BEYOND STREET LIFE

 Veronica "Randy" Crawford was born on February 18, 1952, in Macon, GA; one of five children.

Career

Randy sang in church and school choirs and local night clubs as a teenager, Cincinnati, OH; performed in St. Tropez, France, 1967; began performing with George Benson, 1972; released first single, "If You Say the Word," 1972; sang at World Jazz Association tribute concert to Cannonball Adderley, Los Angeles, CA, 1975; released first album, Everything Must Change, on Warner Brothers, 1976; sang lead on "Street Life" for The Crusaders, 1979; completed tour of Europe, 1984; performed with London Symphony Orchestra, 1988; collaborated with Italian performer Zucchero at a performance in the Soviet Union, 1990; performed at Christmas concert at the Vatican for Pope John Paul II, 1991; released Every Kind of Mood on Mesa/Blue Moon Label, 1997.

Life's Work

Proving herself to be a versatile interpreter of jazz, soul, rhythm and blues, and pop, singer Randy Crawford has been an active presence on the music scene since she began performing in local night clubs as a teenager. Her recordings have run the gamut from smooth ballads such as "One Day I'll Fly Away," which became her trademark song, to covers of songs made famous by Bob Dylan ("Knockin' on Heaven's Door"), Brook Benton ("Rainy Night in Georgia"), and the artist formerly known as Prince ("Purple Rain").

Whether recording new songs or established favorites, Randy Crawford has long been known for her signature sound that makes every song seem new. "Before you know it, regardless of whatever category the tune was at its inception, it is a Randy Crawford song," noted the Atlanta Constitution in its review of her 1997 release Every Kind of Mood. The singer has also been lauded by critics for her ability to create a personal link with listeners that brings them right into the sentiment of the song. As Jeremy Helligar noted in People, "Crawford's great assets are her intimate singing style and vocal restraint -- the way she lightly tugs her vowels when she's caught up in the heat of passion and unleashes gentle tremolos when she's suffering the agony of heartache."

Despite being frequently praised for her mastery of many different musical styles, Crawford's versatility has in some ways hampered her career. As Ron Wynn remarked in The All-Music Guide to Rock, "Crawford's quivering delivery and eclectic nature has made it difficult for record companies to target and market her materials." Although she has not attracted a wide audience within the United States, she has been a popular star in Europe for nearly two decades. From 1979 to 1984, eleven of her singles reached the top 75 in Britain.

As a child in Cincinnati, Ohio, Crawford's vocal talent was developed by singing in church and social choirs. By the time she was 15, she was performing in local night clubs. In 1967, she made her international debut in St. Tropez, France during a summer vacation trip to Europe. Crawford has cited singers such as Dinah Washington and Aretha Franklin as important early career influences. As a young girl, she discovered gospel music by listening to recordings of Aretha Franklin. "I used to listen to all of those records for many, many hours," Crawford remarked in Ebony Man.

As a teenager, Crawford was lead vocalist in a group that included bassist William "Bootsy" Collins, who taught her how to play piano. A television appearance attracted the attention of a Los Angeles booking agent, who helped land her a gig as an opening act for noted jazz guitarist/singer George Benson. In 1972 she began opening for Benson at Nico's, a popular jazz/soul club in New York City. "I got discovered while I was singing with George Benson," Crawford later told Ebony Man. During her first year with Benson, she released her first single "If You Say the Word."

Crawford's career received another boost in 1975, when Warner Brothers signed her to a contract after she appeared with Benson and Quincy Jones at the World Jazz Association tribute concert for the late Cannonball Adderley. Her debut album, Everything Must Change, "displayed her ability to interpret songs in a variety of styles with a voice that was rich in inflection and capable of a wide range of expression," according to The New Grove Dictionary of American Music. Although reviews of the album were largely positive, sales were only mediocre. In 1977, Crawford appeared as a backup vocalist on Please Don't Touch, the second solo album of former Genesis member Steve Hackett. 

In 1979 Crawford recorded Raw Silk, which featured songs written by Allen Toussaint, Ashford & Simpson, and Oscar Brown. That same year she sang lead vocals on the title track of Street Life, an album by the popular jazz group The Crusaders. The song topped jazz charts in the United States for 20 weeks and made Crawford a star on the international music scene. The Crusaders co-wrote, produced, and provided instrumental support on Crawford's 1980 release Now We May Begin. The title track from this album was "a beautiful ballad that established her independent career," claimed The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Although Now We May Begin failed to climb music charts in the United States, it reached number ten in Britain. In 1981, Crawford recorded the love theme for the soundtrack of The Competition, a film starring Richard Dreyfuss and Amy Irving.

Crawford continued to experience tremendous success in Europe. Her song "You Might Need Somebody" rose to number 11 on the British charts. Her next album Secret Combination climbed to number two in Britain and number 71 in the United States. This album featured a mix of smooth ballads, as well as funkier music, and utilized a wide range of musical styles. Secret Combination also marked the first time that a Crawford album charted in the top 100 on the American music charts.

