Michael White Quintet Unit 2 Kicks Off Collaborative Arts Initiative Tour The Arts.mwq

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The award-winning Michael White Quintet UNIT2 inaugurates their new initiative, tour the ARTS.MWQ, with a weekly series running Saturday, September 25 through Sunday, October 8 at the Croatian Cultural Center of Greater Los Angeles in San Pedro. The multicultural, uniquely collaborative events join performances from an array of musicians, conversations with visual artists, and art exhibitions to celebrate the beauty of art in its many forms. Leisei Chen and Michael White of the Michael White
Quintet UNIT2 curate the series, which is hosted by CCCGLA President Maya Bristow. The quintet also performs at each event, which features a different visual artist and musical duo. Audiences at each tour the ARTS.MWQ event will have the opportunity not just to view visual art on display or to listen to music, but also to experience from the artists and musicians together in their own unique presentations. Each event begins
at 6:30 pm with a multimedia presentation from a visual artist, followed by live music. On September 25, abstract painter Matiros Hakopian (MarHak) is followed by the Mojacar Flamenco duo, and on October 1, impressionist and portrait painter Evrika Zatikian (EVO) is followed by innovative chamber music duo Alma Nova. At the final event on October 8, alpinist and photographer Mirza Todorovich is followed by the Paul Livingstone Duo, plays the creative tradition of Indian classical raga music. Each evening continues with a performance from the Michael White Quintet UNIT2 and ends with a raffle and celebratory reception.

The tour the ARTS.MWQ concept is the brainchild of Leisei Chen & Michael White, partners in life and music, and founders of the Michael White Quintet. The initiative derives from their long-held vision to bring the quintet to spaces that allow for collaboration with artists from all cultures and disciplines. White and Chen derive inspiration from various sources, from visual art to martial arts and dance, and take their holistic approach to music-making. White says, "We play music like painting the pictures, making the scenes" The two feel that each artist participating in tour the ARTS.MWQ has a special role to play, just as jazz musicians do within a group.

Says Chen, "As artists and musicians, we are all so excited to see how our own arts and music will influence each other's." The group trusts these collaborations will let them explore their own artistic potential more deeply, and continue to express their group's cornerstones: love, healing, inspiration, and hope. Chen and White are themselves the cornerstones of the Michael White Quintet UNIT2. Group leader White was recently honored as a Living Legend in jazz, and his voice on violin has been called "one of the more distinctive in jazz." Versatile vocalist Chen, drawing on a vast array of cultural traditions, serves as muse and cowriter for much of the material from the group's recent release, Voices. Along with some of Los Angeles' most talented musicians on percussion, bass and guitar, the
quintet seamlessly combines soulful original songs, jazz classics, and latin grooves, delighting audiences worldwide.

Legendary jazz violinist Michael White is a composer, educator, and innovator who has been a major recording artist on Impulse and Elektra/Asylum records, and has played alongside musical giants including John Coltrane, Sun Ra, Stevie Wonder, among many others. His musical endeavors over the decades have taken him through a number of genres, and his newly released CD "Voices" prompted the formation of the Michael White Quintet. "We discovered that our musical philosophy had a mutual, spiritual dynamic. The four cornerstones of our music are 'Love, Healing, Inspiration and Hope.' Our sound is intended to touch one's heart and fill one's body with a 'kozmic groove!'" says White. The Michael White Quintet: Unit 2 keeps that spirit of positivity intact, combining versatile guitarist Timothy Young and soulful vocalist Leisei Chen, the quintet's original members, with new, accomplished LA-based musicians Jon Ossman on bass (Paula Cole, Marc Cohn) and Danny Frankel on drums (K.D. Lang, Bebel Gilberto). With each member a true musical master in his and her own right, the quintet bridges cultures, genres, and backgrounds, for a sound that is truly "ageless, timeless, and borderless."

The Croatian Cultural Center of Greater Los Angeles is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization dedicated to educating the general public about the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Croatia. Their vision is to engage not only people of Croatian-American descent, but all people with a desire to participate in our activities, events, classes and fundraisers. The CCCGLA offers a variety of programs for the community's participation and enjoyment, including: Croatian language classes, traditional folk dance classes, exhibits by local and international artists, film festivals, and lectures on a various topics. The center partners with local outreach organizations, merchants, churches, elected officials and other ethnic associations to represent and reinforce the power and positive influence of diversity in the community.

