Jazz Improv^® LIVE! 2007

                  Convention & Festival Schedule

                                with Descriptions

Click here to Download the Official Program (32-Page PDF Document - 2.5MB)

Please note that some times & locations may change and additions may be made.                                                  

THURSDAY, October 25, 2007 – 9:00 PM – 11:00 PM

KICKOFF EVENT at Virgin Megastores Union Square
(14th Street & Broadway)

(Open to Registered Attendees of Jazz Improv LIVE!) 

9:00 pm:  Rondi Charleston (Performance)

10:00 pm:  Robert Glasper Trio (Blue Note Records) (Performance)

THURSDAY, October 25, 2007 – 5:00 PM

Vince Ector (Performance) - Tir Na Nog Rest. (JI Jazz Club)

Vince Ector, drums; with piano, bass, sax                 

 
THURSDAY, October 25, 2007 – 6:00 PM

Lainie Cooke Trio (Performance) - Tir Na Nog Rest. (JI Jazz Club). Lainie Cooke, vocals; with piano

THURSDAY, October 25, 2007 – 7:00 PM

Pam Purvis Trio (Performance) - Tir Na Nog Rest. (JI Jazz Club). Pam Purvis, vocals, piano; Bob Ackerman sax; others (CD Release Party for Pam’s new album)

THURSDAY, October 25, 2007 – 9:00 PM

Chip Shelton (Performance) - Tir Na Nog Rest. (JI Jazz Club). Lou Volpe, guitar; Nate Shaw organ; Dwayne Cook Broadnax, drums. 

THURSDAY, October 25, 2007 – 10:00 PM

TO BE ANNOUNCED - Tir Na Nog Rest. (JI Jazz Club). Lainie Cooke, vocals; with piano

 
THURSDAY, October 25, 2007 – 11:00 PM until ...

VANDO JAM (Tentatively scheduled this slot), Tir Na Nog Rest. (JI Jazz Club)

 

FRIDAY – October 26, 2007

FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 9:00 AM

Publicity: Who You Know Versus What You Know - Chris DiGirolamo (Two For The Show Media); Ann Braithwaite (Braithwaite & Katz); Jason Byrne (Red Cat Publicity); Leah Grammatica; Kim Smith. Gramercy Park Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      Consumers are often unaware of how or why information or news rockets through media. Much of the news broadcast on radio and television, articles and interviews that are published in print and digital media, are often pre-formatted stories that originate in the public relations department of some government office, corporate entity or for-hire publicity agency. When some celebrity, author, or spokesperson magically appears on a whole gamut of talk shows, news shows, on radio, and is covered in print, digital and electronic media, it is almost always the function of a designed program to generate as much media attention as possible simultaneously. When done thoroughly, and effectively, the publicity program is often coordinated with advertising, handled by the other half of the marketing department – with the purpose being to drive sales of records, books, products, services, or to condition the public to accept some idea or candidate. While an editor, or media gatekeeper, might not accept the phone calls, e-mails or messages from an individual, they might entertain the pitches of a publicist. A professional publicist will also maintain elaborate lists of newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, cable and other outlets, along with the editorial decision-makers at each. This panel of independent publicists will discuss how these same concepts are or are not at play in the jazz world. Panelists will also discuss some of the music and they represent, challenges and opportunities they experience in promoting artists, recordings and live performances.

TO BE ANNOUNCED - Herald Sq Suite, New Yorker Hotel

Live Online Interactive Jazz Master Classes (Workshop) - Mike Gellar; Murray Hill Suite, 4th Fl, New Yorker Hotel.     A revolutionary way to learn with today’s jazz greats. See a demonstration of the technology that brings students and masters together from around the world. A live streaming of a master class is included.

 
Marketing Music In Schools: Jazz as Arts-In-Education (Workshop) - Napoleon Revels-Bey; Sutton Place Suite, New Yorker Hotel.      A panel discussion focused on how to get started as an independent artist in the greater New York metropolitan area. The steps to market, promote, and work successfully (get paid) will be covered, as well as the do’s and don’ts of establishing a career in the arts as a teaching artist. The panel, consisting of independent and small business companies with a track record of successfully marketing to school and hiring artists, will examine all the necessary survival skills for the independent-minded artist. Napoleon Revels-Bey formed his own music company, Revels-Bey Music, to teach privately as well as offer workshops, residencies, and performances. Since its inception in 1987, Revels-Bay Music has received numerous grants and contracts within schools.

 
FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 9:30 AM

Louis Armstrong: The Offstage Story of Satchmo (Lecture, Recordings of Louis at home speaking, slideshow and more) - Michael Cogswell, Director, Louis Armstrong House & Museum, Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom

      This multimedia presentation showcases treasures from Louis Armstrong’s vast personal collection of home-recorded tapes, scrapbooks, photographs, manuscripts, etc. The audience will hear Louis practicing his trumpet at home, hear Louis backstage telling jokes and band stories, see candid snapshots of Louis at home, see Louis’s original artwork, see Louis’s gold-plated trumpets and custom-made mouthpieces, and much, much more. The presentation also includes a mini-tour of Louis’s home, which today is a National Historic Landmark and a New York City Landmark visited by people from all over the world. In 1991, Queens College hired Cogswell to preserve and catalog Louis Armstrong’s vast personal collection of home-recorded tapes, scrapbooks, photographs, manuscripts, gold-plated trumpets, and other such material. The Louis Armstrong Archives opened to the public in May 1994. www.louisarmstronghouse.org

FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 10:00 AM

Listen Up! How to Become a Better Listener (Workshop) - Jeff Coffin, (Yamaha & Vandoren Artist); Gramercy Park Suite, New Yorker Hotel.

      Using live playing as well as classic jazz recordings, Jeff takes the class through different methods of listening as well as new concepts and ideas on becoming better listeners through group participation. This session is taught by two-time Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Jeff Coffin, of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.

Duke Ellington & The Jimmy Blanton-Ben Webster Edition - Dan Morgenstern, Ira Gitler, Loren Schoenberg (Executive Director, Jazz Museum in Harlem) (Panel); Gramercy Park Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      Bassist Jimmy Blanton and tenor saxophonist Ben Webster are the two artists who performed in what many perceive as the Golden Era edition of The Duke Ellington Orchestra. The band was influential in a number of ways. Bassist Blanton, who died shortly before his twenty-fourth birthday, was an innovator in playing pizzicato bass solos that were developed melodically. Ben Webster became the first tenor sax soloist in the Ellington band, and his contributions were immense. A confluence of Blanton’s innovative bass approach (approaching soloing more like a horn player), Webster’s soloing, landmark orchestrations, and unforgettable melodies came together to establish the reputation of, and build the audience for Ellington and his orchestra for years to come. A number of the compositions that Ellington recorded with this band have either become classics and part of the Great American Standard repertoire or highly regarded pieces in the jazz lexicon including: “In A Mellow Tone,” “I Got It Bad,” “Perdido,” “Chelsea Bridge,” “C Jam Blues,” “Ko-Ko,” “Harlem Airshaft,” “Concerto For Cootie.”