In 1984, Crawford launched a successful tour of Europe. She returned to the United States that same year and recorded a duet with pop star Rick Springfield entitled "Taxi Dancing." In 1986 Crawford released Abstract Emotions, which reached number 14 on the British charts. In 1988, she appeared in two sold-out concerts with the London Symphony Orchestra. She also performed at jazz festivals throughout the world with such notable jazz musicians as Al Jarreau, Jose Sample, and Ray Charles. She traveled to the Soviet Union in 1990 and performed in the Kremlin with the Italian superstar Zucchero.

During the early 1990s, Crawford experienced a slow period in her career. In 1995, she released a new album on the WEA Germany label entitled Naked and True and began another tour of Europe. The album was soon released in the United States by the Mesa/Bluemoon label. Naked and True became Crawford's third most successful album, selling 250,000 copies in the United States and over 500,000 copies worldwide. The album featured songs in a wide range of styles, including "Give Me the Night," which hit number one on the Smooth Jazz/NAC radio charts.

Crawford remains active as a performer and recording artist after some 30 years of professional singing, and her music continues to attract critical acclaim. "Crawford's unique vocal styling gives life to the fifteen tracks that emote love, heartbreak, sympathy, and passion," raved John Norment in his review of Crawford's 1997 release Every Kind of Mood. In the liner notes of Every Kind of Mood, Ahmet Ertegun offered even higher praise. "I listen to Randy Crawford and hear something so familiar," wrote Ertegun. "It's a sound that's timeless, beautiful, and honest. It's the sound of one of the most truly soulful voices of our time."

Awards

Awards and honors: Most Outstanding Performer, Tokyo Music Festival, 1980; Best Female Artist, BRIT Awards, U.K., 1982.

Works

Selective Discography

• Everything Must Change, Warner, 1976.
• Now We May Begin, Warner, 1980.
• Abstract Emotions, Warner, 1986.
• Naked and True, Mesa/Bluemoon, 1995.
• Every Kind of Mood, Mesa/Bluemoon, 1997.

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Pianist and composer Joseph Leslie “Joe” Sample, was born February 1, 1939 in Houston, Texas. For more than four decades he has been an integral, innovative and bestselling part of jazz history. With Soul Shadows, the first all solo piano recording of Sample's illustrious career, he pays homage to the great American songwriters of the 20th century whose masterful works inspired his own development as one of the most diverse and popular jazz performers of the last half century.
A founding member of the influential jazz funk combo The Crusaders (originally the Jazz Crusaders) and a pioneer of contemporary jazz piano, Sample reaches back to the primary sources of jazz and soul music to create his personal interpretations of classics by such esteemed composers as Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton, the Gershwins, Al Jolson, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller and others. While exploring these rich expressions of Americana, Sample acknowledges his own key role in carrying on these powerful legacies by including distinct reworkings of two of his own classics, "Soul Shadows" (which originally appeared on The Crusaders' Midnight Triangle in 1976) and "Spellbound."Soul Shadows' multi-faceted 12 track set list includes such Great American Songbook chestnuts as Joplin's "The Entertainer," Ellington's "I Got It Bad and That' Ain't Good," Gershwin's "Embraceable You" & "I Got Rhythm," Waller's "Ain't Misbehavin'" & "Jitterbug Waltz," Morton's "Shreveport Stomp" and Jolson's "Avalon." But for Sample, the collection is more than simply living and re-interpreting musical history-it's a true window into the heart and roots of the man and an insight into the role of the piano player in 20th Century American music. His approach to the songs and the genre perfectly reflect Sample's belief that "if you played the piano in a stride or ragtime or a boogie-woogie manner, you wouldn't need a bass player, you didn't need a drummer. That's how I started playing in the first place. I've been a solo pianist since I was six years old playing in my mama's living room for her after-church teas."Conceptually, the defining track on Soul Shadows is the Walter Donaldson-Sam Lewis-Joe Young composition "How You Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm?" which opens the set. For Sample, the album is something of a long overdue tribute to a chief personal influence slightly lesser known to the listening public-James Reese Europe, the first bona fide jazz big band leader whose jazz orchestra entered Paris in 1918 as part of the famous Fighting 369th unit. Before returning to Harlem in 1919, Europe and his orchestra spread jazz throughout England and Europe, introducing audiences to a sound and style that would change history. Sample's father fought in World War I and told his son stories about Europe and hearing the song, which was a big hit during that time.

"As a young musician I wondered, where did our music come from?" says Sample. "I've become a bit of a historian of jazz and all African American music, and recently discovered a biography of James Reese Europe. Reading that biography has given me a clearer understanding of why he has been so important not only to me, but to all of us."Learning to play piano at age five, the Houston native's formative years found him firmly rooted in many different musical traditions, including gospel, soul, bebop, blues, Latin, and classical music. One of the many jazzmen who started out playing hard bop but went electric during the fusion era, (soon after attending Texas Southern University for three years,) Sample founded the Jazz Crusaders along with trombonist Wayne Henderson, tenor saxman Wilton Felder and drummer Stix Hooper. Relocating to and launching their storied career in Los Angeles, The Crusaders patterned themselves after Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, only without a trumpet and becoming renowned for their unique tenor/trombone front line.

