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| Jazz at Lincoln Center's Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola April 10-16, 2006 presents five legendary, master musicians in celebration of the fathers of bebop, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, two of the most influential and revered musicians to have ever graced this earth. This week of the best bop around will feature Charles McPherson, Tom Harrell, Ronnie Mathews, Ray Drummond and Jimmy Cobb. Five legendary, master musicians come together to celebrate the fathers of bebop, and two of the most influential and revered musicians to have ever graced this earth. Charles McPherson has recorded as a guest artist with Charlie Mingus, Barry Harris, Art Farmer, Kenny Drew, Toshiko Akiyoshi, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra, and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. His most recent recording is the highly acclaimed Manhattan Nocturne. Charles was also the featured alto saxophonist in the Clint Eastwood film "Bird, " about Charlie Parker. He is at the height of his powers. His playing combines passionate feeling with intricate patterns of improvisation. Throughout his four decades of being an integral performer of the music, Charles has not merely remained true to his bop origins, but has expanded on them. "He is a singular voice who has never sacrificed the fluidity of his melody making, and is held in high esteem by musicians both long seasoned and young" - Stanley Crouch, Th! e New York Times. A salient constant in trumpeter Tom Harrell's career has been his commitment to advancing his artistry. Recording as a leader since 1976, he has racked up numerous jazz magazine awards, such as top composer and trumpeter, "best jazz album of the year" by Entertainment Weekly, and a Grammy nomination (for his 1999 big band album Time's Mirror). On his 20th album, Wise Children (on Bluebird /Arista Associated Labels), the trumpeter-bandleader-composer-arranger continues to stretch with aplomb. This time he's in the company of his core quintet (tenor saxophonist/flutist Jimmy Greene, pianist Xavier Davis, bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Quincy Davis) which is augmented by string players, guests on various brass and! percussion instruments and, on four tunes, the top female jazz vocalists of the day: Cassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Claudia Acuña and Jane Monheit. Pianist Ronnie Mathews is a true master of this music. Mathews, born in Brooklyn in 1935, has played with the giants of jazz including lengthy stints with Kenny Dorham, Max Roach, Roy Haynes, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Herman, Art Blakey Clark Terry, Woody Shaw, Dexter Gordon, Dizzy Gillespie and many others. This underrated artist, influenced by Tatum, Bud Powell and Ahmad Jamal, has also led his own groups and has recently been appearing with T.S. Monk and Roy Hargrove. Composer, arranger, bandleader, educator and producer are hats that bassist Ray Drummond has worn well over the past 30 years. But it all comes down to one thing: musician Ray Drummond loves to make great music. Born the son of an Army colonel on November 23, 1946 in Brookline, Massachusetts, Drummond's musical journey began at age eight with the trumpet, then French horn. And by his 14th birthday, his school music director persuaded him to play the bass. In addition to leading his own groups for nearly three decades, Drummond has played with a who's who of jazz, he continues to work with Kenny Barron, Houston Person, Bobby Hutcherson, George Coleman, Phil Woods, Peter Leitch, David Murray's Power Quartet, Toots Thielemans, Bill Charlap Trio, Bennie Wallace, and many others. Legendary jazz drummer, Jimmy Cobb, was born in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 1929. A superb, mostly self-taught musician, Jimmy is the elder statesman of all of the incredible Miles Davis bands. Jimmy's inspirational work with Miles, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley and Co. spanned 1957 until 1963, and included the masterpiece Kind of Blue, the most popular jazz recording in history. He also played on Sketches of Spain, Someday My Prince Will Come, Live at Carnegie Hall, Live at the Blackhawk, Porgy and Bess, and many other water mark Miles Davis recordings. On March 14, Marsalis Music will release a new CD by Jimmy Cobb as part of their Honors series in recognition of deserving yet underrated veteran musicians. The set, which presents it! s leader in a new light with several original compositions, also marks the first time that Cobb has performed with pianist Ellis Marsalis, with alto saxophonist Andrew Speight and bassist Orlando Le Fleming completing the band. Marsalis Music Honors Jimmy Cobb has the fire, groove and the taste that has been the hallmark of Cobb's storied career. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |