $29.50 includes music, entree & 1 drink
Specializing in the hot and sweet music of the Jazz Age, folk music, and the blues, Jason Prover and his Sneak Thievery Orchestra have become one of New York City’s most sought after ensembles. The Orchestra recently played the world famous Blue Note Jazz Club to a packed house. Much of the ensemble’s repertoire is derived from the lineage of masters such as Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, and Bix Beiderbecke amongst others. A musical unit that strives to connect with its audience, Jason Prover and his Sneak Thievery Orchestra is sure to bring high levels of energy, emotion, grace, and sophistication. n
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE TOWN HALL BOX OFFICE, TICKETMASTER CHARGE BY PHONE: 800-745-3000 OR TICKETMASTER.COM 123 W 43RD STREET, NEW YORK CITY 212-840-2824 THETOWNHALL.ORG
MINO CINELU WORLD JAZZ ENSEMBLE FEB 17, 8:00PM & 10:30PM
Mino Cinelu began his musical journey as a child by learning to play the guitar. He went on to develop an affinity and passion for the drum set along with various types of percussive instruments during his early years of musical maturation. By the time he had turned sixteen, Cinelu was a professional musician traveling between London and New York for gigs and recording sessions. During his travels, he collaborated with a vast number of musicians whose differing musical inclinations,
be they in jazz, funk, rap, electro, flamenco, and pop, were as varied as the prestige of each artist (Miles Davis, Sting, Weather Report, Herbie Hancock, Lou Reed, Vicente Amigo, Stevie Wonder, etc.). Years beyond his humble beginnings, the renowned composer, multi-instrumentalist, programmer, and producer, Mino Cinelu, is still exploring his innate passion for music and leaving his unmistakable impression as he does so. n
JAVON JACKSON BAND WITH LES McCANN FEB 18 - 20, 8:00PM & 10:30PM OPENING ACT: JOE ALTERMAN & JAMES CAMMACK FEB 18 6:30PM
JAVON JACKSON Javon Jackson came into international prominence touring and recording as a member of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. In the years since, he has gone on to tour and record with Elvin Jones, Freddie Hubbard, Betty Carter, Cedar Walton, Ron Carter, Donald Byrd, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Richard Davis, Bobby Hutcherson, Curtis Fuller and Stanley Turrentine, and Ben E. King. As a recording artist, Jackson has appeared on over 135 recordings, toured throughout the world and developed a formidable career as a band leader. His latest recording, Lucky 13, finds Jackson returning to acoustic jazz after a series of popular jazz-funk recordings. LES McCANN Born in 1935 in Lexington, Kentucky, Les McCann moved to Los Angeles and formed a trio, the Les McCann
Ltd., which became a favorite on the Sun Strip in the late fifties. Always fueled by his renegade spirit, Les McCann was recommended by Miles Davis to play with Cannonball Adderly, but turned it down in order to form his own band. In 1960, McCann was signed to Pacific Jazz and became the label’s top-selling artist, debuting with Plays the Truth (1960). He also co-headed albums with legendary labelmates such as organist Richard “Groove” Holmes, saxman Ben Webster, The Jazz Crusaders and the Gerald Wilson Orchestra. Les is best known for his work in the late 60s and early 70s with partner/ saxman Eddie Harris, whom he first encountered at the Montreux Jazz Festival. The resulting album, Swiss Movement (1960), was a top selling jazz record, and the single “Compared to What” sold platinum. n
PATRICIA BARBER FEB 21-23, 8:00PM & 10:30PM
If there’s such a thing as a typical jazz vocalist, Patricia Barber doesn’t fit the profile. What distinguishes the cerebral performer from virtually all of her peers is the keen intelligence of her original material, which is often informed by her literary ambition. Quirky, insistently independent and emotionally cool, she’s attracted a dedicated following with her rigorous songwriting craft and sly, harmonically deft piano work. She won a Guggenheim Fellowship Award in 2003 to compose an ambitious song cycle based on Ovid’s epic poem “Metamorphoses,” making her the first singer-songwriter to ever receive the prestigious grant. A savvy bandleader
who has honed a tight, telegraphic style with her quartet, Barber is known for transforming unlikely pop tunes into sleek jazz numbers, reinventing Cole Porter, and constantly reworking her impressive book of originals. Barber’s previous two albums were recorded at the storied Chicago jazz spot The Green Mill, where she’s held down a weekly gig for more than a decade. Whether she’s interpreting standards or her incisive original tunes, Patricia Barber has created a richly rewarding body of work unlike anything else on the scene. Her latest critically acclaimed album is titled Smash (released on Concord Jazz in 2013). n
L AT E N I G H T G R O O V E S E R I E S
AKIM FUNK BUDDHA FRIDAY NIGHT, FEB 21 12:30AM
Akim is a multi-faceted performance artist with talents ranging from Balinese Monkey Chanting,Tuvan ThroatSinging, Martial Arts to Classic Hip Hop dance styles, Rhymes, Beat-Boxing and Body Balancing. Known for his holistic approach to Hip Hop, drawing from a full spectrum of cultural traditions and artistic disciplines, he creates borderless performance art fusing sounds and movements. Akim’s exceptional stage productions have been featured at prestigious venues such as The Kennedy Center (Washington DC), and throughout New York City, including Central Park Sum-
mer Stage, The Blue Note, The Whitney Museum (VH1 Hip Hop Honors), Lincoln Center Outdoors, Joe’s Pub, among others. Akim has collaborated with a range of ground-breaking artists, including Bobby McFerrin and Tony Award winning Director Bill T Jones. n
TY STEPHENS SATURDAY NIGHT, FEB 22 12:30AM
A Philadelphia native, Ty Stephens began his journey in the entertainment business performing in school productions at Overbrook High School (the same school as famed alum Will Smith), and studying theatre/dance with the Philadelphia Youth Theatre. He went on to Temple University’s renowned Tyler School of Art, only to quit during his sophomore year to pursue dance full time (moving to New York to join Rod Rodgers Dance Company and study at the Alvin Ailey School). After two years on the concert dance scene, he began to perform in musical theatre, ultimately landing two Broadway Shows with the original casts (“So-
phisticated Ladies” and “Marilyn, An American Fable”). While on Broadway, Ty began performing in local piano bars and nightclubs, finally deciding to focus on his vocal career and, subsequently, his songwriting. n
SUNDAY BRUNCH SERIES
“WHO DAT! @ BLUE NOTE: SUNDAY MARDI GRAS BRUNCH”
HIGH & MIGHTY BRASS BAND! FEB 23
11:30AM & 1:30PM $29.50 includes music, entree & 1 drink
The High and Mighty Brass Band! (HMBB!) is a party in progress. Their performances are both fiercely entertaining and refreshingly inspiring. Not only do they have musical talent, but they also have a level of camaraderie that is highly unusual in newer groups.
“Rolling 7 deep,” HMBB includes Kevin Louis on trumpet, Chad Gales on alto sax, Mark Williams on trombone, Ron Caswell on tuba, Jesse Barnes on guitar, Evan Howard on drums and Jamie Neumann, dancer and percussionist: everyone sings and everyone plays.
The group’s sincere enthusiasm and dynamic energy connects with every audience member who is willing to participate. Their sound is a mix of classic New Orleans Funk, R&B and more modern influences of Afro-Beat and Hip Hop.
Beginning with a heavily percussive and tribal groove, the horns weave through solos, building and stretching the energy to its limits. n
SOLO PIANO
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE TOWN HALL BOX OFFICE, TICKETMASTER CHARGE BY PHONE: 800-745-3000 OR TICKETMASTER.COM 123 W 43RD STREET, NEW YORK CITY 212-840-2824 THETOWNHALL.ORG
“MUSIC FOR TOMORROW: A BENEFIT FOR JAPAN” HOSTED BY BOB JAMES FEATURING MAKOTO OZONE, JOHN SCOFIELD, MIKE STERN, JAMES GENUS, CLARENCE PENN & MORE FEB 24, 8:00PM & 10:30PM
This coming March will mark the threeyear anniversary of The Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of March 11, 2011. Following the tragedy, many world-renowned artists flew to Japan to support and encourage the people of Tohoku (the severely damaged area in northern Japan), including pianist Bob James. Bob’s music united everyone, giving strength and hope to those who were overcoming difficulties. To remember the tragedy and show how music has the ability to raise up spirits in the most difficult of times, Blue Note Jazz Club, Bob James, and NHK Enterprises (Japan’s national public broadcasting organization) present a special charity concert to support Tohoku (three years after the Earthquake and Tsunami) and share the spirit of hope and encouragement through music. Titled “Music For Tomorrow: A Benefit For Japan,” the program will feature Makoto Ozone, John Scofield, Mike Stern, James Genus, and Clarence Penn, among others (hosted by James). The musicians will reflect on
those who are still struggling to recover from the tragedies in Tohoku and the rest of the world, while celebrating music’s power to encourage and uplift. All admission proceeds will be delivered as a charity to The Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami victims. The concert will be recorded by NHK, broadcast throughout Japan (including in the Tohoku area) and internationally through NHK channels . While this initial program focuses on victims of the Earthquake and Tsunami in Tohoku/Japan, the organizers hope to extend its reach to other parts of the world, helping others facing difficulties. Classical and pop music versions of this concert are being planned in France and other regions, with the same concept (bringing artists together from a wide range of genres and parts of the world to unite/share the feeling of encouragement and compassion through music. *All proceeds will be delivered as a charity to The Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami victims.* n
ROY HAYNES FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH WITH RON CARTER FEB 25 & 26, 8:00PM & 10:30PM
ROY HAYNES is the pulse of legendary jazz. For over 50 years Roy Haynes has influenced and innovated, shaping some of the greatest recordings in jazz while his joyous drumming with the legends of the genre 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 list goes on and on as does Roy’s unflagging energy and marvelous invention. With his latest group, Roy sends his “hard swing” to a timeless place. Haynes elevates the performances of his FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH BAND matching fire stroke for fire stroke, thrill for thrill, a tremendous give and take between the generations fueled by masterful musicianship and youthful abandon. RON CARTER is among the most original, prolific, and influential bassists in jazz. With more than 2,000 albums to his credit, he has recorded with many of the music’s greats: Tommy Flanagan, Gil Evans, Lena Horne, Bill Evans, B.B. King, the Kronos Quartet, Dexter Gordon, Wes Montgomery, and Bobby Timmons.
In the early 1960s, Carter performed throughout the United States in concert halls and nightclubs with Jaki Byard and Eric Dolphy. He later toured Europe with Cannonball Adderley. From 1963 to 1968, he was a member of the classic and acclaimed Miles Davis Quintet. He has been named Outstanding Bassist of the Decade by the Detroit News, Jazz Bassist of the Year by DownBeat magazine, and Most Valuable Player by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Carter holds degrees from the Eastman School and the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. He has also received two honorary doctorates and was the 2002 recipient of the prestigious Hutchinson Award from the Eastman School at the University of Rochester. Most recently, he was honored by the French Minister of Culture with France’s premier cultural award, the medallion and title of Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters, given to those who have distinguished themselves in the domain of artistic or literary creation. The master bassist is also the recipient of two Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Instrumental Group with the Miles Davis Tribute Band and “Call Sheet Blues,” in 1993 and 1998 respectively, and has also worked with numerous universities, teaching students the business of music. n
BILL EVANS SOULGRASS
FEATURING NEAL EVANS + ERIC KRASNO OF SOULIVE & TIM CARBONE (2/27), JOHN MEDESKI (2/28), JOHN POPPER OF BLUES TRAVELER (2/28-3/1) & MARCO BENEVENTO (3/1) FEBRUARY 27-MARCH 1, 8:00PM & 10:30PM
Grammy-winning saxophonist Bill Evans first joined Miles Davis’s group in 1980 at the age of 22. He went on to record six records and tour the world with Davis numerous times over a four-year period. He then toured and recorded three CDs with John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra and later played with Herbie Hancock, Lee Ritenour, Dave Grusin, Steps Ahead, and Mick Jagger, among others, garnering a few Grammy Awards along the way. Since 1990, Evans has been touring almost exclusively with his own band, playing well over 100 concerts worldwide per year. He has recorded 19 solo albums including his latest, Dragonfly (2011), receiving two Grammy nominations in the process. Throughout his more than 20-year career as a solo artist, he has explored a variety of musical settings that go well beyond the confines of traditional jazz, including rock, hip-hop, jam, fusion, reggae, Brazilian, and slamming funk. He recently
stepped into more adventurous territory with his 2006 Grammy-nominated release Soulgrass, blending jazz, funk, and bluegrass into a seamless and wholly unique hybrid of quintessentially American styles. His follow-up to that widely acclaimed project found him pushing the envelope a little further in the hybrid direction on 2008’s The Other Side of Something. “It’s an extension of Soulgrass...so it seemed like a very natural thing for me to do.” Evans returned to the studio to produce and record the third Soulgrass album Dragonfly, his latest effort, in 2011. Of the record, Evans says: “This CD is a melting pot of styles that work very well together. I have been working with banjo together with the guitar for over six years and, at this point, we have created our own sound. It is Americana-meets-soulmeets-jazz in a new kind of way. There are no boundaries here.” n
L AT E N I G H T G R O O V E S E R I E S
XSPIRITMENTAL VIBRATIONS PRESENTS
FARAH SIRAJ
FRIDAY NIGHT, FEB 28 12:30AM
Named Jordan’s “Musical Ambassadress”, jordanian virtuoso Farah Siraj balances a career that spans the United States, Europe and the Middle East. Farah has performed at some of the world’s most prestigious platforms, including the United Nations, Nobel Prize Hall, the World Economic Forum, MTV, Coke Studio, the TV show Good Morning Live in the USA, MBC TV in the Middle East and the Antena de Oro Awards of Spain. Farah has performed before HM King Abdullah II and HM Queen Rania of Jordan, HM King Juan
Carlos of Spain, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and HE Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon. In addition, Farah represents Jordan annually on the International Day of Peace. n
HALF NOTE RECORDS NEW RELEASE
WILD BEAUTY BRUSSELS JAZZ ORCHESTRA FEATURING JOE LOVANO Following its triumphant partnership with pianist Kenny Werner (Institute of Higher Learning), the award-winning Brussels Jazz Orchestra turns its attention to Joe Lovano, long heralded as a towering soloist among tenor saxophonists Wild Beauty illuminates the composer side of Lovano’s musicianship, featuring a palette of earthy tunes previously recorded with small groups, but now reimagined for the 17-piece BJO. Gil Goldstein wrote the evocative arrangements.
AVAILABLE UPSTAIRS IN THE BLUE NOTE GIFT SHOP!
BLUE NOTE DRINK MENU MARTINIS $14 MANHATTAN
HENNESSY SIDECAR
Redemption rye whiskey, Carpano Antico sweet vermouth
Hennessy Cognac with Grand Marnier and fresh lemon juice
NEGRONI
BLUE NOTE MARTINI
Bombay Saphire, Campari, Carpano Antico sweet vermouth
citrus vodka, blue curocao, lime juice
VESPER
“MANTECA” MARTINI
Tanqueray gin, Chopin Vodka, and Lillet with a lemon twist
Brinley Gold coconut rum, coconutcream & pineapple juice
FRENCH MARTINI
ITALIAN CHOCOLATE MARTINI
Grey Goose vodka, Chambord & pineapple juice
Meletti Chocolate Liquer Stolivanilla vodka
APPLE MARTINI
Ketel One & apple schnapps
COSMOPOLITAN
Citrus Vodka, Triple Sec, cranberry & lime juice
METROPOLITAN
Absolut Kurant with Triple Sec, cranberry & lime juice
MARGARITA MARTINI
Sauza Conmemorativo tequila, agave, fresh lime & splash orange juice
MIXED DRINKS $12 ELDERFLOWER FIZZ Beefeater, elderflower liqueur, fresh lemon
RUBY RYE
Redemption rye whiskey, grapefruit juice, Chambord
CAIPIRINHA
Muddled limes, sugar and Beija Brazilian cachaca
BELLINI
BRANDY ALEXANDER
Prosecco & white peach puree
Brandy, crème de cacao & cream
PCPUNCH
CUBA LIBRE
Grey Goose pear vodka, Brinley coconut rum, pineapple juice
Blackwell rum, Coke & freshly muddled lime
MAI TAI
TOASTED ALMOND
Bacardi light rum, Meyers dark rum, almond liqueur, Triple Sec, Pineapple juice, splash sour mix
Amaretto, coffee liqueur & cream
BRAVE BULL
SPANISH COFFEE
Cuervo Gold, Kahlua & coffee
Tia Maria & coffee
SWISS COFFEE
MOCA ALMOND
WARM DRINKS $12 IRISH COFFEE
Jameson Irish whiskey & coffee
NUTTY IRISHMAN
Bailey’s Irish Cream, Frangelico & coffee
Peppermint Schnapps, crème de cacao & coffee
Meletti chocolate liquer amaretto, coffee
BEER AND TEAS IMPORTED - $9
BELGIAN-STYLE ALE - $15
Sapporo, Amstel Light, Corona, Heineken, Guinness, Stella Artois, Bass Ale
Brother Thelonious Abbey Ale (750 ml)
DOMESTIC - $8
Buckler
Brooklyn Lager, Budweiser, Bud Light
NON-ALCOHOLIC - $7
REPUBLIC OF TEA ICED TEAS - $7 Pomegranate Green Iced Tea Republic Darjeeling Black Iced Tea Ginger Peach Decaf Black Iced Tea
DESSERTS & PAIRINGS SEASONAL FRUIT & SORBET NEW YORK CHEESECAKE RED VELVET CAKE TIRAMISU CINNAMON APPLE STRUDEL WARM LEMON TARTE CHOCOLATE & VANILLA TARTUFO FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE ICE CREAM SORBET OF THE DAY
12 10 10 10 9 9 10 10 9 8
add add add add add add add add add add
Limoncello Meletti Tia Maria Baileys Grand Marnier Amaretto Lazzaroni Drambuie Frangelico Taylor Fladgate 20 year Kahlua Prosecco
11 12 11 12 11 12 11 15 11 11
DIGESTIFS SINGLE MALT SCOTCH
Glenlivet 12 year 12 Glenfiddich 12 year 12 15 Macallan 12 year 13 Talisker 10 year Glenmorangie 13 15 Oban 14 year 16 Dahlwinnie 15 year Lagavulin 16 year 18 34 Mackillop’s 1989 Scapa Deanston 30 year 40 Scott’s 1967 Glenlivet 58
SCOTCH BLENDS
Chivas 12 Dewars 12 J & B 12 Johnny Walker Red 12 Johnny Walker Black 13 38 Johnny Walker Blue
LIQUEURS Amaretto Lazzaroni Aperol Baileys Irish Cream B&B Campari Chambord Cointreau Drambuie Dubbonet Fernet Branca Frangelico Grand Marnier Kahlua Lillet Limoncello Meletti Nocino Walnut Liqueur Pernod Poli Miele Honey Liqueur Sambuca Meletti Tia Maria
11 11 11 12 11 11 12 12 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 12 11 12
BRANDY & COGNAC
Courvoisier Hennessy VS Hennessy XO Remy Martin VSOP Remy Martin XO Martell VS Martell Cordon Bleu VSOP Paul Beau XO Poli Grappa Moscato
12 14 36 18 36 14 25 25 15
DESSERT WINES Sherry, Dry Sack Sherry, Harvey’s Bristol Cream Taylor Fladgate 20 year Cab Franc Icewine, Inniskillin
11 12 15 20/125
BOURBON / RYE Redemption Rye 12 Basil Hayden 14 Booker’s 14 Knob Creek 14 Woodford Reserve 15 Whistle Pig 17
RUM
Beija Cachaca 12 Bacardi Silver 12 Bacardi Gold 12 Brinley Gold Coconut 12 Captain Morgan’s 12 Meyer’s 13 Mount Gay 13 Pyrat XO 15
UPCOMING AT THE BLUE NOTE MAKE RESERVATIONS UPSTAIRS IN THE GIFT SHOP
MAR 4 - 9
DONALD HARRISON, RON CARTER & BILLY COBHAM MAR 11 - 16
SPYRO GYRA
MAR 25 - 30
DOUBLE FEATURE:
LARRY CARLTON + KYLE EASTWOOD APR 8 - 13
GARY BURTON & MAKOTO OZONE DUETS