December 2010 | Year End Edition www.issuu.com/UptownJazzDallas
In this Issue:
Volume 1 | No. 2
Snarky Puppy “Live” Fashion | Glam | Art Spread Jazz Up Taste Tours Souncheck Venues of Interest to the Festival • Emerging Artists • Catered to: • Listen Up! • • • • •
and more!
MUSIC | FOOD | FASHION | FILM | ART Copyright 2010 | Uptown Jazz Dallas, LLC.
Table of Contents Uptown Jazz Dallas Online Magazine | Vol. 1 | No. 2 | December 2010
Publisher’s Set, page 4 Shen Yun Performing Arts, pages 5-6 SNARKY PUPPY, pages 7-9 Savor Dallas 2011, page 10 Fashion, Glam and Arts Spread, pages 12 -14 Jazz Up Taste Tours, page 15-16 Jazz Society, page 17 Sabeya: The Artful Dance, page 18 Soundcheck, page 19 Venues of Interest to the Festival, page 20 TheJudahSet.com, page 22 Emerging Artists, page 23-26 Catered To, page 27 LISTEN UP: Listening Parties, page 29 - 30 ON THE COVER: With the skyline of downtown Dallas in full-effect, UptownJazzDallas.com prepares to debut as the center of the Festival’s entertainment platform bringing programming and people together under one banner.
The Official Magazine of the Festival & DFW’s Jazz Society www.issuu.com/UptownJazzDallas
FOUNDER & PUBLISHER Keith Hill keith@uptownjazzdallas.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sarah Crisman, Angie Braden, Tracey Hill, Marilyn Hopkins
CONTRIBUTING CREATIVES, PHOTOGRAPHERS AND VIDEOGRAPHY Ron Rothenberg, Mark Birnbaum, David Boyce, Paula Smith, Jett Ray, Chasitie Hill, Monet Mercer, Laveta Rochelle
UPTOWN JAZZ DALLAS ONLINE MAGAZINE P.B. BOX 41684 DALLAS, TEXAS 75241 214.702.4286 Email: Corporate@UptownJazzDallas.Com
UJD & Jazz Up DFW Productions: 3D Modeling | Illiustration David Boyce Keith Hill Editing Keith Hill Chasitie Hill Talent Tracey Hill Jett Ray Web Development Paula Smith
UPTOWN JAZZ DALLAS, LLC www.UptownJazzDallas.com
Festival Productions Walter “Walkie” Edwards
Founder | CEO | Festival Director Keith Hill
Festival Productions, Sound Manager Maceo Bright
Operations | Accounting Ashley Paul
Ground Transportation/Logistics, Artists Daryl Gresham
Artist Relations Michaelle Johnson
Video and Documentary Dick Campbell Mark Birnbaum Chris Hairston
Festival Operations Tonya English Marketing | Business Development Marilyn Hopkins
Still Photography Olga Cooper Ron Rothenberg
Publisher’s Set As we get ever the more closer to the debut of Uptown Jazz Dallas | International Jazz Festival (IJF) and all of the programming that will incorporate the Year One Experience, it’s my goal to use our Online Magazine as a way to give you more information about the artists we’re into, in addition to, the richness of other festival related programming. With this online magazine, we really want to highlight happening’s ‘of note’ in the Areas of Interest to the Festival that are taking place around us right here in the Metroplex. We’ll be calling this our Jazz Society going forward. The Festival’s programming agenda is focused on Music, Food, Fashion, Film and the Arts. Our region offers up so much goodness in these areas that our goal is to couple all of this with the best performers and artisans in the world. We truly believe the timing is right for the launch of Uptown Jazz Dallas IJF. This Online Magazine is a way to show our faith in this. We’re definitely calling this thing into existence. Slowly and surely, it’s all coming together. Remember, for me, this started back in December 2007. You’re seeing me step out on faith (in a public sense) with all the unveiling of social media and support structure that will connect us all together from wherever we are. The goal for the Festival is to be ubiquitous and hubbed around our social network www.UptownJazzDallas.com . This is where those who are passionate can be connected and share in this together with the artists, sponsors and venues. Soon our network will not only be the place for festival information, but, for our region’s top social spots and jazz hangs. No limit. So, enjoy this latest edition of Uptown Jazz Dallas Online Magazine. This is the early stage. You’ll watch this Online Magazine take the Festival scene to new places, as we hope to affect positive change to the entire Festival circuit and our region. For those that watch us (as we also watch them), they’ll see us embrace new technologies and ways of sharing a Festival experience. The way we’ll do it here at Uptown Jazz Dallas IJF will be uniquely ours. Remember, click on it here! All the best to you and yours! Keith Hill Founder | CEO | Festival Director keith@uptownjazzdallas.com
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SHEN YUN SHEN YUN Performing Arts, a world-class chinese dance and music production on a mission to preserve the traditions of chinese culture through the performing arts. The production is based in New York and has performed in front of millions around the world presenting a five millennia old study in grace, wisdom and the virtues of Chinese civilization.
PERFORMING ARTS
Uptown Jazz Dallas is supporting sponsor in collaboration with New Tang Dynasty Television - Dallas, for the performances coming up December 17-19, 2010 at the Winspear Opera House in the Dallas Arts Districts. Tickets are now on-sale and can be purchased here: http://www.shenyunperformingarts.org/city/ dallas View the Video Promo: http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=O4lBHUU9ApA
Copyright 2008 SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS
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Copyright 2008 SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS
ARTISTS OF INTEREST TO THE FESTIVAL MICHAEL LEAGUE
SHAUN MARTIN
SNARKY PUPPY 7
NATE WERTH
Snarky Puppy: “Fusion, Funk, Jazz” Whatever They Groove is always LIVE! by Keith Hill Like anyone, I have certain styles of music that I favor more than others. As the Artistic Director of Uptown Jazz Dallas IJF, I have a broad taste in music. It's one reason why I decided to program the festival's music primarily on Bebop, Fusion, Latin, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Orchestral, Jazz Vocal, Acid and Nu-Jazz, Neo-soul, smooth and straight ahead jazz. And, so on. I'm always looking for groups that fit the bill of ‘Artist of Interest to the Festival’. I created this distinction as one to 'set apart' the greatest performers in the world, in addition to, the greatest Independent Emerging Artists in the world. To have this designation means that they are exceptional and deserving of a potential performance slot on the Great Stage of the Festival. One group that deserves to be seen and heard in this light is Snarky Puppy led by bassist/composer Michael League. A more detailed article will be written about Michael and his group in the near future. But, I wanted to share my thoughts about his fusion/jazz group Snarky Puppy after seeing them in an intimate venue in Downtown Dallas called Pearl at Commerce. The venue has a capacity of approximately 100+. So, performances are heard for what they are. You can't fake it this up close and personal. I was first introduced to the Snarky Puppy sound by local jazz enthusiast and writer, Sarah Crisman. She boasted about this group constantly, to the point that I had to take a listen just to see if she was being real or just full of hype. Well, after seeing a few YouTube videos and doing my own listening tour of previous recordings, I realized that she was onto something serious here. Snarky Puppy is a group awaiting it's moment to explode onto the
SNARKY PUPPY, continued.....
national and international jazz scene. Just based on what I had seen on YouTube and the CDs that I've listened to to this point, I was convinced that I needed to put the "Artist of Interest to the Festival" label on them. I also, knew that for me to really feel comfortable with this distinction, I needed to see them perform. Before this even happened, many were telling me that their performances were something special! So, bored on Friday afternoon, I get an email update announcement from Michael League reminding fans that Snarky Puppy would be performing at Pearl. The timing was great for me. I needed a break from all of this work. Some good music seemed like just what the doctor ordered. Michael listed the band members for the evening and I noticed a good friend was sitting in with them named Bobby Sparks. Now, Bobby, to me, is a more contemporary version of Hall of Fame keyboardist Bernie "the Woo" Worrell of Parliament/Funkadelic fame. Bobby has made a serious name for himself in performance circles playing in Marcus Miller Band, Tower of Power, Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond and many more. So, I was truly looking forward to seeing him sit in with the Pups (as they are affectionately called by fans). From the outset of the Snarky Puppy performance on this particular evening, I was excited! Michael League has a real gift for fusion arrangement. Throughout the evening, I kept hearing reflections of groups like Weather Report, Spyro Gyra and such. But, not in a copied sense. Snarky Puppy is an original. As you listen to them, you find yourself wondering, 'why doesn't the world know about them yet'? They are much more than a local group. The music is capable of becoming very intense and engaging. One of the special things about the Snarky Puppy sound is that Michael's arrangements allow for the group's members to breathe naturally. Meaning that when the time comes for a solo excursion from a member, the music bed is sitting there waiting to engage them. Naturally. And, when you have great musicians in a band, that's when they begin to shine and express themselves in unique performances. In some cases, with great bands, the sound will change every night depending on the band configuration at the time. On this particular night, the band was exceptional. It consisted of Bobby Sparks - keys Dana Hawkins - drums Justin Stanton - keys
