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| Urban Jazz & Art Series - The New Jazz and Art Exhibition Tribal Spears Art Gallery and Vertical Group Jazz (VGjazz), dynamic professional jazz artist promotions company, today announced it will present "Urban Jazz & Art Series" at Tribal Spears Art Gallery in Harlem. Producers of the April 24 event have described the upcoming show as electrifying, full of energy, colorful sound, and a quality cultural experience. A four-hour extravaganza, Urban Jazz & Art Series (UJAS) offers an extraordinary evening of entertainment featuring top-notch jazz musicians and inspiring visual art. The remarkable, line-up includes, Alex Blake, bass transformer, capable of making his instrument sound like anything from a flamenco guitar to a set of four tuned hand drums, and his stellar quartet featuring London-born saxophonist Chris Hunter, pianist Ted Cruz and drummer Victor Jones. Abstract artists Claudia Hayden, David Shrobe and Dianne Smith will provide a visual showcase of their works. During the series a special display of select pieces of their artwork will be available through silent auction. "Jazz is Harlem's home, bringing the Urban Jazz & Art Series to Tribal Spears Art Gallery is like coming home, " explained Eric Dewitt, President of the Vertical Group. UJAS promotes an amazing caliber of talent that's still being discovered by the community." Vertical Group Jazz is the premier promoter for independent artists in the metropolitan area. Its dynamic events promote cultural diversity and attract hundreds from across the tri-state area. Tribal Spears Gallery is a new art gallery in Harlem that focuses on Tribal and Fine Art. The Gallery promotes the best Tribal and Fine art from local and abroad and supports artists working in the community, nationally and internationally. It achieves this through exhibitions, projects with artists, educational and marketing activities. Tribal Spears curates exhibitions in its own space and organizes events that provide a platform for artists to promote their work. Urban Jazz & Art Series kicks off with a "meet and mingle" cocktail reception from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Guests can view group art exhibits and meet the showcased visual artists, all while enjoying the vibrant ambient sounds of New York's premier mixologist, Dr. Bert Morgan – who creates a virtually seamless mix of smooth grooves. After the reception, the Performance Series begins at 8:00 pm. The show launches with the first of two sets from The Alex Blake Quartet. A mainstay of the Randy Weston band, Alex has toured and recorded with a rainbow array of artists including McCoy Tyner, Freddie Hubbard, Pharaoh Sanders, Art Blakey, the Manhattan Transfer, and the Last Poets. During intermission a silent art auction will take place. The auction will run for thirty minutes 9:00 pm – 9:30 pm and guests are invited to bid on select pieces. Proceeds from the silent auction go to supporting a select charity each week throughout the series. Harlem School of the Arts will be the recipient of the proceeds raised on April 24. Urban Jazz & Art Series closes with Alex Blake Quartet, performing a second set, with new material from their forth coming CD "In Motion." The first of the weekly "Urban Jazz & Art Series" takes place on Monday, April 24 with special guest host Rob Crocker - WBGO, and will continue each Monday (6:30pm-10:00pm) until May 29. The Winard Harper Sextet will perform on May 1 with special guest host Ken "Spyder" Webb; TK Blue Quintet featuring Benny Powell plays on May 8, the Alex Blake Quartet featuring special guest will be there on May 15, Somi on May 22 and a special May 29 Memorial Weekend performance will soon be announced. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |