The popular Blue Note Jazz Club and Restaurant is finally re-opening their doors to jazz lovers and music enthusiasts alike, with a set capacity limit of 25 percent.
Promotion for Blue Note’s first night of re-opening.
I am very happy to announce that the Blue Note will reopen for dining this holiday season. The safety of our guests is our highest priority and our staff is working around the clock to ensure our guests have a comfortable dining experience.
Steven Bensusan, President of Blue Note Entertainent Group
Blue Note originally had to close because of the Covid-19 shutdown. Although they kept active by streaming live shows online, there’s nothing like an in-person jazz experience.
Starting Nov. 27, the club will provide dinner services for selected evenings from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., along with brunch on selected weekends from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dining packages will also be available to guests who want to experience the “magic of the holidays,” at Blue Note. The diners will be able to experience a list of respectable musicians while eating their meals.
The Greenwich Village club has been around for almost four decades. Opening in 1981, Blue Note became a center for culture and music in New York City. They are known as one of the premier jazz clubs in the world, where they strive to preserve the history of jazz. In the past, they featured renowned artists like, Chick Corea, Joe Lovano, John Scofield, and Chris Botti. The club also frequently promotes up-and-coming jazz, hip-hop, R&B and soul musicians.
Dining packages start at $45 per person, while livestream access is $10. Regardless of whether you would like to enjoy a meal in the presence of a jazz show or do the same thing from home, all the information and payments can be made at Blue Note’s website.
Incidental Music Calendar:
Maurice “Mobetta” Brown Residency – Nov 24, Dec 4, Dec 11, Dec 18
Eddie Palmieri Residency – Nov 28, Dec 5, Dec 12, Dec 19, Dec 26
Brooklyn based musical fusion, Shubh Saran, is Becoming a musical world map for genres. In a cell-phone driven society, you would open your GPS to navigate outward. Saran, 29, becomes a medium, channeling a multitude of genres inward and back out through his compositions. The Indian native fuses traditional music, with punk, blues, rock and his head-on studies in Jazz.
The Delhi high school student made Berklee dream come true, honed his passion amongst a “best-of-the-best” melting pot at the college. He has resided in multiple countries, grabbing musical influence at every turn, and it shows. Now calling New York home, Saran’s latest creation, Becoming, is a must explore.
The title track and lead single off the album was originally released Nov. 12, 2019.
The 5-track EP is an navigation to new color palettes that will re-texture the ears of the most seasoned listener. The goal is not a means to an end; It is an exposition of clashing sounds that provoke a journey of unforeseen turns.
Take The title track “Becoming” as example. Saran cresendos into a collapsing overture, filled with dual-drum-sets, arching strings and key pads. Everything peaks at once until Saran reels you back in with his ethereal guitar passage. It draws you into the basement of Berklee’s practice rooms and jam-sessions; the moment where you are sucked in reverse to the doorway, as an unknown musical fusion burst from its seams.
Pairs of drums, Saxophones and strings create a flam-like density. An illusion of the same track being overlapped in slight delay should sound abrasive yet this creates an ever-expanding feeling. The 5:09 track feels like one deep inhale. Its healing breath ends abruptly.
‘Becoming’ definitely wasn’t written as the single off the album, nor was the EP supposed to be named after the song, or vice versa. As I started writing it, though, I began to realize that this is the anthemic song that really sums up the whole message of the EP.”
Shubh Saran Becoming – Released February 10, 2020
Saran’s musical quests become physical as he travels across the globe with his work. Strength, musical and cultural growth bloom in the cyclical nature of Suran’s playing. Most recently he took this EP on tour to with performances and workshops across New Delhi, Goa, Gurgaon and Mumbai. “I compose in a modern jazz sort of idiom, but I decided to revisit the music I grew up with as a teenager… it was Blink-182, punk rock, Green Day, the kind of music you don”t associate with ”serious music”,” Saran told Outlook India. Saran is giving back, filling the music void he had as a high school student. He excites the musical realm and young artists alike.
“I’ve always liked artists who have long music careers, where their first album is really different from their last album, and you can see the evolution and influences over time. I’m just celebrating that by being who I am as a musician.”
The Analog Players Society (APS) will release their single “Chase” and the accompanying music video on October 30. “Chase” is an instrumental cinematic record sampled from the original recording session that created TILTED, the precursor to Soundtrack for a Nonexistent Film.
“Chase” will be the first single from the complete Soundtrack for a Nonexistent Film, a sample-heavy production of Hip-Hop’s Golden Age, which will release on November 13 and will be available on Bandcamp on November 6. APS describes Soundtrack for a Nonexistent Film as an “intense, beat-driven, dystopian soundtrack for those moments when you need to escape deep into your earbuds.”
The Analog Players Society is a collective effort founded by producer and engineer, Amon Drum, that features a rotating ensemble of the top musicians in New York City. The various projects created by the APS include jazz, dub, funk, afrobeat, and Soul variety within them. APS has already posted a top 15 position on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart with their 2012 debut album Hurricane Season In Brooklyn. The “Chase” music video showcases the concept revolving around New York City and the resilience and drive of its people, even when running from the many things one can fear. Jude Goergen edited the video with Mona Kayhan and Amon Drum producing the video.
That’s NYC. We can keep running forever. It might be ridiculous, scary, and we might get tired, but don’t even try to outrun us.
Amon Drum, Producer and Engineer of Analog Players Society
Producers Amon Drum and Ben Rubin (aka Benny Cha Cha) collaborated with jazz luminaries including tenor saxophonist Donny McCaslin (David Bowie’s last bandleader on Blackstar), pianist Orrin Evans (the Bad Plus), bassist Dezron Douglas (Ravi Coltrane), and drummer Eric McPherson (Fred Hersch Trio) to recreate the songs reflected by the producers to make Soundtrack for a Nonexistent Film. Since its August release, TILTED was included in Bandcamp’s “best jazz releases” and received strong support from Jazziz, Medium, Postgenre.org, NY Music Daily, and The Vinyl District.
Jazz at Lincoln Center makes music for all ages–even toddlers. On October 30 at 9PM EST, Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents: A Swingin’ Sesame Street Celebration will debut on national PBS stations.
The hour-long special will feature the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis along with Elmo, Bert & Ernie, Big Bird, Herry Monster, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, The Count, Abby, Hoots the Owl, and Rosita.
Wynton Marsalis and Ernie
The orchestra takes Sesame Street favorites like “Rubber Duckie,” “I Don’t Want to Live on the Moon,” and “People in Your Neighborhood” and re-imagines them for the stage. On October 30, PBS will premier the Sesame Street gang singing these classics to a sold out audience.
Since 1969, Sesame Street has introduced young children to music and culture. Jazz legends like Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, and Mary Lou Williams all performed on the show. Kenny Rampton, member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, plays in Sesame Street’s house band.
In this special, Wynton Marsalis meets back up with the familiar the Children’s Television Workshop characters after visiting them on the show in 1991 and 1998.
A Swingin’ Sesame Street Orchestra is funded by Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind the show. The performance is a part of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s educational and diverse programs that hope to ensure that younger generations appreciate jazz in the future.
Jazz at Lincoln Center’s other educational programs, such as Swing University, WeBop, Essentially Ellington, and Middle School Jazz Academy are available online at jazz.org. They aim to show jazz as a metaphor for democracy and freedom.
Paying tribute to Sesame Street’s New York roots, as of May 1, 2019, sunny days can be found every day at the intersection of West 63rd Street and Broadway. Honoring the show’s 50th anniversary, New York City gave Sesame Street its own real intersection.
Jazz great Wynton Marsalis has been a frequent guest on Sesame Street—and now, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the landmark series, he’s returning the favor. On A Swingin’ Sesame Street Celebration, Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra host thegang in the “House of Swing” for a big band salute to a very special show.
The Smoke Jazz and Supper Club in NYC is starting a new streaming service, Smoke Screens, to deliver its jazz to audiences around the world. The world-renowned artists are streamed live using six HD cameras in audiophile sound.
The program was launched in July with Wayne Escoffery. Since then, there have been sets by Peter Bernstein, Vincent Herring, Steve Turre, and other esteemed artists. Joe Farnsworth will be on September 25, joined by Wynton Marsalis, to celebrate his new album, Time to Swing.
Smoke Screens has been considering starting a livestream for many years. However, the owner, Paul Stache, wanted to do it correctly and “reflect the quality of the artists performing.” Because Smoke Jazz and Supper Club hosts so many top artists, Stache wanted to wait until they were able to have optimum sound and lighting.
When asked about the quarantine, Stache replied, “It’s been tough for us, it’s tough for the musicians and it’s tough for New York. All the things that we love about the city are shut down, so Smoke Screens is our attempt to bring the intimacy and excitement of Smoke into people’s living rooms and find a way to bring them the music they need.”
Indie Jazz label 577 records has just released the new TEST and Roy Campbell Jr. album, recorded live at the Hinton House. The live recording of the performance took place in April, 1999.
According to Jazz Times, Roy Campbell Jr. was considered a favored player among the free jazz aficionados. He was praised for his adventurous approach and mixing of genres including world music, hip-hop, and reggae. Unfortunately, Roy Campbell Jr had passed away on January 9th, 2014, at 61 years old.
Campbell was joined by bassist Matt Heyner, drummer Tom Bruno, and saxophonist Daniel Carter, with Sabir Mateen also playing saxophone alongside the group. According the album notes, this performance was a benefit gig to repair the No Neck Blues Band’s van. John Fahey, Lee Ranaldo, and No Neck Blues Band joined the stacked lineup at their loft, The Hinton House, and raised the ‘bread’ to fix the van. Spirits were lit with a listening and enthusiastic audience. The cathartic energy rising.
The performance and energy were frantic and steadily increasing as the show went on. Listeners tuned in to the live performance clearly enjoyed the free-jazz and the atmosphere Roy Campbell Jr. and company provided.
TEST occupied the public space of New York City. TEST’s typical audience was a passerby on a subway platform, a curious security guard on a smoke break in midtown, or the most ‘in the know’ subset of gig-goers. TEST, distinctly honed their working band approach, by actively gigging multiple times a week across the NYC subway map.
When TEST performed at a venue, listeners would witness the bullseye acumen of a working band. This ethos of the band choosing to ‘play anywhere/all the time’ separated TEST from other groups.
One of the hardest working musicians in the scene, Campbell lived at the north end of the Bronx, but nightly could be found downtown, uptown, or somewhere in the middle playing weekly at venues such as Lenox Lounge, The Pink Pony, Brecht Forum, Tonic, Knitting Factory and CBGB’s Gallery.
The free-jazz album has left listeners feeling nostalgic for the time. The Test and Roy Campbell album has given jazz aficionados the opportunity to live in that moment of free-jazz history. The album is now on Bandcamp.
American pianist, song-writer, multi-instrumentalist, record producer Marco Benevento.
Benevento has been a well known pianist in the New York experimental jazz scene since 1999. His career lead him to collaborate with other musicians such as, Matt Chamberlain and John McEntire. He was nominated for the Jazz Album of the Year at the Independent Music Awards in 2008. His most recent en devour was creating his own record label called, “The Royal Potato Family,” along with manager Kevin Calabro. His latest studio album was created using his label, Let it Slide.
MASS MoCa is museum & performing arts center that highlights the work of contemporary artists in particular and has been open since 1999. It resides in an old factory in North Adams, MA and is considered one of the leading contemporary art museums. They host visual arts, performances, and educational programs year round.
Although he normally plays with band mates, Karina Rykman and Dave Butler, this performance is a solo act. The show goes on at 7:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now.
For more information on Marco Benevento and his upcoming performance at MASS MoCa visit their website.
Located in Manhattan’s West Village on Barrow Street, Cafe Bohemia originally opened in 1955 and is an historic landmark and jazz club. Frequented by music legends the likes of Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Canonball Adderley and many others, the venue closed in 1960, and was revived at its original location in October 2019.
One notable story about Cafe Bohemia comes from June 19, 1955, when Julian and Nat Adderley arrived in New York on a trip as Julian was to work on his Master’s Degree at New York University. That first night in the city the brothers went to the Café Bohemia to hear the Oscar Pettiford band, the house band at the time. The night would prove to be a turning point in Nat’s career.
Jerome Richardson, the group’s regular saxophonist was unavailable that evening due to a recording session. Pettiford asked Charlie Rouse – who was in the audience – if he would sit in, but Rouse did not have his saxophone with him. Pettiford then noticed another audience member, Adderley, who had a saxophone case with him and told Rouse to ask this unknown man if he could borrow his horn.
Instead, Rouse asked “Cannonball” Adderley if he would like to sit in with the group. Reluctantly, the leader complied and allowed Adderley to play. Overnight Adderley rose to prominence on the New York jazz scene, and on June 21 he played his first official show at Cafe Bohemia. By October 1957, he was a member of the Miles Davis Sextet.
More recently, the late Eddy Davis (banjo), Conal Fowkes (bass, vocals), Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet) and Evan Arntzen (tenor saxophone) performed “My Monday Date?,” by Earl Hines, on December 26, 2019. Video performances below are available thanks to Michael Steinman for his blog JAZZ LIVES.