Michael was grew up in the port of Oakland in the 30', and lived in one of the homes his mother purchased from the De Young Museum. On 7th Street, it had an exciting JAZZ scene like Harlem in New York, many Jazz greats and bands stayed at his mom's hotel. His whole family went to see the Duke Ellington Orchestra with Ivy Anderson who was Michael's cousin and Duke's favorite vocalist, each time they came to town. Little Michael lived in a multi-cultural neighborhood, his best friend was a Chinese American Jackie, making WINE with Italian friend and family next door, his first girlfriend was a Japanese American. His uncle would take him to China town to see Chinese Opera as only Blacks in the audience, he wanted to be a monk age 7. At the same time age 7, Michael was handed a violin by his mother, began to take private lessons by the Classical maestros Mr. Kritz from Germany & Mr. Cardo from Italy. Michael performed as the first Black violinist in the prestigious Young People's Symphony Of Berkeley. His maestro recommended Michael to be in the first violin section in the symphony, but many parents were against the maestro's decision and threatened to leave the symphony with their children. Yet at the same time, Michael over came racial bias and with his artistry, he was very welcomed and performed at homes of white dignitaries such as the vice president of the southern pacific railroad at Christmas time. Michael was also growing up with his brother Ted Pontiflet, who is an artist, photographer and writer, recently tour the nation with the James Baldwin series and some of his photography is featured in the Smithsonian.

Leisei was born and grew up in the port of Kobe (means house of GODS), Japan in the mid 60' as the 5th generation Chinese. Within 10 minutes of her home was Japanese temples & shrines, Chinese temple, Muslim mosque, Indian temple, and Catholic churches. Her neighbor and friends were Greek, Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, Eastern Indians, American, Russian, German and Korean . . . . Many of them owned restaurants and satisfied little Leisei's tongue & belly with diverse dishes such as Mezés, Pita Bread, Sushi, Curry, Bejing Duck, Fried Frog, Hamburger, Borscht, German Sausage, Pankel, Korean BBQ. In her friendly peaceful neighborhood, little Leisei played with friends in the alley, visiting their homes freely, experiencing international authentic cultures that she was stimulated and fascinated by their scent, colors and languages. Age 4 she entered the Chinese kindergarten in Kobe, where she started to train as a musician, taking Organ lessons, learning Chinese traditional dance and singing. Her kindergarten troop went to international kindergartens and all religious sites in her neighbor to perform Chinese dances and music as cultural exchange activities for children to learn each other's cultures. At age 7, she begun taking lessons from a Chinese pianist for the Western and Chinese Classics, as well as the electronic organ lessons with music from all around the world. Growing up in the 70' in Japan, she could hear sounds from all over the neighborhood where every house hold seemed to own a Piano, and her two brothers played instruments as well. Many cultures first entered Japan through Kobe, JAZZ was not an exception. As a teenager, Leisei had encountered many serious Jazz record collectors. who their LOVE of JAZZ guided her through thousands of records, magazines, books and videos about JAZZ & ARTS. She sat in JAZZ Cafes having very fine cups of Coffee, facing thousands of JAZZ records on it's shelves and listening to them for hours. Many maniac Jazz Cafe owners with their amazing PA systems would have the sign in front of the speakers saying "No talking allow in this area". One of her brothers took her when she was 14, handed her $20, pulled her to local summer festivals to perform, sing, dance, and play percussion with the Japanese Brazilian samba team.

For about the last decade, Michael & Leisei have teamed up as a musical pair, performing together internationally as well as with their own band the Michael White Quintet, their repertoire covers original compositions, Classic Jazz, Brazilian, Latin, Asian Influenced Sound Improvisations, the band consists of strings - violin, guitar, bass - vocals and percussion.

Through their childhood rich cultural experiences, serendipitous occurrences with world class artists and musicians, a passionate inspiring encounter with Maya Bristow at the Croatian Cultural Center Of Greater Los Angeles in San Pedro the port of Los Angeles led to the creation of their NEW project "tour the ARTS.MWQ", the band Michael White Quintet & multi-c

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