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Brian Girley - sax Chris Bullock - sax Michael League - bass Nate Werth - percussion Chris McQueen - guitar On this night, I have to say that Mr. Dana Hawkins on drums was a powerful addition. In a small setting, when drummers play with speed and accuracy, you can pick up the pulse of the group's energy immediately. Dana was on it the entire evening. And, his face always seemed to boast a smile. Some people really enjoy playing, and, it came across as though he really enjoyed sitting on the drums that night. He brought power and kept the intensity up where it needed to be. It should be said that every member of Snarky Puppy has a tremendous gift. At the end of the evening I felt as though I wanted much more. And, I mean really wanted more. The group's ability to stretch a track to it's limits is what jazz is all about. Full expression. Michael League is a formidable bass player and his playing is, of course, a natural fit for his own group. As well it should be. It's one of the anchors to the entire Snarky Puppy sound which flows percussively with the drums, in addition to, the percussive flavor that is added by Nate Werth. And, although Chris McQueen (on guitar) didn't come through the sound system as well as he should've, you could feel him. If you know what I mean. Once again, you wanted more. He just go crunched in the sound system this night. It happens to the best of them. Then, there was the added benefit of hearing keyboardist Bobby Sparks add his powerful synthesis to the tracks. At the end of the final set, it was Bobby that took the new music track "Speed Demon" into places only he could take it on the analog keys. The whole Snarky Puppy performance at Pearl this night was worthy of a great ovation. It was deserving of being heard by a bigger audience. On a bigger sound system, Under greater lights. This group, Snarky Puppy is truly an explosion waiting to happen. And, to be totally honest, I pity the group that follows Snarky Puppy to the stage of Uptown Jazz Dallas IJF. They’ll have to bring their ‘A-game’ to the party.
For more information about the pups visit www.SnarkyPuppy.com Special thanks to TJ Scott who caught these live performance shots at a Snarky Puppy performance this summer at Levitt Pavilion in Arlington, Texas. See more of his photos at www.tjscottphotography.com
Returns March 18-19, 2011
SAVOR DALLAS Tickets on sale now!
Jim and Vickie White (below) co-founded Savor Dallas. The event celebrates the best in wine, distilled liquors, champagnes, food and the arts. Tickets are now on sale! Stay tuned for Keith Hill’s sit down talk with Jim White about how Savor Dallas came to be and what the future holds for the event. UptownJazzDallasLIVE continues as a corporate sponsor for year no. 6 in the relationship. Savor Dallas continues to be one of the year’s best experiences and a jewel in the cultural landscape in the DFW Arts community.
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DON’T JUST CHILL Network with us! During the ‘Soft-Launch’ phase, you can now join the Official Social Network of UptownJazzDallas IJF by sending your request for membership to corporate@uptownjazzdallas.com. It’s a world-class entertainment platform that allows you to connect to the artists, restaurants, artisans, sponsors and the entire festival community. You can also connect to us ubiquitously from anywhere in the social world by searching under UptownJazzDallas. Click us now at Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and Livestream. This is where you’ll be able to take it all in during the Year One Experience of the Festival. So, this is no time to chill. Join us today! Set up your page in the community.
UPTOWNJAZZDALLAS.COM
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FASHION | GLAM | ART photography by
Ron Rothenberg
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photography by
Ron Rothenberg
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FASHION | GLAM | ART photography by Ron Rothenberg
INTERVIEWS AREA BEST Uptown Jazz Dallas Online continues the Jazz Up Taste Tour of DFW’s finest restaurants, jazz venues, and top chefs, in addition to, behind the scenes talks with leaders of DFW’s social scene. Stay tuned for Keith’s YouTube chat with Chef Blythe Beck of Central 214 of Hotel Palomar in Dallas. Go ahead and tweet Blythe on Twitter.
Chef Blythe Beck
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Recent Activity:
Pictured top left clockwise: Main room of Buttons Addison, Festival Founder, Keith Hill with Chef Buttons Hicks and Chef’s famous Chicken and Waffles.
Jazz Up DFW recently stopped in at the new Buttons Addison. Keith had lunch with Executive Chef Keith “Buttons” Hick. You can view that interview on YouTube. We recommend the Chicken and Waffles!
