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| The Chicago Jazz Ensemble Salutes New Orleans The Chicago Jazz Ensemble, conducted by Jon Faddis, continues its 2005/2006 season with a Salute to New Orleans at HotHouse, April 6 and From the Windy City to New Orleans with Love at Rubloff Auditorium, April 7 . "This is truly a special time for the CJE, " said artistic director and conductor Jon Faddis. "In a continuing effort to support the post-Katrina recovery of New Orleans, we welcome a wonderful group of Crescent City musicians and educators to Chicago. I am especially pleased to share this series with my dear friend Phoebe Jacobs, a tireless jazz advocate, executive vice president of the Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong Educational Foundation, Inc. and personal friend of the Armstrongs." "Visiting Chicago with Jon Faddis is fulfilling the ambition of Pops, " said Ms. Jacobs. "I marvel at the fact that Louis Armstrong left New Orleans, went up the Mississippi to Chicago, where he made his big debut, and now, here I am five decades later with one of the world's greatest trumpet players in the city where it all happened for Louis--in the city where Benny Goodman and swing were born. All I can say is wow, what a blessing! Watch out, Chicago, here I come!" On April 6, at HotHouse, 31 E. Balbo Street, the CJE focuses on the music of New Orleans, the history of the city and the future of the area and its people. The CJE hosts jazz masters and instructors from the Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp as well as Ms. Jacobs and the Camp's founder and director Jackie Harris, who has been working at New York's Jazz at Lincoln Center since being displaced by Hurricane Katrina. On April 7 at Rubloff Auditorium, 220 South Columbus Drive, From the Windy City to New Orleans with Love celebrates the relationship between Chicago and New Orleans. The jazz masters and instructors from the Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp, along with Jackie Harris and Phoebe Jacobs, return for another evening of stellar music. The Summer Camp was established in 1995 to honor Armstrong and perpetuate the legacy of jazz. The annual three-week program hosts musicians from ages 10 - 20 in daily master classes in vocals, composition and jazz history. Jon Faddis served as artist-in-residence for the program in 2002, and Faddis and the CJE are supporting efforts to make sure the program continues in 2006 and beyond. The Camp's faculty, under the leadership of saxophonist Edward "Kidd" Jordan, is a Who's Who of New Orleans jazz royalty. Joining Professor Jordan in the Windy City will be clarinetist Alvin Batiste, trumpet master Clyde Kerr, Jr. and vocalist Germaine Bazzle. The program will include Duke Ellington's "New Orleans Suite" and Alvin Batiste's arrangements of "The Missy Strut" and "Coltrane's Countdown." "Together as a group for the first time since Katrina struck last August, this weekend in Chicago will be more than sharing our musical heritage; it will be a beautiful reunion of colleagues, kindred spirits and good friends, " explained Jackie Harris. Edward "Kidd" Jordan, saxophone, serves as the Jazz Camp's artistic director and curriculum coordinator. He is an Associate Professor of Music at Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) and Director of Band and Jazz Studies. Known as the dean of New Orleans avante gard music, his credits include playing with The Temptations, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and many others. He has spent his entire live teaching young people, including former students Wynton Marsalis and Donald Harrison Jr. Alvin Batiste, clarinet, is considered one of America's premier clarinetist in the modern jazz context. He has been a professional musician since the early 1950s and his work is firmly rooted in two of the foundations of jazz: blues and swing. Throughout his career, he has focused on performance and teaching. Mr. Batiste served as director of Jazz Studies at Southern University and now heads the Jazz Department at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts. Clyde Kerr, Jr., trumpet, has played with the best jazz players in the world. He developed his experience sitting at the knee of his father, Clyde Sr., the father of New Orleans Big Band. As an instructor at New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, Clyde has had a hand in teaching and nurturing some of New Orleans' modern day jazz artists, including Jason Marsalis, Adonis Rose, Irvin Mayfield, Courtney Bryant, Andrew Baham and others. Germaine Bazzle, vocalist, is a New Orleans native and choral music instructor at Xavier Preparatory High School. She is not just a vocalist singing jazz, but a jazz vocalist and musician. Germaine began her jazz career as a bassist; however her knowledge and feel for the music makes her one of the most sought after New Orleans contemporary jazz vocalists. She is a four-time recipient of the Big Easy Award for Best Female Performer and readily admits that jazz classics have always been her choice of material. The 2005/2006 season marks the CJE's 40th Anniversary and second year with Jon Faddis as Artistic Director. Faddis draws on more than 30 years experience in performing with superb big bands and leaders, including Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra (now the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra) and Gil Evans. Faddis served as music director for Dizzy Gillespie's GrammyTM-award winning United Nation Orchestra, for Dizzy Gillespie's 70th Birthday Big Band, and, after his mentor's passing, Faddis led the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars Big Band. Renowned for his leadership of the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, Faddis conducted more than 40 concerts in 10 years at Carnegie Hall, featuring over 135 musicians and 70 guest artists. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |