Jazz Week 2007

Jazz Week 2007

Jazz Week 2007 Photos
Program - Adobe PDF & Cover
Entry Form - Print & Mail In
Schedule & Ticket Prices - Word Document
Announcement - Adobe PDF
Ad Flyer - PDF Form

Clinic and Performance Schedule, Friday-Sunday, February 23-25 - Word Document

Courier-Journal Article
LEO Article
UofL Today Article

Jazz Week 2007 Artists

Paquito DiRivera Quintet - Bio
David 'Fathead' Newman - Bio
Bob McChesney - Bio

Paquito D’Rivera

Born in the island of Cuba, Paquito D’Rivera began his career as a child prodigy, playing both the clarinet and the saxophone with the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra. He eventually went on to premier several works by notable Cuban composers with the same Orchestra. A restless musical genius, Mr. D’Rivera formed and performed with various musical ensembles as a teenager and became one of the founding members of the Orquesta Cubana de Musica Moderna, whichhe subsequently conducted for two years and was also founding member and co-director of the innovative musical group Irakere, whose explosive mixture of jazz, rock, classical and traditional Cuban music had never been heard before. The group toured extensively throughout America and Europe, won several Grammy nominations and a Grammy.

Mr. D’Rivera is the recipient of the NEA Jazz Masters Award 2005 and, the National Medal of the Arts 2005. A Doctorate Honoris Causa in Music, for the Berklee School of Music,adding to his his numerous awards and recognitions, including eight Grammys, he makes history by being the first artist to win Latin Grammies in both Classical and Latin Jazz categories, for Stravinsky’s Historia delSoldado and Brazilian Dreams with New York Voices, the other historic recipient is Wynton Marsalis.In addition to his extraordinary performing career as an instrumentalist, Paquito has rapidly gained a reputation as an accomplished composer. His works often reveals his versatility and widespread influences, which range from Afro-Cuban to the dance hall, to influences encountered in his many travels, and back to his classical origins. The distinguished cellist Yo-Yo Ma recorded three of his chamber pieces with Paquito live at Carnegie, Zankell Hall released by Sony Records in 2004, giving Paquito his 7 th Grammy as Best Instrumental Compostion 2005, for his piece “Merengue”.

In 2002, Paquito was commissioned by The National Symphony Orchestra and the Rotterdam Philharmonic, to write a concerto “Gran Danzon” (The Bel Air Concerto). for the acclaimed flutist Marina Piccinini under the baton of Maestro Leonard Slatkin at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

………..…“ Best that night was Paquito D’Rivera’s, ‘Gran Danzón’ (The Bel Air Concerto) in its world premiere. A spiky and imaginatively colored piece of Latin Americanorchestral writing…” (Joe Banno, Washington Post, February 11, 2002). “Gran Danzon” dazzling work……….reveals D’Rivera’s sophistication as a composer”.. (L. Peat O’Neal Washington Post, June 3, 2002)

 Other premieres include pieces for the Turtle Island String Quartet, The Ying String Quartet, and the International Double Reed Congress 30th Anniversary in Canada. In 2002, The Library of Congress also commissioned Paquito for a Jazz Fantasy for Piano and Violin. Jazz at Lincoln Center commissioned Paquito’s “Panamericana Suite” for their “As of Now” series in 2000.

……………….The centerpiece of the concert was La Jicotea a newly commissioned work composed by D’Rivera for the Turtle Island String Quartet. Well-crafted … the piece simmered with bits and pieces of Latin rhythms as the brief, but attractive, principal theme arched through flowing contrapuntal passages. As a showcase work, it will serve the TISQ well in future appearances. The most appealing segments of the program however were those in which D’Rivera performed with the quartet. the combination of clarinet and string quartet usually referred to as a Clarinet Quintet……(Don Heckman Los Angeles Times, 2002).

 A gifted author, Mr. D’Rivera’s book, “My Sax Life”, published by Northwestern University Press 2005, and in Spanish by Seix Barral. With a prologue by Guillermo Cabrera Infante. It has been acclaimed by the public and critics alike. His novel “Oh, La Habana” published by morales i torres editores, Barcelona, will soon be published in English.

Dave "Fathead" Newman

Photo by Gene Martin / Courtesy of HighNote Records

Newman recorded many albums for Atlantic records, as well as Warner Brothers and Prestige. During this time in NYC, David gigged with Lee Morgan, Kenny Drew Sr., Billy Higgins, Kenny Dorham and so many other of the great jazz musicians hanging out on the New York scene. He gigged around the East Coast with his own quartet and soon began touring Europe and Japan as a leader.

As a studio musician he was very busy working on lots of recording projects with the likes of Herbie Mann, Aretha Franklin, Hank Crawford, Aaron Neville, to name a few. After meeting at a studio session, David joined forces with Herbie Mann during "The Family of Mann" era. Cal Tjader (later Roy Ayres) were part of this outstanding group. It was now time for David Newman to focus on his personal choices and let the public know more about the music that he chose to play. In 1980, Newman, determined to pursue his own musical identity, recorded several mainstream jazz albums for the Muse label. Artists such as Cedar Walton, Jimmy Cobb, Buster Williams, Louis Hayes, and other fine NY musicians, helped round out the rhythm sections.

David returned to Atlantic Records in the late eighties to record several albums. One of he recordings was done live at the Village Vanguard in NYC, featuring Stanley Turrentine and Hank Crawford. Newman's next recordings were on the Kokopelli label. This was a new label owned by Herbie Mann. David recorded a beautiful CD in tribute to Duke Ellington, titled Mr. Gentle, Mr. Cool. David produced the next one on Kokopelli, titled Under A Woodstock Moon.

The late nineties brought David to the High Note label where he has recorded six successful CDs. The most recent, I Remember Brother Ray, was released in January 2005 and became the #1 Most Played Jazz Album nationwide. David Newman has appeared on many television shows including Saturday Night Live, David Sanborn's Night Music, David Letterman, and various featured news segments. David appeared in Robert Altman's film Kansas City and did a national tour with the Kansas City Orchestra, for Verve Records.

Bob McChesney

Conn-Selmer Artist Bob McChesney was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and began studying the trombone at the age of nine. McChesney holds a bachelor's Degree from the State University of New York at Fredonia. In 1979, Bob moved to Los Angeles where he remains, working as a studio musician and in a wide variety of musical situations including film, television, records, jingles and can be heard on recent CD recordings by Ray Charles - his Grammy Album of the Year 2005 "Genius Loves Company", Grammy 2000 winner Diana Krall - "When I Look In Your Eyes", Michael Bolton ("Bolton Swings Sinatra" and soloist on "Michael Bolton Christmas"), Shakira, Michael Buble', Kenny G, Barry Manilow, Rene Olstead, Russell Watkins, Chicago's "Night and Day- Big Band", Natalie Cole's "Snowfall on the Sahara", Rod Stewart (American Songbook II), Hanson (w/ Hey Horns), Dave Koz, Steve Tyrell, Michael Davis' "Brass Nation", Chris Walden Big Band, Lisa Marie Presley, Art Garfunkel, Joey DeFrancesco, Monica Mancini, Mickey Rooney, Juice Newton, Steve Lawrence, James Darrin, Facundo Monty, Matt Catingub, Steve Allen, Adam Sandler, Mark Winkler, Bill Watrous, Nita Whitaker, David Hassellhoff, Ryan Dehues, Matt Catingub, Buddy Greco, George Graham, Mel Torme, John LaBarbera, Dave Pell, Lisa Richard, Victor Lewis, Rebeka, Shelly Berg, Patrick Tuzzolino, Barbara Morrison, Calabria Foti, Curtis Amy and Anita O'Day.

As a jazz soloist, McChesney is featured on his own "No Laughing Matter - The Bob McChesney Quartet Plays Steve Allen", Horace Silver's "Its Got To Be Funky", Bob Florence's Grammy 2000 winning CD "Serendipity 18", and Florence's "Earth" and "All the Bells and Whistles" and on Randy Waldman's latest on Concord "Unreel". He has performed live with Arturo Sandoval, Nancy Wilson, Kenny G, The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, The Long Beach Symphony, Lalo Schifrin, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, Patti Austin, Stanley Clarke, Robb McConnell, Tony Bennett, The Tom Scott Bebop Sextet, Frank Sinatra, Jr., Rosemary Clooney, Jack Jones, Bill Holman, Jack Sheldon, The Long Beach Municipal Band, Frank Capp and Juggernaught, The Woody Herman Band, Supersax, and has performed on the Tonight Show.

Some of his film and television credits include "Rocky Balboa", "Pursuit of Happyness", "Everyone's Hero", "The Good Shepard", "Mystic River", "Rush Hour 2", "Bringing Down the House", "The Cooler", "Space Jam", "First Wives Club", "Titan A.E.", "Double Take", "Soldier", "The Siege", "Dracula - Dead and Loving It", "Graceland", "Robin Hood - Men In Tights", "George of the Jungle", "The Durango Kid", "A Will of Their Own", "Rhapsody in Bloom", and many others, -TVs "The Simpsons", "Family Guy", "American Dad", "Happy Hour", "Looney Toons", "Jag"," King of the Hill", "Futurama", "American Dreams", "Once and Again", "Providence", "Diagnosis Murder","The Drew Carey Show", "Bette", "From Earth to the Moon", "America's Funniest Home Videos", "PBS's Great Performances Theme" and a variety of cartoon shows.

McChesney's extensive music computer experience has earned him album credits as computer programmer and recording engineer on recordings such as Patti Austin's "Carry On", "Handel's Messiah - A Soulful Celebration", Vonda Shepard's "The Radical Light" and the double platinum "The Songs of West Side Story" with Michael McDonald, James Ingram and Kenny Loggins, David Hasselhoff CDs and many others. He has also produced CDs for several artists.

In addition to his work as a performer and studio musician, McChesney has authored the trombone method on doodle tonguing entitled Doodle Studies and Etudes (Chesapeake Music). Critically acclaimed and endorsed by the great trombonists Carl Fontana, Bill Watrous and Joseph Alessi, McChesney's book and recording is an in-depth analysis of the fast-legato multiple tongue technique. Respected as one of the foremost authorities on doodle tonguing, McChesney has contributed to the International Trombone Association Journal about his method.

McChesney was a featured soloist at the 2001 International Trombone Festival in Nashville, Tennessee, and presented his doodle tongue technique masterclass at the IAJE Conference in Toronto in 2002. In 2004 McChesney performed both the debut of "Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra" by Louis Forestieri and "The Carnival of Venice" with the Idaho Falls Symphony. In 2005 McChesney's group performed at the IAJE Conference in Long Beach, Ca.

In addition to his private studio teaching, McChesney is professor at Cal State University Long Beach, Cal State University Northridge and Citrus College.

Jazz Week 2007 Adjudicators

Bob Lark - Bio
Chuck Marohnic - Bio
Shelley Yoelin - Bio
Thomas Matta - Bio

Accomodations for Jazz Week 2007 provided by the Executive Inn West, the Galt House, the Hilton Garden Inn and the Quality Inn & Suites.

Steinway by GIST PIANO CENTER
The official piano of Jazz Week