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| Latimer and Hazeltine at Danny's Skylight Room Cool Note Records and Rhombus Records announced a performance of Michelle Latimer, talented trumpeter/vocalist and renowned neo-bop pianist David Hazeltine on Thursday, January 12 at Danny's Skylight Room in NYC. Michelle Latimer caught the attention of audiences and industry alike in 2005 with the release of her debut effort Michelle Latimer Sings and Plays (Cool Note/Rhombus), which showcased her lyrical playing style, retro-tinged vocals and critically acclaimed original compositions. Following success at radio, Latimer toured with local rhythm section stars in Chicago, Los Angeles, Cleveland and Indianapolis, where her first appearance at the venerable Jazz Kitchen was a sellout. Her time on the road included stints with the Laurence Hobgood and Steve Million Trios. Jim Wadsworth of Cleveland's Night Town called her “an artist for the new millennium, ” explaining that “Everything Latimer sings and plays is in service to the song. She is an artist who knows the value of communication.” David Hazeltine is one of a handful of pianists who has successfully forged his own distinctive style and musical voice out of the accumulated greatness and weight of a modern piano tradition. Since moving to New York City in 1992, David has made a name for himself as a “musician's musician.” In addition to his working trio, recent credits include work with Freddie Hubbard, James Moody, the Faddis-Hampton-Heath Sextet and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band. David is also a member of the band “One For All” which features tenor star Eric Alexander. Hazeltine has also enjoyed success as a prolific recording artist on the Criss Cross, Venus, Sharp Nine and Pony Canyon labels, with more than 40 releases to his credit as sideman or leader in the past ten years. The first meeting of these two jazz minds holds additional interest due to contrasts in their work and experience. While 2005 saw both release successful new arrangements and reharmonizations of classic pop songs (Latimer, in her highly praised adaptation of the Beatles' tune “The Fool on the Hill”; Hazeltine in “Modern Standards, ” his outstanding 2005 release for Sharp Nine Records), they take very different approaches to their material. Latimer stands firmly in the Cool tradition, recalling Chet Baker and early Miles Davis, while Hazeltine is heavily influenced by bop masters like Charlie Parker and Bud Powell and has been credited by Cedar Walton and others as singlehandedly reviving and modernizing bop. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |