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| Mike Longo: Magic Of Music Veteran jazz pianist/composer Mike Longo, Dizzy Gillespie’s former pianist and musical director of many years, started a weekly jazz concert series on Tuesday evenings at the New York City Baha’i Center on January 6th of 2004. This was the anniversary of Dizzy’s death in 1993. Longo’s 18 piece band, The NY State of the Art Jazz Ensemble, has been raising the roof with their highly energized swinging arrangements that won them the Band Of The Year award in a 2004 South American Jazz Poll. Longo’s band appears there about every 5 weeks or so, with other world class acts from NYC’s rich jazz community appearing during the interim weeks. His last appearance on October 18th was to a standing room only crowd of eager jazz fans left begging for more. "I was just amazed at the response, " said Longo who has been playing jazz professionally for over forty years. The house was completely sold out with standing room only, and people were even paying five dollars just to stand in the lobby to hear the music without being able to see us. Longo, who began his professional career at the age of fifteen with the late great Cannonball Adderley, will be appearing there on November 29th with his NY State of the Art Jazz Ensemble featuring the new young vocal sensation Hilary Gardner. “Judging from the overwhelming audience response at our last concert, we will be filling the lobby area with extra seats this time in anticipation of the same over flow. It would be wise to get your ticket in advance, ” says Longo. write your comments about the article :: © 2005 Jazz News :: home page |