PREMIERES & RARE COLLABORATIONS AT BLUE NOTE JAZZ CLUB - JUNE 2014

Blue Note Jazz Club, one of the world's most iconic jazz and blues venues based in Greenwich Village, is proud to announce its June 2014 schedule. All June performances at Blue Note Jazz Club will be featured as part of the fourth annual, 2014 Blue Note Jazz Festival, scheduled to take place Sunday, June 1 through Monday, June 30 (with over 150 performances at more than 15 venues throughout New York City). 

Festival highlights at Blue Note Jazz Club include a collection of premieres and rare collaborations, including the world premiere of André Previn & Christian McBride (produced by Jill Newman Productions); the U.S. premiere of "Children Of The Light Trio" featuring Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, and Brian Blade; the New York City premiere of Michel Camilo Solo Piano, music his the album What's Up?; Ramsey Lewis Electric with Philip Bailey (of Earth, Wind & Fire); Lou Donaldson featuring Dr. Lonnie Smith; Beka & DJ Logic featuring Victor Bailey & Friends; The Dizzy Gillespie™ Afro Cuban Experience featuring Machito, Jr.; Hiromi: The Trio Project featuring Anthony Jackson & Simon Phillips - Album Release; Gato Barbieri, and many more.

 

JUNE 2014 ARTIST SCHEDULE

8:00PM & 10:30PM shows each night, unless otherwise noted.

Doors open at 6:00pm. $5 minimum.

Tuesday - Sunday, May 27 - June 1

Joe Lovano's Village Rhythms Band

Saxophonist Joe Lovano kicks off Blue Note Jazz Club's June schedule and the 2014 Blue Note Jazz Festival presenting the Village Rhythms Band, his latest project. At Cleveland's infamous "Togo Suite," a then 28-year old Lovano met and performed with a group of Nigerian musicians involved in an impromptu and joyous cultural exchange. About one year later on his 29th birthday in 1981, as a result of that initial late night club session, Lovano found himself in Lagos, Nigeria, meeting and spending time with the esteemed godfather of the afro-beat movement - Fela Kuti. The meeting of Kuti and his extended family of musicians led to a performance with the Cleveland and Nigerian musicians joined together in "Tafawa Balewa Square." The entire experience of performing with Kuti and his family left Lovano with a lasting feeling that still touches him to this day, and a new sense of possibilities within his own music - in all aspects of the sonic palette. Over three decades later, one of the most prominent voices in jazz, looks back to a historic musical landmark in his life and brings it into his own evolving musical vernacular. Joined by guitarist Liberty Ellman, electric bassist Matthew Garrison, percussionist/African harpist Abdou Mboup, and drummer Otis Brown III, with guests, vocalist Judi Silvano and trumpeter  Tim Hagans; "The Village Rhythm Band" showcases the linear relationship between West African music and jazz in a way that is totally unique to Lovano's voice - warm, sinuous, and constantly moving over an emphatic pulse.

Music Charge: $20 - Bar, $35 - Table

  

Monday, June 2

Albare

A virtuoso jazz guitarist with a strong melodic sense and a wealth of global influences, Albare will make his Blue Note debut with a one-night only engagement as part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival. Born in Morocco and raised in Israel and France, Albare - the nom de guerre of Albert Dadon - first worked as a musician in Paris, before emigrating to Australia at the age of 27. He is not only well known as a jazz musician but has maintained a highly successful career as one of Australia's most prominent businessmen. He directed the Melbourne Jazz Festival for many years and served as chairman of the Australian Jazz Awards. In 2008 he received the Order of Australia for his service to the arts. He currently lives in Melbourne but travels constantly. His latest album, Long Way, was released on enja Records in October 2012.

Music Charge: $10 - Bar, $20 - Table

Tuesday - Wednesday, June 3-4

The Dizzy Gillespie™ Afro Cuban Experience Featuring Machito, Jr.

In the early 1940s, Afro-Cuban jazz first emerged when Cuban musicians Frank "Machito" Grillo and Mario Bauzá formed Machito & His Afro-Cubans. Several years later, in 1947, Bauzá introduced Dizzy Gillespie to Cuban percussionist Chano Pozo, further developing Afro-Cuban jazz. Early combinations of jazz with Cuban music, such as Gillespie's and Pozo's "Manteca" and Charlie Parker's and Machito's "Mangó Mangüé," were commonly referred to as "Cubop," short for Cuban bebop. Gillespie loved the substyle so much that in 1975, he invited Machito and Machito's son, Mario Grillo (aka Machito, Jr.), to join his band for the recording of Afro-Cuban Jazz Moods. In 2014, almost 40 years later, Machito, Jr. reunites with the Gillespie legacy, joining The Dizzy Gillespie™ Afro Cuban Experience (under the direction of John Lee, Gillespie's longtime bassist and leader of the various Dizzy Gillespie bands, including The Dizzy Gillespie™ Big Band and Quintet).

Music Charge: $20 - Bar, $35 - Table

Thursday, June 5

Beka & DJ Logic Featuring Victor Bailey & Friends

In the Summer of 2011 at the Black Sea Jazz Festival, piano prodigy Beka Gochiashvili met with an innovative turntablist and kindred spirit, Bronx-native Jason Kibler a.k.a. DJ Logic and his band members at Batumi, Georgia's Club Take Five. During jam sessions in the club, a musical chemistry quickly developed between them and they decided to form this band.  In addition to Beka (now just 18 years old) and DJ Logic, the band features renowned electric bassist Victor Bailey with vocalist Butterscotch, adventurous keyboardist James Hurt, alto saxophonist Jaleel Shaw, and drummer Justin Tyson. Beka, Logic and friends perform in support of their debut album, Chillin' in Batumi (released in September 2013).

Music Charge: $20 - Bar, $30 - Table

Friday - Sunday, June 6-8

André Previn & Christian McBride

Produced by Jill Newman Productions

Blue Note Jazz Festival and Jill Newman Productions are proud to present the highly anticipated world premiere collaboration of celebrated pianist André Previn and prolific bassist Christian McBride - in duo. While Previn and McBride will unite for the first time at Blue Note Jazz Club (a project that was conceived by Jill Newman and Mr. Previn), both have extensively explored the duo format in recent years, respectively. Previn enjoys a longstanding collaboration with bassist David Finck, having released a handful of albums, as well as performing at Blue Note Jazz Club in 2011 (Jill Newman Productions). McBride released Conversations with Christian in 2011, on which he documented a duet apiece with 13 of his closest musical friends and cohorts (ranging from Angélique Kidjo and Sting to Dr. Billy Taylor and Hank Jones).

Music Charge: $35 - Bar, $55 - Table

Monday, June 9

Jeff Lorber Fusion

Keyboardist/composer/producer Jeff Lorber, heralded as "one of the founding fathers of fusion" (Keyboard Magazine), will perform with his GRAMMY®-nominated power trio, the Jeff Lorber Fusion, featuring bassist/co-producer Jimmy Haslip and saxophonist Eric Marienthal. Since the late 1970s, this contemporary jazz collective has blended elements of jazz, funk, rock, R&B and world music into a distinctive sound that has connected with audiences from a variety of continents, cultures and generations. In more recent years, the group's studio efforts such as their 2010 release, Now Is the Time (2010) and Galaxy (2012), influenced by extensive touring throughout Europe and Asia, have been colored with vibrant shades of dance and house music. He appear in support of his latest Heads Up/Concord Music Group album titled Hacienda (released in August 2013).

Music Charge: $20 - Bar, $35 - Table

Tuesday - Wednesday, June 10-11

Lou Donaldson Quartet Featuring Dr. Lonnie Smith

NEA Jazz Master Lou Donaldson will perform at Blue Note for a two-night engagement featuring his working Quartet - with whom he has toured the world, playing festivals and clubs for over two decades. The saxophonist played an absolutely invaluable role in the creation and building of the classic Blue Note Record Label, as well as the assembly and musical development of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers bands that originally featured legends such as Clifford Brown, Horace Silver, Gene Ramey, and Hank Mobley, among others. As The Wall Street Journal wrote, "Few musicians today can claim to have changed the direction of jazz. Lou Donaldson did so twice." He appears at Blue Note with his longtime collaborator, organist Dr. Lonnie Smith.

Music Charge: $20 - Bar, $35 - Table

EMERGING ARTIST SERIES/OPENER: Jake Sherman Organ Trio - Tuesday, June 10 Only - 6:30PM

Purchasing a ticket to Lou Donaldson Quartet feat. Dr. Lonnie Smith - June 10, 8:00PM set will allow access to the above opening act.

Thursday - Sunday, June 12-15

Ramsey Lewis Electric With Philip Bailey (of Earth, Wind & Fire)

Jazz icon/pianist Ramsey Lewis returns to Blue Note for a special engagement with his Electric Band and vocalist Philip Bailey, of Earth, Wind & Fire. Following his classic 1960s acoustic albums, Lewis began to collaborate with the enigmatic and iconic, Earth, Wind & Fire. Sun Goddess, the result of this creative summit, is an album with sleek grooves and gorgeous melodies that continues to flow with the upliftng and positive vibes of that time. The album reached across the musical rainbow and, rightfully so, it became a huge cross-over hit; charting #1 on the Billboard Black Albums chart as well as the Jazz album chart and it charted #12 in the Pop chart. At Blue Note, Lewis and Bailey will reunite to perform some of their top jazz and R&B classics.

Music Charge: $40 - Bar, $65 - Table

OPENING ACT: The Unforgettable Joe Alterman & James Cammack Duo - Thursday, June 12 Only - 6:30PM

Purchasing a ticket to Ramsey Lewis Electric With Philip Bailey - June 12, 8:00PM set will allow access to the above opening act.

Monday, June 16

Andy Bey Solo

Produced by Jill Newman Productions

Multi-GRAMMY® Award nominee, vocalist and pianist Andy Bey will make his second consecutive Blue Note Jazz Festival appearance (Jill Newman Productions). Bey is a true living legend, who has become an icon to a generation of vocalists, earning praise from singers such as Aretha Franklin and Diana Krall; John Coltrane even cited Bey as his favorite vocalist. Bey received a GRAMMY® Award nomination for his latest 2013 HighNote album, The World According to Andy Bey. In advance of Bey's sets at Blue Note last year, The New York Times wrote, "Missing them could be a bad idea."

Music Charge: $20 - Bar, $35 - Table

Tuesday - Sunday, June 17-22

Danilo Pérez - John Patitucci - Brian Blade: Children Of The Light Trio

In April 2013, JazzTimes wrote, "Over the past dozen years, saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter's quartet featuring pianist Danilo Pérez, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade has become a paragon of jazz's exploratory spirit." At Blue Note Jazz Club, Perez, Patitucci and Blade will make their highly anticipated U.S. debut as a trio, with a project titled "Children of the Light" (a nod to their collective mentor, Wayne Shorter). Each band leaders in their own right, Perez performs in support of his latest Mack Avenue Records album release, Panama 500 (released February 4). Blade performs in support of his new Blue Note Records album with Fellowship, titled Landmarks.

Music Charge: $20 - Bar, $35 - Table

Monday - Tuesday, June 23-24

Michel Camilo Solo Piano

Music From Album What's Up?

GRAMMY®, Emmy®, and Latin GRAMMY® Award winning pianist and composer Michel Camilo returns to Blue Note for a special solo piano engagement, presenting the New York City premiere of music from What's Up?, his latest OKeh/Sony Masterworks release. The project spotlights a collection of original compositions, Latin and jazz standards. All Music Guide described the album as "a commanding performance by a truly masterful, wildly creative jazz pianist and composer." Camilo's musical language is an expressive combination of his Dominican Republic musical heritage and a rich, intelligent use of jazz harmonies and textures. He has collaborated with Dizzy Gillespie, George Benson, Paquito D'Rivera, Tito Puente, Herbie Hancock, Mongo Santamaria, Chucho Valdes, Jaco Pastorious, George Wein, Michel Petrucciani, Toots Thielemans, Michael Brecker, Eddie Palmieri, Esperanza Spalding, among countless others.