A Journey in the Groove: The Thought, Magic and Soul of a Jazz Performance - Don Braden (Workshop) - Herald Sq Suite, New Yorker Hotel (Don Braden is a Keilwerth Saxophone Artist)

      Can the experience of a Jazz concert be enhanced by more information about what’s happening on the bandstand? Absolutely! Award winning saxophonist, composer and educator Don Braden (and his group) gives an insider’s view of Jazz music, demystifying some of its essential elements. They will take the listeners on the “Journey in the Groove” in a clear and descriptive way, breaking down the sounds, rhythms, tunes, solos, song choices and more, and will give a look into what Jazz musicians really reach for when they improvise.

Juilliard Student Ensemble (Performance) - Manhattan Center Studio 6

 
Future of Jazz Publishing (Panel); Marc Ostrow, (GM, Boosey & Hawkes), Adina Williams (Boosey & Hawkes), Plus Special Guest Composer Murray Hill Suite, 4th Fl, New Yorker;

      Boosey & Hawkes, the leading independent classical music publisher which represents the works of John Adams, Bartók, Bernstein, Copland, Meredith Monk, Rachmaninoff, Steve Reich and Stravinsky, has now gotten into the jazz business. Signing seminal figures and catalogs from the world of jazz to its composer roster—David Benoit, Chick Corea, Andrew Hill and the Second Floor Music catalog—B&H is a pioneering force in the field of jazz publishing.
     Come hear Marc Ostrow, General Manager of B&H, Inc., who has led Boosey’s expansion into Jazz, and Adina Williams, the company’s first-ever jazz specialist, joined by a special guest composer, speak about this groundbreaking jazz initiative as well as the ins and outs of the world of publishing. A Q&A will follow the dialogue—so if you have any burning questions about publishing, this is your opportunity to learn more. B&H Jazz goody bags (first-come, first-serve).

 
Working With Max Roach, Art Blakey & Elvin Jones - Avery Sharpe. Sutton Place Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      Avery Sharpe began playing with Max Roach and Archie Shepp when he was a student at the University of Massachusetts in the 1970s. At that time he studied with Reggie Workman, and played with Wynton Marsalis and Pat Metheny. Sharpe has gone on to play with an array of influential jazz artists including George Benson, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Cab Callaway, Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy Gillespie, along with McCoy Tyner, in whose trio he was an integral member for 17 years. He has recorded a number of albums, and most recently began releasing his own albums on his own label, JKNM.

FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 11:00 AM

 
Winard Harper Sextet (Performance) - Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom                        

Winard Harper, drums, balafon; Ameen Saleem, bass; Sean Higgins, piano; Josh Evans, trumpet, Stacey Dillard, tenor sax, Alioune Faye, African percussion

 
Cuba: The Great Encounter + 30 (Panel) - Paquito D’Rivera, Ray Mantilla, Arnold J. Smith, moderator; Gramercy Park Park Suite, New Yorker Hotel

       In 1977 Pres. Jimmy Carter initiated --some say surreptitiously-- entree to Cuba’s dictator Fidel Castro. What better to pry open the door than jazz. After all, it worked during the Iron Curtain era, so why not in Cuba where there was already a burgeoning Afro-Latin-Jazz community. Carter opted for a cruise ship, the Greek Line’s Daphne, and musicians who had Latin-ed connections --Dizzy Gillespie (Chano Pozo) & Stan Getz (Charlie Byrd)--alongside legends Earl ‘Fatha’ Hines and Lionel Hampton. No one is sure why Hamp backed out; some say a better gig, others say politics. A fortuitous cancellation, that, for David Amram whose own African & Latin roots run deep & long. Among the musicians Amram brought along was one of our panelists veteran congero Ray Mantilla.

      While in Havana the North Americanos were introduced to Irakere, a fusion band, members of which have become household names here thanks to tapes which were brought back to the U.S.A - trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, pianist/composer Chucho Valdes and our other panelist, reedman Paquito D’Rivera. There were concerts and jam sessions. Dizzy even paid a house visit, a definite no-no, while others left Cuba Tour to travel by vintage ‘50s taxis and mingle w/the locals. Strictly verboten! Moderator Arnold Jay Smith was also aboard the Daphne’s New Orleans-departure w/a free writing hand & cameras. Articles & photos appeared in Down Beat, Variety, Billboard, Newsday, Nuestro and the New York Times. In addition to being a journalist, Mr. Smith teaches Jazz History at New Jersey City University after 26 years of his Jazz Insights sessions at the New School. He is also a contributing author.

What Is or Isn’t Jazz (Panel) - Ira Gitler, Will Friedwald, Stix Hooper; Herald Sq Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      The many genres that fall under the jazz banner provide fuel for some fans, artists, educators and others to take a stance about what should or should not be considered jazz. It is understood that improvisation is certainly an identifying element about the music. In the 1970s when bands like Return To Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report and others were playing music that did not have a swing groove in the rhythm section and might have been exploring areas other than traditional song forms and harmonic structures, some fans and musicians argued that the music was a sellout and therefore not jazz. Today, there are many more influences from around the world impacting jazz artists and the resultant sounds. For some ears these influences are enhancing the possibilities and for others diluting them. Smooth jazz, which some consider the contemporary equivalent of easy listening is not necessarily characterized by elements, or as many of them , or the intensity that mainstream and fusion jazz fans expect. Is it jazz? What exactly is or isn’t jazz? Ira Gitler attended recording sessions by such masters as Sonny Rollins and Charlie Parker and has been on the spot and heard thousands of essential performances for the past 60 or more. Jazz journalist, author and New York Sun columnist, Will Friedwald will add his perspective to the mix. Drummer, producer and jazz advocate Stix Hooper will be on hand to bring his unique perspectives to the table for this lively discussion.

 
Justice For Jazz Artists: Access to Union Health and Pension Funds (Panel) - Bob Cranshaw, Jimmy Owens, Bill Dennison, VP Local 802 AFM; Murray Hill Suite, 4th Fl, New Yorker.

      Bob Cranshaw and Jimmy Owens have each performed with scores of leading artists in and out of jazz, along with having logged innumerable recordings sessions, jingles, TV shows and more. Both were members of the Billy Taylor Orchestra on the David Frost Shows in the 1960s and 1970s. They are also among the most dedicated and knowledgeable professionals about the many benefits that the musician’s union (which in New York is AFM Local 802) offers working musicians. With musicians often being more preoccupied with practicing and performing, essential mechanisms to help them protect their personal, financial and health interests are overlooked. This informative session, including Vice President Bill Dennison of Local 802, will share the many possibilities that the union can offer musicians.