Watch Eddy Davis and friends – Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Evan Arntzen (clarinet) and Conal Fowkes (string bass) – pay tribute to the great Jelly Roll Morton with “Good Old New York.”
“The Intimacy of the Blues,” is a haunting piece composed by Billy Strayhorn and an album of the same name for Duke Ellington. Performing at Cafe Bohemia on November 14, 2019, JAZZ LIVES shares video of this pre-Thanksgiving performance in Greenwich Village by Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Evan Arntzen (clarinet), Neal Miner (string bass,) and Chris Flory (guitar).
On February 6, 2020, Mara Kaye was joined by friends and musical family Tim McNalley (guitar), Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet) and Brian Nalepka (string bass).
Mara Kaye is joined this time for “Me and MY Chauffeur” by Tim McNalley, (guitar), Albanie Falletta (resonator guitar), Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet) and Brian Nalepka (string bass).
From January 16, 2020, “A Shanty in Old Shanty Town” features Tal Ronen (string bass), Matt Munisteri (guitar), John Allred (trombone), and Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet). “In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town,” written by Ira Schuster and Jack Little with lyrics by Joe Young, was published in 1932. Ted Lewis and His Band performed it in the film The Crooner in 1932. His version was later released as a single and it went to #1, where it remained for 10 weeks.
Manhattan’s historic The Ear Inn has played a pivotal role in the music scene and beyond. In fact it is the oldest bar in New York City that has continuously served alcohol since 1817.
The Ear Inn has a very unique history after being open for two centuries. It dates back to a time where there was African aide to George Washington and The Ear served as residence for John Adams and Aaron Burr, among others. The Ear Inn was nicknamed by patrons as an untitled bar (“The Green Door”) for obvious reasons. As a result, the bar is listed on the National Registrar of Historic Buildings.
Recently unearthed recordings courtest of Jazz Lives feature performances from a bevy of jazz musicians in NYC. Every Sunday night at The Ear Inn was typical – those who knew, knew what to expect – but “typical” was also remarkable.
The Ear Inn c. 1940 – photo by kathy barbieri
We start back in October 2008, with a video featuring Howard Alden, alongside Jon-Erik Kellso, Danny Tobias, Harvey Tibbs, Evan Christopher, Dan Block, Sebastien Giradot, and Chuck Redd.
“Moonglow,” featuring Tamar Korn (vocals), Dan Block (clarinet), and Harvey Tibbs (trombone).
On June 7, 2009, the EarRegulars included Jon-Erik Kellso and Duke Heitger (trumpet), Matt Munisteri (guitar) and Neal Miner (string bass).
June 7, 2009 features Duke Heitger (trumpet), Harvey Tibbs (trombone), Dan Block (clarinet), Matt Munisteri (guitar) and Neal Miner (string bass), who summon Louis Armonstrong with “Some of These Days.”
Two weeks later, on June 21, 2009, featured Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet) Harvey Tibbs (trombone), Matt Munisteri (guitar), Danny Tobias (cornet) and Jon Burr (string bass).
On September 6, 2009, enjoy the sounds of Danny Tobias (cornet), Michael Hashim (alto saxophone), James Chirillo (guitar), and Frank Tate (string bass).
The lineup of EarRegulars on November 8, 2009, featured Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Matt Munisteri (guitar), Harry Allen (tenor saxophone), and Neal Miner (string bass).
From the EarRegulars’ session on November 22, 2009, the groups includes Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Scott Robinson (reeds), Matt Munisteri (guitar), and Pat O’Leary (string bass).
From December 6, 2009, enjoy the sounds of Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Harvey Tibbs (trombone), Matt Munisteri (guitar), and Nicki Parrott (string bass) performing “Blues My Naughty Sweety Gives to Me” and “Blues in My Heart.”
From January 30, 2010, the EarRegulars were Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Dan Block (reeds), Matt Munisteri (guitar), and Pat O’Leary (string bass, cello). Here’s Billie Holiday’s “I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues.”
From March 14, 2010, an Ear Inn session featuring Pete Martinez (clarinet), Harvey Tibbs (trombone), Matt Munisteri (guitar), Neal Miner (string bass), performing “I Cover the Waterfront,” appropriate given the rainy night and The Ear Inn’s location near the Hudson River, plus “Deed I Do” by Ruth Etting and “Jazz me Blues” by Tom Delaney.
From March 21, 2010, the EarRegulars are Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Matt Munisteri (guitar), Scott Robinson (bass sax), Pete Martinez (clarinet) and guest Julian Lage (guitar).
On Easter Sunday, April 4, 2010, the lineup included Matt Munisteri (guitar), Pete Martinez (clarinet), Charlie Caranicas (trumpet), Pat O’Leary (string bass), and Andy Farber (tenor saxophone), who joins in for the closing number.
Later in April 2010, we are joined at The Ear Inn by Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Matt Munisteri (guitar), Harvey Tibbs (trombone) and Jon Burr (string bass).
Later on, a version of “Crazy Rhythm” by Roger Wolfe Kahn & his Orchestra (1928) featuring Matt Munisteri (guitar), Harry Allen (tenor saxophone), (John Allred (trombone) and Pat O’Leary (string bass).
From April 18, 2010, enjoy Benny Goodman’s “Avalon” featuring Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Matt Munisteri (electric guitar), Julian Lage (acoustic guitar), Harvey Tibbs (trombone) and Jon Burr (bass).
Cornetist Marc Caparone joins the band for Ruby Braff’s “One Hour.”
And finally, Caparone leads the EarRegulars on “Whispering” with Harvey Tibbs, Dan Block (clarinet), Matt Munisteri, Jon Burr, and Julian Lage.
From April 25, 2010, the EarRegulars were Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Harry Allen (tenor saxophone), Matt Munisteri (guitar) and Neal Miner (string bass). The opening song from a splendid session was a Chicago jazz classic with roots in Oliver and Bix, performed as a Basie stroll.
You’ll also find Ben Webster’s line on “In a Mellotone,” “Did you call her Today?,” “I Got Rhythm” and “The Jeep is Jumpin’”
From May 2, 2010, watch Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Andy Farber (tenor saxophone), Matt Munisteri (guitar), and Danton Boller (string bass) played “The Man I Love” (sans Kellso), “Somebody Stole My Gal,” and “Beer Street Blues.”
From May 9, 2010, aka “Mother’s Night,” where the core quartet is Matt Munisteri (guitar), Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Pat O’Leary (string bass) and Jim Masters (trombone), enjoy “I Found a New Baby,” “It’s the Talk of the Town,” “Please Don’t Talk About me when I’m Gone,” and a closing “Lazy River.”
Going back to May 16, 2010, the EarRegulars were Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Pete Martinez (clarinet), Matt Munisteri (guitar), and Greg Cohen (string bass). Watch them perform “I Believe in Miracles,” I’m a Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas: Willie the Weeper,” “Mahogany Hall Stomp” and “I’m Confessin’”
Skip ahead on week to May 23, 2010, and the weekly session included Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Matt Munisteri (guitar), Neal Miner (bass), Scott Robinson (tenor sax and cornet), and guest Julian Lage (guitar). This collection of musician perform “Oh Sister, Ain’t That Hot?,” “On the Sunny Side of the Street,” “Wabash Blues,” and “Struttin’ With Some Barbecue.”
From May 30, 2010, here are a few combos featuring Danny Tobias (cornet), Chuck Wilson (alto sax), James Chirillo (guitar), Murray Wall (bass) Dan Block (clarinet), Pat O’Leary (cello/bass), and Tony Steele (bass). Various incarnations of these gentlemen feature “Beale Street Blues,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” “Love Me or Leave Me,” and “China Boy.”
For years, the Lake George Jazz Festival has hosted some of the world’s most prominent jazz talent in a fun-filled weekend. Unfortunately, because of COVID-19, the weekend of in-person jazz has been cancelled. Luckily, fans can watch live streams of jazz every Thursday night in September.
Poster design by the Gruskin Group
While the live concert will definitely be missed, the Jazz Weekend Virtual Series allows for even more to be showcased as music will be streamed every week. The Lake George Arts Project has planned a series of 4 impressive shows that will combine live performances as well as time for audience questions and discussions Each concert will be curated and hosted by LGAP’s Jazz Curator, Daniel Kelly. The renowned jazz musicians will not disappoint fans who miss the in-person festival. The shows will stream on Facebook, YouTube, and the Lake George Arts Project’s streaming page.
Even while the LGAP has great virtual events planned, they are still suffering financially from COVID-19. The organization is a non-profit and makes their revenue through ticket sales. While all concerts are on hold, the LGAP has lost $40,000 which might nearly double to $70,000. The Lake George Arts Project is asking for donations to help with their current struggle.
To encourage more to donate, so-called LGAP’s “angels” Susan and Kenneth Gruskin will match each donation up to $2,500. The LGAP insists that “anything and everything makes a difference whether it is $5 or $500!”
The Jazz Weekend Virtual Series will stream on September 3, 10, 17, and 24 at 7pm.