Music Charge: $30 - Bar, $45 - Table

Tuesday - Sunday, June 25-29

Hiromi: The Trio Project featuring Anthony Jackson & Simon Phillips

Alive - Album Release

Blue Note Jazz Club is proud to present pianist/keyboardist Hiromi: The Trio Project, featuring bassist Anthony Jackson (Steely Dan, Paul Simon, Michel Camilo, The O'Jays and Chick Corea)  and drummer Simon Phillips (Toto, The Who, Judas Priest, David Gilmour and Jack Bruce). The engagement will celebrate the release of her new recording, Alive (scheduled for June 17, 2014 release via Telarc/Concord Music Group). Hiromi's ninth album as a leader, Alive, heralds the return of the Trio Project, which DownBeat Magazine proclaimed as "one of the most exciting groups working in any genre today." Hiromi has been one of the most profound and prolific living forces in 21st century music. Mentored by the legendary Ahmad Jamal, the Japanese pianist/composer has created music that grows with every performance, moves easily beyond stylistic genres, exhibits an awareness of the entire jazz tradition and adapts to the contributions of her fellow bandmates.

Music Charge:

Tuesday - Thursday & Sunday: $20 - Bar, $35 - Table

Friday & Saturday: $30 - Bar, $45 - Table

Monday, June 30

Gato Barbieri

Latin jazz legend/world-renowned tenor saxophonist Gato Barbieri returns to Blue Note Jazz Club for a special one-night appearance, marking his second consecutive Blue Note Jazz Festival appearance. Originally from from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Barbieri was an early exponent of John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman, then blended his jazz influences with Latin American music, creating an explosive cross-genre form that became a forerunner of world music. He is well known for writing the music for Bernardo Bertolucci's film, Last Tango in Paris.

Music Charge: $30 - Bar, $45 - Table 

 

LATE NIGHT GROOVE SERIES

Blue Note Jazz Club proudly presents its Late Night Groove Series, which showcases New York's up-and-coming jazz, soul, hip-hop, R&B and funk artists. Shows are on Friday and Saturday nights.  Doors open at midnight and shows begin at 12:30AM. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 day-of-show, unless otherwise noted. The upcoming Blue Note Jazz Festival Late Night schedule features:

June 6 - Spiritchild & Mental Notes

June 7 - BIGYUKI (All tickets $15)

June 13 - Soul Understated feat. Mavis "Swan" Poole ($15 advance / $20 door)

June 14 - Lakecia Benjamin (All tickets $15)

June 20 - Vladimir Cetkar (All tickets $15)

June 21 - Marcus Strickland's Twi-Life (All tickets $15)

June 27 - Jeremiah Hosea

June 28 - Mark de Clive-Lowe's Church (All tickets $15)

SUNDAY BRUNCH SERIES

Sunday Brunch at Blue Note Jazz Club as part of the 2014 Blue Note Jazz Festival is $35.00 per person and includes a live performance, brunch and cocktail. Each performer is scheduled for two shows, at 11:30AM and 1:30PM. The upcoming schedule features:

June 1 -  Vivian Sessoms

June 8 - Eric Alexander & Harold Mabern Trio

June 15 -  Allan Harris

June 22 -  Fabian Almazan Trio feat. Camila Meza

June 29 - Nilson Matta's Brazilian Voyage 

SPECIAL EVENT

On Wednesday, June 11 at 4pm, Blue Note Jazz Club will host the 2014 Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Awards, where a who's who of the jazz world will be on hand as winners of the 2014 JJA Awards for Jazz Journalism and Media. Winners of 2014 awards for Music and Recording were announced on April 15. Newark Jazz Hero Cephas Bowles and New York Jazz Hero Meghan Stabile are also being honored at the party.  Josh Jackson, WBGO Jazz 88.3FM's VP of Content, will preside as MC and musical entertainment will include Elio Villafranca's Jass Syncopators (with Steve Turre, trombone; Vincent Herring, alto sax; Greg Tardy, tenor sax; Carlos Henriquez, bass; Lewis Nash, drums; percussionists and dancer), Sheila Jordan and Cameron Brown, and the Stephanie Richards Brass Ensemble. This is the 18th Annual JJA Jazz Awards presentation. Tickets can be purchase at: jazzjournalists.org. Space is limited.

  

Blue Note Jazz Club, based in the heart of Greenwich Village, is a New York City cultural institution and one of the premier jazz clubs in the world. Jazz is undoubtedly America's music, and while Blue Note strives to celebrate the music's great history, the club is a place where progression and innovation - the foundation of jazz - are encouraged and practiced on a nightly basis. Blue Note is open for concerts 365 days a year.

  

www.bluenotejazz.com