 
Promote Yourself - How To Get Exposure For Your Music & Career (Workshop) - Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services; Sutton Place Suite, New Yorker Hotel.

      Learn from an industry pro how to create a marketing plan that will get your music noticed by the press, radio and industry. Jim Eigo is a jazz industry veteran with a wealth of hands-on experience. His Jazz Promo Services Company provides publicity for the Iridium Jazz Club, Highlights In Jazz, Cornelia Street Café, Jazz Museum In Harlem, independent record companies IPO Recordings, Soundbrush Records and Zoho Music, as well as a number of artist-owned labels like Dom Minasi’s CDM Records and drummer Pete Zimmer’s Tippin Records.


Chembo Corniel - Virgin Megastores - Union Square Store (14th Street & Broadway). This performance is open to the general public.  Chembo Corniel, percussion; with quintet
 

Dave Frank - Solo Piano (Performance) - Manhattan Center - TV Studio 6

Mike Gellar (Performance) - Manhattan Ctr Lounge Jazz Club. Mike Gellar, guitar; with others

 

FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 12:00 PM

Working with Dizzy Gillespie (Panel) - Mike Longo; Charli Persip; Gramercy Park Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      In 1966 Mike Longo was working with a group that included bassist Paul Chambers and trumpeter Roy Eldridge. Eldridge brought Dizzy Gillespie down to hear Mike, and Diz hired him virtually on the spot. Mike worked with Dizzy for a number of years and the relationship continued right up until Dizzy’s death in 1993. Charli Persip played in Dizzy Gillespie’s big band and small groups that recorded for Verve in the 1950s. Persip’s driving big band approach was an ideal foundation for Dizzy’s classic arrangements and powerful solos. In this session, Mike and Charli will share stories, anecdotes about Dizzy and the wisdom he shared with them about music, business, and life in general.
 

Everyone’s Opinion Counts-2 (Panel) - Herald Sq Suite, New Yorker Hotel; Eric Jackson, WBGH, Boston; Brad Stone, KSJS, San Jose; Tom Mallison, WTEB, North Carolina; Ed Trefzger, Jazzweek

      Take any two or more people and they are going to have some different opinions about everything - including music. To be fair, everyone’s opinion is as important as the next person’s - whether it be the industry expert, musician, or the fan - the “expert” who bought the recording. A journalist or radio may receive more recordings, but because he or she likes something more doesn’t necessarily mean that the listener will or should. Not surprisingly, often the most important opinion to many people is their own. Music grabs people or it doesn’t – and over time we can all develop greater attraction or become less interested in certain music. Opinions change. In this “congress” of radio programmers, on-air personalities and listeners, random CDs will be played and comments from the public and radio programmers and on-air personalities are entertained.

 
Manhattan School of Music Jazz Orchestra featuring Dave Liebman performing Gil Evans’ “Porgy & Bess Suite”- Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom

 
Ken Hatfield Quartet (Performance) - Manhattan Ctr Lounge Jazz Club. Ken Hatfield, guitar; Rob Thomas, violin; Harvie S, bass; Vanderlei Pereira, drums

Ornette Coleman Ensemble, Directed by Jane Ira Bloom, New School of Music (Performance); Manhattan Center Studio 6

New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music faculty member Jane Ira Bloom (saxophonists/ composer/ producer) leads the school’s Ornette Coleman ensemble through some of the music by this ground-breaking composer and performer.

 
Sax and the Solo Singer (Workshop) - Don Braden (Keilwerth Saxophone Artist), Ellen Johnson; Murray Hill Suite, 4th Fl, New Yorker Hotel

      Pres and Lady Day, Ella and Louis, Houston and Etta... Jazz is full of examples of divine interactions between vocalists and horn players that historically have emulated and complemented each other. This workshop explores this unique relationship through techniques and specific practices designed to promote greater musical communication and expression. Tenor saxophonist Don Braden and vocalist Ellen Johnson open with a song that clearly defines and demonstrates the techniques and styles of the horn player and vocalist relationship before discussing performance issues from both individual perspectives.

        
ASCAP Presents: “Dr. Billy Taylor Interviews Today’s Emerging Jazz Artists?” - Sutton Place Suite, New Yorker Hotel

In this session, Billy Taylor interviews a handful of talented, young award-winning jazz composers. This is sure to be an interesting dialogue as Dr. Billy Taylor encompasses that rare combination of creativity, intelligence, vision, commitment and leadership—qualities that make him one of our most cherished national treasures. The distinguished ambassador of the jazz community to the world-at-large, Taylor’s recording career spans nearly six decades. He has composed over 350 songs, as well as works for theatre, dance and symphony orchestras. Playing the piano professionally since 1944, Taylor got his start with Ben Webster’s Quartet on New York’s famed 52^nd Street. He then served as the house pianist at Birdland, the legendary jazz club where he performed with such celebrated masters as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. Taylor has also hosted and programmed such radio stations WLIB and WNEW in New York, as well as an award-winning series for National Public Radio. In the early 1980s, Taylor became the arts correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning.

 

FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 1:00 PM 

 
Genius of Charlie Parker - His Life & Music (Panel) - Gramercy Park Suite, New Yorker Hotel;

      Ira Gitler not only was on the scene to hear Charlie Parker, but he was also at the recording session where Sonny Rollins and “Bird” both appeared in the early 1950s. Having written thousands of articles, reviews and liner notes, Ira has a wealth of understanding to contribute to this discussion about one of the archetypal figures in jazz.  Stanley Crouch is completing an extensive book about Charlie Parker. Together these two journalists will shed light on “Bird” – his difficult personal life and his immense talent as an innovative shaper of the style of jazz known as bebop that emerged in the 1940s. Jimmy Heath was on the scene when Parker was at his peak. Parker would visit the Heath household when he was performing in Philadelphia. Jimmy, of course, eventually got the nickname “Little Bird” attributable to the musical connections.

 
Miles Davis Retrospective (Panel) - Bob Belden, arranger, saxophonist, Producer; Todd Coolman, bassist, Director Jazz Studies, Purchase College; Herald Sq Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      Bob Belden will discuss his experiences working on the reissues of Miles Davis’ voluminous output on Columbia Records in the 1950s and 1960s. Todd Coolman’s research, analysis and understanding of the Miles Davis Quintet 1965-68 were the basis for his doctoral thesis, and the foundation that led to his writing the liner notes to that box set. Together these two, who are both authorities on Miles’ music, and among the most respected and experienced players – Todd on bass, and Bob on sax and as a prolific arranger - provide another perspective on the innovative trumpet stylist and bandleader and shaper of musical directions – Miles Davis. Miles’ music was a “director” and “producer” on stage and in the recording studio - putting the ingredients together in extraordinary ways. Attend and find out all about it.

 
Jackie Ryan Quintet (Performance) - Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom. Jackie Ryan, vocals; Eric Alexander, tenor sax; Xavier Davis, piano; Ben Wolfe bass; Ulysses Owens drums

 
Bob DeVos (Performance) - Manhattan Center Lounge Jazz Club. Bob DeVos, guitar; Steve Johns, drums; Dan Kostelnik, B3 organ

 
Chris Cortez Quartet (Performance), Manhattan Center Studio 6. Chris Cortez, guitar; Joel Fulghum, drums; Glen Ackerman, bass; Woody Witt, sax

 
What’s The Purpose: The Aesthetics of Music Performance & Comp (Panel) - Onaje Alan Gumbs, Avery Sharpe; Murray Hill Suite, 4th Fl, New Yorker Hotel

      Is there something missing in certain music? Some listeners and artists contend that what’s missing in the music is melody. Some say that jazz and the array of styles it represents has become less about the melody and the subtleties that make it breathe than about astonishing acrobatic instrumental ability. Has the music shifted to be about the musician as opposed to the music? Has celebrity taken on a greater role for artists? Has that quest for celebrity pushed aside the foundational commitment of artists playing the role of being conduits for expressing the music, sounds, and messages? Onaje Alan Gumbs and Avery Sharpe discuss the current realities, possibilities, challenges, frustrations and hope.
      Onaje Allan Gumbs is one of the industry’s most respected and talented musical collaborators. He has worked for more than 30 years with an illustrious list of jazz, R&B and pop artists. He has performed with as well as being a contributing composer on albums with such artists as Woody Shaw, Buster Williams, Cecil McBee, Betty Carter.

                
Jazz Biographies: What Works & What Doesn’t (Panel) - Sutton Place Suite, New Yorker Hotel; Ashley Kahn, author (moderator), Dan Morgenstern, Nate Chinen, Matthew Shipp, pianist, Michelle Mercer (author Footprints, The Life and Music of Wayne Shorter)

      This is a panel for the readers, rather than the writers, which focuses on the idea that writing history is always a subjective act. Therefore the question: what is the most valuable way of approaching this act? The panel is comprised of biographer Dan Morgenstern, pianist Matthew Shipp, journalist Nate Chinen, Ashley Kahn and Michelle Mercer. Beginning with a brief PowerPoint presentation on how three different writers approach the same event – say Ornette Coleman’s NYC debut at the Five Spot jazz club in the late 1950s, or Miles going electric in the late 1960s – the panelists will issue brief statements and then take questions from the audience, focusing their discussion on what the jazz consumer wants to talk and hear about.

 

FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 2:00 PM 

 
Jody Espina (Performance) - Manhattan Ctr Lounge Jazz Club

 
Bobby Sanabria Big Band (Performance) - Manhattan Center Studio 6. Grammy-Nominated Bobby Sanabria Big Band

 
Singers vs. Musicians: Is There a Difference? (Panel) - Murray Hill Suite, 4th Fl, New Yorker; Veronica Nunn, Travis Shook  

      Since the 1960s a divergence has appeared between musicians and vocalists. This open panel discussion will explore how and why this split has appeared. Is the gulf widening or narrowing? The speakers will also discuss why singers are no longer incorporated into an instrumental set. Is the melody, or lack thereof, in much of modern jazz a factor in musicians’ perception of singers? Will singers always call a ballad when they get on stage at a jam session? Through dialogue, the discussion will go where no musician has gone before – into the mind of the jazz vocalist – to find out if they are really musicians or just “chick singers” (even if they are a guy).

              
Robert MacGregor Group (Performance) - Tir Na Nog Rest. (JI Jazz Club). Robert MacGregor, alto sax; Miro Sprague, piano; Perry Wortman, bass; Will Clark, drums

 

FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 2:30 PM

Sun Ra Arkestra (Performance) - Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom

 

FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 3:00 PM

 
Dave Burrell Interprets Jelly Roll Morton - Gramercy Park Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      New Orleans pianist and composer Jelly Roll Morton, considered a cornerstone of piano and ensemble jazz, continues to inspire improvised music. Dave Burrell has recently performed Morton’s compositions at Library of Congress and Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. collaborating with jazz historian/author John Szwed. In 1991 Burrell recorded “Jelly Roll Joys” (Gazell, USA) that also includes some of his original rags. Burrell will explain the similarities and differences in rhythms and melodies in Morton’s compositions. He will demonstrate a 16-bar strain, emphasizing the interaction of bass line, harmony and melody. Burrell will perform Jelly Roll Morton’s “The Crave,” “New Orleans Blues” and “Frog-i- More Rag” along with several of his original compositions influenced by Morton.

 
Frank Wess: In Person Interview - Herald Sq Suite, New Yorker Hotel

In this live interview, Frank Wess, one of the great living woodwind artists - flute, tenor and alto sax – will share some of the many experiences that have been a part of his fascinating journey. Frank Wess was born in Kansas City and moved to Washington DC as a teen. After World War II, he joined the Billy Eckstine Orchestra. Wess played with Count Basie from 1953-64, where his approach on tenor sax, influenced by Lester Young, was a foil for bandmate Frank Foster’s more  driving approach. Frank Wess worked with a whose who of jazz artists in small group and big band settings include Clark Terry, Billy Taylor, Benny Carter, Mel Torme, Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra, Roland Hanna, Kenny Barron and many more. After leaving Basie, he became an essential player on the New York studio scene. He was a staff musician for ABC Television, for the Dick Cavett Show and for the David Frost Show, with the Billy Taylor Orchestra, in addition to having played in Broadway pit bands. He also played lead in the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra during the 1990s onward.

E. J. Decker Quartet (Performance) - Manhattan Ctr Lounge Jazz Club. E.J. Decker, vocals; Les Kurtz, piano; Bob Kindred, tenor sax; Gene Perla, bass; Jacob Melchior, drums.

Jimmy Bruno Trio (Performance) - Manhattan Center Studio 6. Jimmy Bruno, guitar; Sid Simmons, piano; Craig Thomas, bass; Webb Thomas, drums

 
Big Band Drumming & My Association with Mel Lewis: Tim Horner (Discussion) - Murray Hill Suite, 4th Fl, New Yorker Hotel.                      

      Tim discusses his close association with Mel Lewis, one of the great big band drummers whose unique sound, choice of cymbals, impeccable time, and masterful understanding of being an accompanist drove the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Big Band, Terry Gibbs Big Band, Stan Kenton and many others. For over twenty years, Tim has developed his own skills as one of the most respected accompanists for big bands, vocalists and leading jazz artists. In this discussion, Tim also offers tips and suggestions to drummers about the role of the big band drummer, developing solid time-keeping skills, reading charts, kicking the band, fills, solos, and listening to complement and support the band and the soloists.

 
Duke Ellington - The Columbia Years 1950s-60s (Panel) - George Avakian, David Berger, Arnold J. Smith, moderator; Sutton Place Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      During the 1950s and 1960s Duke Ellington and His Orchestra recorded a number of noteworthy albums for Columbia. Among those was Ellington at Newport 1956, which featured a monumental solo on Ellington’s “Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue” which ignited the crowd and was somewhat of a turning point for Ellington – reinvigorating public interest and record sales. During that Columbia period Ellington also recorded the Duke Ellington Meets Count Basie album, pitting the two big bands opposite each other. Other recordings from the period included the soundtrack to Anatomy of a Murder, Such Sweet Thunder, Black Brown and Beige and others. Producer George Avakian and arranger, composer and historian David Berger will speak about this fascinating period, along with Arnold J. Smith.

 
Bill Stevens Quartet (Performance) - Tir Na Nog Rest. (JI Jazz Club)

 

FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 3:30 PM

 
Eddie Gomez & Mark Kramer (Workshop & Performance) - Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom. Eddie Gomez, bass; Mark Kramer, piano

 

FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 4:00 PM

 
Buddy Rich - 50 Years with the Worlds Greatest Drummer (Panel) - Freddie Gruber, Stanley Kay, Steve Peck

Gramercy Park Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      Buddy Rich continues to be the inspiration for many musicians and especially drummers – including many who were not around to see him perform alive. Rich started his career as “Traps the Drum Wonder” traveling with his parents’ vaudeville act. He went on to play in the big bands Artie Shaw, Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, performed and recorded with many of the jazz icons from the 1940s onward – including Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and more. In 1965 he organized the big band that would continue until his death in 1987. Oliver Nelson, Bill Holman, Bill Potts, Bill Reddie, John LaBarbera were among the many top arrangers that contributed to the exciting repertoire for which he became known – including his signature piece, “West Side Story Suite.” With astonishing technique on drums, a quick wit, Rich was an attraction in clubs and concert halls, and a frequent guest on The Tonight Show, hosted by his friend Johnny Carson. Stanley Kay met Buddy Rich when he was still a teenager in New York. A few years younger than Rich, Stanley became the backup drummer in Rich’s earlier bands, and served as his manager for many years, including establishing the club, Buddy’s Place. Freddie Gruber, drum teacher to many of today’s top players, carried on a lifelong friendship with Buddy Rich and often traveled with the band. Steve Peck worked as Buddy’s manager/road manager for the last thirteen years of Buddy’s life.Putting these three friends together is certain to produce a lively discussion and much more.

 
Clifford Jordan - His Life & Music (Panel) - Charles Davis, Dizzy Reece, Randy Weston; Herald Sq Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      The unique and identifiable voice of Clifford Jordan on tenor sax lit up the bands and recordings of some of the most formidable jazz artists from the 1950s forward. Jordan, who hailed from Chicago, recorded his first three albums as a leader for Blue Note in the 1950s. He went on to play with Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Horace Silver, J.J.Johnson, Kenny Dorham, Cedar Walton and others. He led a big band for a number of years around New York. His extensive discography spans the catalogs of a number of record labels including Riverside, Strata East, Muse, Steeplechase, Criss Cross, Milestone and others. In this session, Dizzy Reece, Charles Davis and Randy Weston, three of Clifford’s closest friends and professional associates will share their experiences with one of the great jazz sax players of the last 50 years.

 
Harvie S Trio  Manhattan Center Studio 6. Harvie S, bass; Enrique Haneine, piano; David Rosenblatt, drums

 
Ron Blake: Developing Practice Routines (Keilwerth Saxophones) - Murray Hill Suite, 4th Fl, New Yorker. Ron Blake, saxophones

Currently, Ron Blake is member of the Saturday Night Live TV Show band, playing sax and flute, and he records for Mack Avenue Records. In this clinic Ron will discuss how through development of a journal performers can learn how to be more effective and efficient, consolidating certain areas allowing more time to enjoy the creative process. He will also address the idea of incorporating techniques based on long tone exercises to cover the essentials of wind instrument performance including: listening, breathing, interpretation, articulation, dexterity, and dynamics. 

 
Can You Make A Living In Jazz? Yes! (Presented by Manhattan School of Music) (Panel) - Sutton Place Suite, New Yorker Hotel; Manhattan School of Music Faculty                       

      If there is anyone else in the world doing what you want to do, positive thinking says that given commitment, and emotional drive, ongoing focus and effort that we all have the potential to achieve what we want. Every day, musicians are making a living in jazz playing, composing and arranging, and teaching. A group of some of the illustrious faculty of artists who teach at The Manhattan School of Music will share ideas about the possibilities now and in the future, and what aspirers and industry participants can do to experience success.

   
Claire Daly - RAH! RAH! Band - Rahsaan Roland Kirk Project (Performance) - Tir Na Nog Rest. (JI Jazz Club).  Claire Daly, baritone sax; Eli Yamin, piano; Dave Hofstra, bass; Peter Grant, drums; plus surprises

 

FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 5:00 PM

 
John Coltrane: The Way In (Panel) - Ashley Kahn, author (moderator), Dave Liebman, Sonny Fortune; Gramercy Park Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      A discussion of John Coltrane’s entire oeuvre, kicking off with the fundamental question: Is it necessary to listen to the entire output of Coltrane’s music – even his most dense and challenging creations from the later years – to truly appreciate Coltrane? What is the best path to understanding his genius? Did he ever make mistakes? Two influential saxophonists – Dave Liebman and Sonny Fortune - who have been most profoundly influenced by Coltrane and who are able to express their understandings musically and verbally, will discuss Coltrane’s impact and answer these questions.

 
The Real World (Panel) - Todd Coolman, Bill Charlap, Terrel Stafford, Brian Camelio; Herald Sq Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      To bring to life some of the perspectives and understandings that are foundational elements of his regular column in Jazz Improv Magazine, Todd Coolman has assembled a panel of experts to discuss the challenges of getting creative music out to the public. The scene is changing in many ways, and creative artists will need to change “marketing strategies” if they and their music are to survive. Come and listen to these authorities illuminate many facets of this subject.

      David Liebman’s career has spanned well over three decades, beginning in the 1970s as the saxophonist in both the Elvin Jones and Miles Davis Groups. He has played on nearly three hundred recordings with one hundred under his leadership or co-leadership, and is the author of several books including Self Portrait of a Jazz Artist, a Chromatic Approach to Jazz Harmony and Melody,

      Brian Camelio is currently the CEO of ArtistShare, a unique business model in which fans fund the projects of their favorite artists in exchange for access to the artists creative process. Since its launch in October of 2003, ArtistShare has attracted some of the industry’s top artists.

      Terell Stafford has been hailed as “one of the great players of our time, a fabulous trumpet player” by piano legend McCoy Tyner. He has performed with groups such as Benny Golson’s Sextet, McCoy Tyner’s Sextet, the Kenny Barron Sextet, the Frank Wess Quintet, the Jimmy Heath Big Band, and the Jon Faddis Orchestra. He has recorded four albums as a leader and is heard on over 40 albums as a sideman. Stafford currently holds the position of Director of Jazz Studies at Temple University in Philadelphia.

      Bill Charlap, pianist, has played with Phil Woods, Gerry Mullkigan and numerous others. His long-time trio includes Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington. Bill Charlap records for Blue Note Records.

      Todd Coolman, is a Grammy award-winning bassist, and among the more in-demand musicians on the New York music scene today.  Since moving to New York in 1978, he has performed and/or recorded with a virtual “who’s who” of jazz artists including Horace Silver, Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, Benny Golson, Art Farmer, Tommy Flanagan, Lionel Hampton, Benny Goodman, and numerous others.  Today, Todd is actively performing with an impressive array of artists including James Moody, Renee Rosnes, Charles McPherson, and The Jon Faddis Quartet and Jazz Orchestra. He has recorded two CDs as a leader, Tomorrows and Lexicon, the latter featuring guest artist Joe Henderson. In addition to his busy performing schedule, Todd Coolman is Director of Jazz Studies at Purchase College (SUNY) and has authored two books, The Bass Tradition and The Bottom Line.  Among several academic honors, Todd holds a Ph.D in music from New York University.

 
Mark Sherman Quintet (Performance) - Manhattan Center TV Studio 6. Mark Sherman, vibes; Joe Magnarelli, trumpet; Allen Farnham, piano; Dean Johnson, bass; Tim Horner, drums.

 
The Art of Blakey (Panel) - Valery Ponomarev, Dave Schnitter, Javon Jackson; Sutton Place Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      Trumpeter Valery Ponomarev and saxophonist Dave Schnitter played with a late 1970s edition of Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers. Javon Jackson was among the later members of Blakey’s assemblage before he died. The three will share their first hand experience s performing with Blakey, his leadership approach, the advice and wisdom he provided verbally and otherwise, along with how Blakey helped, influenced, shaped, and opened doors for their music and careers.

 
Willie Martinez & La Familia Sextet (Performance) - Tir Na Nog Rest. (JI Jazz Club). Willie Martinez, drums; Nicki Denner, piano; Jennifer Vincent, bass; Max Schweiger, baritone sax; J. Walton Hawkes, trombone

 
Clave – The Key: A Rhythmic Journey from Africa to the New World (Workshop) - Bobby Sanabria; Murray Hill Suite, 4th Fl, New Yorker Hotel

      Multiple Grammy-nominated drummer, percussionist, arranger, composer, and bandleader Bobby Sanabria uses the 5-beat rhythm of the clave (the rhythmic pattern and unifying principle of Cuban son, rumba, and contemporary salsa) as the “key” to unlock the roots of Afro-Cuban music and demonstrate its presence in the music of the present-day United States. Against the on-going beat of the clave, Sanabria plays complex rhythms on various percussion instruments culminating on the drum set. Sanabria will also address the history of the Afro-Cuban jazz continuum through archival film footage and demonstrate the impact that all Latin American music forms have had on U.S. culture, followed by a lively question and answer session.

 

FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 6:00 PM

 
Roseanna Vitro (Performance) - Manhattan Center Studio 6. Roseanana Vitro, vocals; Mark Soskin, piano.

 
ii-V-I, Turnarounds, Cycle of Fourths: Practical Applications (Workshop) - T.K. Blue; Murray Hill Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      The harmonic progression of the second scale degree chord to the fifth scale degree chord (the Dominant) to the “one” (the tonic) chord is prevalent in innumerable songs in the repertoire of Great American Songbook and jazz standards. The ability to create improvised solos that embody strong melodies, that are a result of playing what you hear and sing, and are strongly musical rather tan solely technical is in part a function of developing a deep understanding of harmony and flexibility to be able to work with the elements of the “ii-V-I”

               
The Influence of Sun Ra (Panel) - Marshall Allen, saxophonist, Arkestra leader; Danny Thompson, John Szwed; Sutton Place Suite, New Yorker Hotel  

      Marshall Allen (Musical Director of Sun Ra Arkestra) and Danny Thompson (Band Manager) draw upon their combined 82 years of experience in the Arkestra to answer questions regarding Sun Ra’s influence on them. Marshall will discuss the Ra influence on his original compositions now performed by the Arkestra, his leadership of the current Arkestra, and how Ra influenced his life. Since Marshall Allen was historically the first musician to ever play free on the saxophone, the initial audition and interaction with Sun Ra when joining the Arkestra in 1958 along with how Sun Ra wrote and arranged compositions featuring Marshall provide for plenty of discussion.

 
George Colligan Trio (Performance) - Tir Na Nog Rest. (JI Jazz Club). George Colligan, piano; with bass and drums

Bob DeVos Trio (High Note Records) Virgin Megastores - Union Square Store (14th Street & Broadway). This performance is open to the general public. Bob DeVos, guitar; Dan Kostelnik, B-3 organ; Steve Johns, drums. 

FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 6:30 PM

Joe’s Strokes: The Brush Patterns of Philly Joe Jones (Workshop), Bruce Jackson - Herald Sq Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      Bruce offers a presentation of brush strokes and their application as developed by Philly Joe Jones. Adapted from his rare publication “Brush Artistry” (out of print for almost 40 years), Bruce Jackson will discuss and demonstrate Jones’ innovative brush patterns in a unique and entertaining format. Among the topics to be discussed are: the book, “Brush Artistry,” by Philly Joe Jones – what it is, how it works, and why it remains out of print; the simple principals of brush playing and how they will apply to the techniques being demonstrated; and, why competent brush playing should be in every drummer’s arsenal. If you’ve ever heard Philly Joe or anyone he’s inspired and wondered how they got that great brush sound, this workshop is for you.
 

FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 7:00 PM

 
Avery Sharpe Trio (Performance) - Manhattan Center Studio 6. Avery Sharpe, bass; Onaje Allen Gumbs, piano, Winard Harper, drums.

 
Purchase Endeavor   (Performance) - Tir Na Nog Rest. (JI Jazz Club)

      The PJE is a specialized student combo representing some of the outstanding students from the Purchase College (SUNY) Jazz Studies Program, assembled each semester by faculty mentors Todd Coolman and Jon Faddis

  

FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 8:00 PM

 
Geri Allen Trio (Performance) - Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom. Geri Allen piano, Kassa Overall, drums

 
Ron Kaplan with Ted Curson (Performance) - Gramercy Park Suite, New Yorker Hotel. Ron Kaplan, vocals; Harvie S, bass; Vince Ector, drums; Ted Curson, trumpet

 
Mike Longo Trio (Performance) - Herald Sq Suite, New Yorker Hotel. Mike Longo, piano; with bass and drums

 
Mark Elf Trio (Performance) - Manhattan Center Studio 6. Mark Elf guitar, Neil Miner, bass, Quincy Davis, drums

 
B.D. Lenz Quintet (Sponsored by Apria Records) (Performance) - Tir Na Nog Rest. (JI Jazz Club). B.D. Lenz, guitar; James Rococha, bass; Tom Cottone, drums; Geoff Mattoon, sax; Nick Rolfe, keyboard
 

FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 9:00 PM

 
Jimmy Heath Big Band (Performance) - Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom. Jimmy Heath, tenor saxophone, leader, arranger with Lewis Nash, drums; Antonio Hart, alto sax and others

 
Eric Muhler Trio (Performance) - Gramercy Park Suite. Eric Muhler, piano; with bass and drums

 
Roni Ben-Hur Trio (Performance) - Herald Sq Suite, New Yorker Hotel. Roni Ben-Hur, guitar; with bass and drums

 
Carli Munoz Trio (Performance) - Manhattan Center Studio 6. Carli Munoz, piano; Elias Santos Celpa, acoustic bass; Gonzalo Sifre, drums

 
J.D. Allen Trio (Performance) - Tir Na Nog Rest. (JI Jazz Club). J.D. Allen, tenor sax; Gregg August, bass; Marcus Gilmore, drums

FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 10:00 PM

 
Pat Martino Quartet (Performance) - Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom. Pat Martino, guitar; Rick Germanson, piano; Paul Gill, bass; Scott Robinson, drums

 
Vic Juris Trio (Performance) - Gramercy Park Suite, New Yorker Hotel. Vic Juris, guitar; Jay Anderson, bass; Tim Horner, drums.

 
Sue Terry Blueseum Project (Performance) – Herald Sq Suite, New Yorker Hotel. Sue Terry, saxophones, flute; Tim Price, saxophones

 
Onaje Allan Gumbs Trio  (Performance) - Manhattan Center Studio 6. Onaje Allan Gumbs, piano; Avery Sharpe, bass; Winard Harper, drums

 
TO BE ANNOUNCED – Tir Na Nog

FRIDAY, October 26, 2007 – 11:00 PM
 

McCoy Tyner All Star Trio (Performance) - Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom. McCoy Tyner, piano; Stanley Clarke, bass; Jack DeJohnette, drums.
 

Saltman-Knowles Trio (Performance) - Gramercy Park Suite, New Yorker Hotel. Mark Saltman, bass; Lori Williams-Chisholm, vocals; Jimmy “Junebug” Jackson, drums; William A. Knowles, piano.

Pete Malinverni (Performance) - Herald Sq Suite, New Yorker Hotel. Pete Malinverni, piano; with bass and drums
 

Don Braden 4 (Performance) - Manhattan Center Studio 6. Don Braden, tenor sax; George Colligan, piano; Joris Teepe, bass, Cecil Brooks, drums

Kate Baker (Performance) - Tir Na Nog Rest. (JI Jazz Club). Kate Baker, vocals; with piano, bass, drums

FRIDAY into SATURDAY, October 27, 2007 – 12:00 AM

 
To be announced (Performance) - Tir Na Nog Rest. (JI Jazz Club)
 

VANDO JAM, Lead by Mark Gross - Manhattan Center Studio 6 

SATURDAY – October 27, 2007

 
SATURDAY, October 27, 2007 – 9:00 AM

 
Everyone’s Opinion Counts-1 (Panel) - Derrick Lucas, WGMC, Rochester, NY; Michael Valentine, WDNA, Miami; Tom Reney, WFCR, Amherst, MA; Gramercy Park Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      In this session, jazz radio programmers from stations around the country will listen to new CDs and comment on the music and why those recordings may or may not make it to the airwaves. The premise is that if you take any two or more people and they are going to have some different opinions about everything - including music. To be fair, everyone’s opinion is as important as the next person’s - whether it be the industry expert, musician, or the fan - the “expert” who bought the recording. A journalist or radio may receive more recordings, but because he or she likes something more doesn’t necessarily mean that the listener will or should. Not surprisingly, often the most important opinion to many people is their own. Music grabs people or it doesn’t – and over time we can all develop greater attraction or become less interested in certain music. Come to this session and take part in the process.

 
DPA Microphones: State of The Art Mics For Reproducing Jazz (Workshop) – Gary Baldassari; Herald Sq Suite, New Yorker Hotel.

      DPA Microphones A/S is a leading manufacturer of high quality condenser microphone solutions for professional applications. As the official microphone of Jazz Improv LIVE! 2007, performers and speakers will experience the advantage of reproducing and amplifying their acoustic instrument sounds with the most accurate reproduction possible. Audio professional Gary Baldassari will discuss a collection of Avant Garde jazz micing techniques from around the world that anyone can learn to use. They can be applied to practice, stage, and in the studio. DPA hopes to assist in an American Renaissance for jazz by stimulating musicians, engineers and audiences with 21st century microphone technology as applied to digital and analogue engineering. It is not just the notes of music that we are after, but the attitude and spirit of the performer can be included too. He will discuss each different instrument, plus small group & big band situations, and play samples.

 
TO BE ANNOUNCED (Performance) - Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom

Loren Schoenberg, sax, clarinet

 
The Language of Jazz – Learning to “Speak” (Workshop) – Russ Nolan; Murray Hill Suite, 4th Floor, New Yorker Hotel

      Just like English, Spanish, German, French, Latin, etc., Jazz is a language. Did your parents sit you down one day when you were a toddler and say, “OK, Son/Daughter, now we are going to teach you English”? NO! We all learned by listening to it since we were born, well before we understood what we were hearing. We could speak it before we knew what we were saying and before we could write it. Jazz is the same way—you just start listening to it, and then gradually figure out what it is you are actually listening to. Start imitating the jazz language (as you imitated your parents to learn to speak) by playing along with jazz recordings. Start listening to players like Louis Armstrong, Lester Young, Chet Baker. These legends are known for playing beautifully simple and melodic solos. Russ provides suggestions and starting points for beginning improvisers.

 

SATURDAY, October 27, 2007 – 10:00 AM

 
Eyes of the Masters (Presented by New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music) (Performance) - Gramercy Park Suite; Benny Powell, Chico Hamilton, Charli Persip

      Three illustrious members of the The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, who are also lifelong contributors to shaping this music, will share their experiences, perspectives.

      Charli Persip (drummer/author), with a long drumming career for several big band and post-bop ensembles, has showcased his unrelenting swing and dramatic accenting strokes that signify his style. Mr. Persip’s first major professional gig was in 1953 with Tad Dameron’s band. He was put to work later that year in Dizzy’s United Nation Orchestra and continued with Dizzy until 1958. In the late fifties and early sixties he worked with many great large bands and influential smaller groups such as Dinah Washington, Lee Morgan, Gil Evans, Eric Dolphy, and Roland Kirk. He also led his own band called The Jazz Statesmen with Freddie Hubbard and Ron Carter, releasing an album in 1960 called The Jazz Statesmen. In the 1970s, Mr. Persip is the drum instructor for Jazzmobile in New York and leads his own band big band. Mr. Persip is the author of How Not to Play the Drums.

      Benny Powell (trombonist/composer), having performed with King Kolax, Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, and Clifford Jordan, he is still best known for his 12-year tenure with the legendary Count Basie, and for his eight bar contribution to the Count’s hit, “April in Paris. He has worked extensively on Broadway, television, including The Merv Griffin Show and recordings. During the sixties and seventies, he was trombonist in Duke Pearson’s New York big band and in the renowned Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra.

      Chico Hamilton (drummer/composer/bandleader/producer/arranger), first performed as a youngster with schoolmates Dexter Gordon, Charles Mingus, and Illinois Jacquet in the 1930s. After working with jazz legends such as Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, Billie Holiday, and Count Basie, Mr. Hamilton released his first album as a leader in 1955, earning him the first of numerous Downbeat Readers’ Poll awards. That same year, he formed a groundbreaking jazz quintet combining his drums with cello, flute, guitar, and bass. He has introduced Jim Hall, Eric Dolphy, Larry Coryell, and Ron Carter and collaborated with the original Gerry Mulligan Quartet. He is a founding faculty member of The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music.

 
Jumping Into Jazz: ABRSM Makes It Happen (Workshop) – “Sweet” Sue Terry; Herald Sq Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      Sue will discuss The Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music music assessment-based program, designed for horn players, pianists and ensembles at beginner and intermediate levels. The ABRSM Jazz Program provides tools for developing complete musicians who can read, improvise, play by ear, identify rhythms and intervals, and play in tune with good tone quality, phrasing and feeling. She will talk about how jazz students of all ages can enjoy these opportunities for ensemble playing and soloing in a wide variety of styles including Rock, Latin and Swing. The benchmark assessment and curriculum was created by respected Jazz players and educators, and is currently being used in more than ninety countries.

 
Manhattan School - Latin Ensemble/Student Ensemble (Performance) - Manhattan Center Studio 6. Bobby Sanabria, Director

 
Jazz Artists As TV Studio Musicians (Panel) - Mark Pender, Conan O’Brien Show; Murray Hill Suite, 4th Fl, New Yorker

      In this session, trumpeter Mark Pender will discuss the benefits and challenges of being a jazz musician at heart with a steady job in a network television band. He’ll discuss what goes into preparing for each show, rehearsals, working with different celebrity guests, both musical and non-musical. How does the TV show schedule impact a TV studio musician’s practice schedule and opportunities to take other gigs. How does the very structured nature of the show, and musical limitations impact creativity? Find out from someone who is on TV every night of the week.

 
How To Get Ahead In This Jazz Business (Workshop/Discussion) - Sheila Anderson, author, WBGO On-air Host; Sutton Place Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      As Sheila points out “It’s Not Always About the Music.” This session will include tips on how to get ahead in this jazz business. She will share information garnered from the interviews in her book, How to Grow as a Musician: What All Musicians Must Know to Succeed. Topics include how to promote oneself, do you need a manager, performance and personal etiquette, surround yourself with the best, how to make connections, getting a job and keeping it, from sideman to leader and more.

 

SATURDAY, October 27, 2007 – 10:30 AM

Jimmy Bruno Guitar Workshop/Master Class (Workshop) Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom (Sponsored by Affiliated Artists)

      Master guitarist and jazz educator Jimmy Bruno will be sharing his insight and experiences and demonstrating some of his astonishing technique at this session. In 1973, Jimmy landed the gig with the Budd Rich Big Band. He went on to play guitar in orchestras for Frank Sinatra, Wayne Newton, Lena Horne, and many more music icons.  During his years as an LA session musician with Tommy Tedesco, Jimmy played on dozens of TV and film scores.  But his first love was always jazz. Since the 1990s he has recorded 13 albums for Concord, Mel Bay and his own label. Jimmy recently entered a third phase of his career when, in May of 2007, he opened the Jimmy Bruno Guitar Institute (JBGI), from which he teaches students from around the world.

 

SATURDAY, October 27, 2007 – 11:00 AM

Jack Kleinsinger’s Highlights In Jazz - 35 Years of NY’s Longest Running Jazz Concert Series Jack Kleinsinger (Interview/Discussion) - Herald Sq Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      Jack Kleinsinger began presenting jazz performance under the Highlights in Jazz banner in 1973, now the longest running jazz concert series in New York. In the ensuing 35 years, his presentations have featured virtually every genre of jazz, and many of the most influential artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Cab Calloway, Eubie Blake, Tito Puente, Clark Terry and others. He brought Maxine Sullivan out of retirement and she subsequently won two Grammy awards. Every one of the Highlights in Jazz concerts has a theme, and each performance includes a special surprise guest. He salutes a different artist every year, and he MCs all of his shows. Jack’s work is a model for the care, feeding and survival of a non-profit jazz p[resenting program. He has brought jazz to colleges, prisons and European audiences. After retiring from law in 1991, as a state prosecutor, he has devoted himself toward his passion for jazz. In this session, Jack discusses his associations with some of the great artists he has presented, along with sharing some of the many conversations he has had wit them, anecdotes, music, history and more that have made up the rich history of the Highlights in Jazz concert series.

 
Manhattan School - Latin Ensemble/Student Ensemble (Performance) - Manhattan Center Studio 6

 
Juilliard Jazz Faculty member Rodney Jones and the Juilliard Jazz Ensemble - Murray Hill Suite, 4th Fl, New Yorker Hotel   

Practice Smart  -  Not Just Hard! - Tools to help you get the most out of your practice time.

This workshop will focus on how to maximize your practice time to get the maximum result possible. Tools and tips for transcription, developing your time and time feel, repertoire, technique and time management will be covered in this skillshop. Students are encouraged to bring an open mind, and a notebook for this transformative skillshop. Learn what it takes to be the best that you can be and take your playing to the next level!

 
Keeping Jazz Radio Thriving with Steve Schwartz (WGBH);Larry Applebaum, WPFW Washington DC; Kim Lindsay (KUNV, Las Vegas); Blaise Lantana, (KJZZ, Phoenix)(Panel) - Sutton Place Suite, New Yorker Hotel

      Over the years, there have been a shrinking number of sources for jazz fans to be able hear music over the airwaves. While internet radio stations are being started for easy access by net surfers, if you want to hear jazz on the air, you’ll find it only on public radio stations and satellite and digital radio services such Sirius, XM, Music Choice – which are by paid subscription. In this  session, panelists will discuss how public radio stations stay alive and well? This is a discussion that everyone who loves jazz - whether you’re a fan, record label, artist or radio station – will want to