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| The Jason Lindner Big Band at The Jazz Gallery The Jason Lindner Big Band pre-CD release party will take place at The Jazz Gallery on June 21 & 22. To hear The Jason Lindner Big Band live is to experience a marvel of sound and to take a trip through your emotions, one by one, or surprisingly, sometimes several at once. To be in their presence is to be amazed, delighted and musically fulfilled by the depth and substance of these musicians' collective deluge of brilliance. On August 28, 2007 Anzic Records will release the double-live CD “Live At The Jazz Gallery,” which documents The Jason Lindner Big Band recorded live at the NYC venue on November 25 and 26, 2005. The Jason Lindner Big Band (formed by Lindner in 1995 to perform Monday nights at the legendary Smalls) is an ensemble that bucks typical big band conventions. Lindner explains, “the point of my big band is not about showcasing the arrangements, as some big bands really are indeed about, but more so about showcasing the playing, the interaction between the players, the spontaneity, and the energy. I feel like my big band definitely captures some of the type of fresh energy that was ever-present at Smalls during the 90's, and I feel like as a big band that we are representative of that movement - new compositions, a more intense energetic way of playing, as opposed to 'correct' playing, or playing in the box.” For Lindner, this all translates into a concept that takes the listener into account in a considerable way. “My concept of music is about bringing joy and energy to listeners, getting them involved in the musical journey we are all embarking on, and giving them something perhaps unpredictable, or exciting, or sometimes just beautiful or soulful,” said Lindner. Lindner's dodecatet, which has also enjoyed residencies at The Jazz Gallery and Fat Cat, and performances across the nation and abroad, has always been armed with many of the young, creative stars on the New York scene. The current ensemble, featured on “Live At The Jazz Gallery,” is stocked with none other than Omer Avital (double bass), Eric McPherson (drums), Miguel Zenon (alto sax), Jay Collins (tenor & soprano saxophones, flute, vocals), Anat Cohen (tenor sax, clarinet), Chris Karlic (baritone sax, bass clarinet), Duane Eubanks (trumpet), Avishai Cohen (trumpet), Joe Fiedler (trombone), Dana Leong (trombone), Rafi Malkiel (trombone) and Yosvany Terry Cabrera (chekere - track 8 only). On the members of the ensemble Lindner said, “I cherish all the members of the band, their different personalities and their respect and support for one another in the interest of making good music.” Jason Lindner's writing, playing and band leading has taken his ensemble down a highway of its own. From its earliest days at Smalls up to the present, the band has succeeded. They celebrated their 10th anniversary in November of 2005. After twelve years, Lindner fearlessly leads the ensemble, pushing them musically and conceptually, always guided by the light of his mentors. The pianist explains, “I've brought everything I inherited from my elders in the New York jazz community - like Barry Harris, Chris Anderson, Frank Hewitt, Jimmy Lovelace, Tommy Turrentine, C Sharpe, Junior Cook - and really used their knowledge in the tradition to spring forth and mix with other rhythms and newer musical ideas, and really try to be part of the present musical current, the present movement.” In order to realize the entire breadth of Lindner's musical life, it is necessary to note that, in addition to leading his Big Band, he is an integral, vital part of many exciting bands and projects, including Me'shell Ndegeocello's current working band, Claudia Acua (longtime musical director and pianist), Dafnis Prieto's Absolute Quintet (in his current band and on his Grammy nominated recording “Absolute Quintet”), on trumpeter Avishai Cohen's new recording (”After The Big Rain,” Anzic), also featuring Blue Note recording artist Lionel Loueke, Anat Cohen, Omer Avital, Waverly 7, rapper Baba Israel, Pharaoh's Daughter, and others. Lindner was also musical director of Lauryn Hill's band, and he arranged music for the Jazz @ Lincoln Center Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra (for the Grammy nominated recording ”Noche Involvidable”). He remains one of the few artists on the scene that is comfortable and talented enough to play acoustic piano in a jazz group, analogue modular synths with Me'shell, do a mix of the two with Pharaoh's Daughter and arrange and lead a Big Band. write your comments about the article :: © 2007 Jazz News :: home page |