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MARCUS JOHNSON VISITS DALLAS ACCLAIMED PIANIST/PERFORMER TOURS IN SUPPORT OF NEW REL;EASE
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Buttons Addison
(Top left clockwise) Mark Birnbaum (off-camera, photo credit) and Keith Hill chat with Marcus Johnson about his latest release “This is How I Rock”. (r) Marcus Johnson, Manzell Roberson and Keith Hill. (above) Marcus sits in with local performers Don Diego and Friends at Buttons Addison.
JAZZ SOCIETY
Sabeya Bellydancer Extraordinaire
The Festival has it’s sights on Sabeya who is known for her productions in dance and performance. Bellydancing was never so beautifully done!
SOUNDCHECK Here are ‘highly recommended’ releases from “Artists of Interest to the Festival”. They have passed the SOUNDCHECK!
SNARKY PUPPY Release: “Tell Your Friends” Purchase: UJD Digital Store
MARCUS JOHNSON Release: “This is How I Rock” Purchase: UJD Digital Store
AMYGDALAProject Release: “Amygdala” Purchase: UJD Digital Store
JOSEPH TOLIVER Release: “Dancing in the Window” Purchase: UJD Digital Store
DEONIS Release: “DEONIS” (releasing Jan 25, 2011) Purchase: UJD DIgital Store
QUAMON FOWLER Release: “THE REINFORCEMENT” Purchase: UJD DIgital Store
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As part of the new AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District, Artist Square has promise to be a great intimate open air setting. Once the venue has a green light to do business.
Venues of Interest to the Festival
Annette Strauss Artist Square
ARTS
2nd Annual 2011 Arts in the Square March 5, 2011 11am – 7pm March 6, 2011 10am – 6pm
For more info visit Frisco Square
22 Eternal-Class: Etertainment & Lifestyle
.. . . ! s ning
An ‘Eternal-Class Entertainment & Lifestyle Platform’ for the adult Christian marketplace featuring artists from around the globe. Whatever we do, “... whether in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him (Colosians 3: 17).
e p p ha
Click & join the Set today!
featured artists....
a property of Uptown Jazz Dallas, LLC
Soulfruit
Website Facebook Fan Page Email
Born with an innate love for music, Joseph gravitated to any object in the house that he could use to create rhythms and sounds. Having quickly recognized his zeal and ability to learn music, Joseph’s parents purchased his first drum set at age four. By the time he was fourteen, the Dallas native had developed the skill to play multiple instruments, such as the lead guitar, piano, organ, and his most adored instrument, the bass guitar. Joseph’s love and mastery of the bass guitar has created opportunities for him to play alongside some of the nation’s finest musical talent, such as national recording artists, Nancy Wilson, Freddie Jones, the Hensley Ensemble, Althea Rene and Tom Braxton. Impressively, Joseph has been Tom Braxton’s bass player for nearly five years, giving him the chance to become a polished, highly respected, professional musician. After years of playing behind other artists, Joseph finally responded to the urging of others to embark upon the courageous journey to produce his first solo project. This song-writer, arranger, and vocalist’s insatiable obsession for jazz, gospel, r&b, country, and the blues prompted him to produce a project that would be a soulful fusion of multiple genres, tones, sounds, and rhythms that painted a hypnotic canvas of unforgettable grooves. Fans of Joseph and lovers of all styles of music will be glad to know that the project, which is entitled Dancing in the Window, has been released. Check out ITunes, CDBaby or Amazon.com. Or, order it through Joseph's website: www.josephtoliver.com ~ Angie Braden, Contributor to Uptown Jazz Dallas Online Magazine
EMERGING ARTISTS
DEONIS
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CATEGORY: SOUL Having been in his passion for a minute now, producer, arranger, vocalist and songwriter Deonis ”Pumah” Cook first began singing at the tender age of four. He developed his musical techniques by listening and emulating certain songs he heard and would then play them back on a Casio keyboard owned by his
mother. Though, it wasn’t until he joined the Grammy Award-winning collective, God's Property, that he truly began to realize his musical potential after GP founder, Linda Searight discovered him one fateful Sunday morning. “God’s Property was an eye-opening experience. Robert “Sput” Searight helped me to unearth a lot of hidden talents and that’s where I honed my production skills. Sput took me under his wing -- no small task since I was a rambunctious kid, nobody wanted to be bothered by me because I was hoppin’ all over the place with the high energy I get from my mother. Sput saw those hidden treasures and cultivated that into what I am today.” With such an enormous and overwhelming amount of gifted people surrounding him, Deonis quickly learned to act as a sponge, soaking up every bit of information he could and taking advantage of the opportunity placed before him. Deonis has had the privilege of working with many artists such as Kirk Franklin, Musiq Soulchild, Kiera "Kiki" Sheard, Fred Hammond, Jontez, Darwin Hobbs, Eykah Badu, Kim Burrell, Geno Young, Eric Roberson, Uncle Sam and emcee Brownlion. Deonis’ first album, Kat Phood was inspired by the life of the great J Dilla.
DEONIS
EMERGING ARTISTS
CATEGORY: SOUL “Dilla’s passing boosted my push to do an instrumental, hip-hop album. His death was totally unexpected; half the people I knew who actually knew him didn’t even know he was sick. I got the call from Gino Inglehart while I was driving, I was torn up. All that pain sparked this fire to express myself musically.” Now Deonis is ready to let the world hear another side of his musicality, and is toiling away in the studio with his sophomore, self-titled album (due in January 2011). “I knew it was time to a full-length album featuring my voice. Looking at where music is today and at the scene in Dallas and how people are not responsive to good music. There is no substance in music on the radio, and there are a lot of talented people in Dallas that have a lot to say, but can’t get the exposure. How many times can you talk about screwing somebody or how many Cadillac’s you drive – how is all that materialism telling anyone how life is treating you? How is that going to tell me how to deal with a real situation? Now that’s not to say that there are no songs on my album about passion and love-making, but it’s not demoralizing to women. It’s an album for grown folks who can appreciate the secret side and the ecstasy of making love.” These radio-ready, sensual virtues can be heard on his soulful, Prince-inspired, rock-infused single, “Woman.” “Music today is so demoralizing to women and -not to make it a racial thing, but especially to black women. Every time you look up you see them on TV in teeny two-pieces, and how I was raised, women were not portrayed in that likeness. I always view women as the fruit of the earth. She brings life and substance, she makes everything complete. You cannot live this life without woman. I felt it was necessary to bring back the true definition of what a woman is and
what her purpose is. I want to be able to sing about the truth. Your mama is not going to be at home in a two piece tellin’ you to run and do your homework! My wife was a big influence of this song -- just watching her everyday life. This song was also inspired by the Songs of Solomon. Solomon probably didn’t see it like this in his day, but he was a bad writer. I wanted to capture that today and how the female should be portrayed as – not a piece of meat! Women are a gift to replenish the earth and help man meet his purpose.” Now as Deonis steps to the forefront to let his vocals, production and songwriting take center stage with a diverse stable of songs making up the raw and vulnerable forthcoming album, he has pulled together a powerhouse production team featuring S1 (Kanye West's "Power"), Terrace Martin (Snoop Dogg), Ernie G (Geno Young), Picnictyme (Devin the Dude, PPT), Grammywinner Shaun "88 Fingers" Martin and Deonis "Pumah" Cook himself. “I think what I have on this album has substance and taste, and I think I can complete this album leaving people with the thought of what’s next? I want it to speak to people and help them in whatever situation they’re dealing with. I hope I can leave somebody with that impression.” ~ Sarah Crisman, Contributor to Uptown Jazz Dallas Online Magazine (Read more from Sarah)
ARTIST CONNNECT: Website Video Facebook Fan Page
Kickstarter Email
Our featured Caterer is the newly rebranded Low Country Quisine Catering Company, lead by Ms. Enjolik (Jolie’) Oree-Bailey. She runs a full-service catering and chef services operation that specializes in weddings, corporate and special events. The Company’s menu is rooted in traditional soul food fused with African and Caribbean influences. As you can see from these beautiful images taken by photographer Catie Ronquillo, Low Country Quisine is making a name for great looking and great tasting food. Give Enjolik a call for your next event.
COMPANY INFO FACEBOOK PROFILE COMPANY EMAIL PHOTOGRAPHER CONTACT INFO
SD-Dmag-November_2011_REV_OKAY.eps 1 11/9/2010 2:13:09 PM
Is Back! March 18th & 19th C
Join the 7th Annual Celebration Savor Star Chefs and Great Wines
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Drink-in the Arts!
Enjoy the popular Arts District Wine Stroll and the new After-Party on Friday, March 18th.
Savor the Flavor!
The Reserve Tasting and the International Grand Tasting bring you the best wines, spirits, beers, and top restaurants. Join us at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel on Saturday, March 19th
The Most Delicious Wine and Food Festival in Texas! Get Tickets at www.Savo rDallas.c om For more information call 888.728.6747
Photography by: L | Rochelle Photography
Laveta Rochelle
The Year One Experience