Sample focused on the acoustic piano during the Crusaders' early years (late 50s-early 60s), but began to place greater emphasis on electric keyboards when the band turned to jazz/funk in the early 70s and dropped the "Jazz" from its name. After garnering numerous gold and platinum albums over the course of nearly three decades, The Crusaders' last official recording was Life in the Modern World in 1987. Sample and Felder released the dual album Healing the Wounds on GRP in the early 90s, and in 2003 rejoined Hooper for a more full-scale reunion that produced the Southern styled hit jazz fusion recording Rural Renewal-billed as the first new album by The Crusaders in over 20 years-and a popular subsequent tour.While actively touring as a member of the Crusaders, Sample simultaneously launched a successful solo career. His bestselling recordings include Rainbow Seeker, Carmel, Voices in the Rain, Spellbound, Ashes to Ashes, Invitation (a return to his bebop roots), Did You Feel That?, Old Places, Old Faces and the George Duke produced Sample This. GRP also released The Joe Sample Collection and the three CD Crusaders Collection as testament to Sample's enduring legacy. The pianist's most recent recordings are 1999's The Song Lives On (featuring duets with singer Lalah Hathaway) and 2002's The Pecan Tree, a colorful tribute to his hometown of Houston, where he relocated in 1994.In addition to his own recording, Sample has toured and performed with numerous musical greats in all genres, including Marvin Gaye, Tina Turner, BB King, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, Randy Crawford (who sang on the 1979 Crusaders smash "Street Life"), Anita Baker, Andrae Crouch and many others.By returning to the roots of his own musical influence, Sample's Soul Shadows gives us a unique reflection and chronicle of traditional American music at its best .

Spiritual Healing

Dr. Hulon E. Crayton was born December 31, 1969 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Yet there’s lot more to Hulon’s dynamic emergence onto the urban jazz scene than simple chart stats and the support of some of the genre’s best players. ...Expand to read entire bio >At its heart, it’s the story of a musical dream long deferred and unique connections between the spiritual and emotional healing power of music and the physical healing that Dr. Hulon E. Crayton does as a rheumatologist and founder of The Arthritis and Infusion Center, which specializes in the treatment of Rheumatological diseases as well as sports related injuries. The title of one of the tracks on After Hours, the tropical flavored groove tune, “Second Opinion” is a playful ode to his longtime profession. 


Hulon was originally inspired to play the alto sax by his college roommate when he was an undergrad at Lincoln University in Missouri. He taught himself the instrument and it became a favorite hobby for a time, used as recreation and stress relief as Hulon played along to his favorite recordings. He put the horn aside for years as he went to medical school at the University of Wisconsin, started his first practice, got married and began raising a family. Hulon’s interest was rekindled when all three of his children showed an interest in music and served as first chair on their respective instruments in middle school. He had loaned his daughter his old sax and she wouldn’t give it back, so he bought a tenor at a local pawn shop (after moving to Florida) and that became his main voice as he began to pursue music professionally.

He started playing informally with some local musicians (enjoying cigars and martinis along the way) and then was hired to play at a festival by a promoter who heard him performing one Sunday at church; this prompted Hulon to start a band with a fellow doctor friend. Cleverly dubbing themselves On Call, the band began performing at numerous private functions, local Panama City jazz hotspots like the Boatyard, Firefly, Bonefish and large scale affairs at the Grand Panama Hotel. His incredible friendship and musical association with Jeff Kashiwa began when Hulon was in the audience at the Seabreeze Jazz Festival one year when the famed saxman was onstage playing the EWI, or Electronic Woodwind Instrument.

“He started introducing this cool looking instrument and I shouted out from the crowd that I’ve gotta get me one of those,” says Hulon. “Jeff responded from the stage, ‘Not only will I sell this to you, I will also teach you how to play it!’ After the show I met him and asked if he was serious. He gave me his address, I sent him a check and he sold me his EWI. He was down in Orlando with the Rippingtons two months later and I went to see him. He took me up to his hotel room and taught me how to play EWI. At a later gig in Atlanta, he invited me backstage to meet the Rippingtons. We started doing lessons on Skype, and about a year later, Jeff was playing at a fundraiser for the Anchorage Children’s Home, which takes care of disadvantaged youth, and my band opened for him. I was nervous at first but later in the show, when he invited me to play onstage with him and we traded solos while walking parallel up the aisle in the audience, I felt like this was a musical high I could get used to!”

Hulon’s later idea to hire the veteran saxman to compose a jingle for his practice inspired Kashiwa to write an extended version called “Dr. Goodfoot,” which ultimately became the first track they recorded on First Impressions. The title is a nod to James Brown’s classic “Get on the Good Foot.” Once Hulon received the blessing of his wife Dinah and the encouragement of his children, he enlisted Kashiwa to help him develop a full length album project. beginning with four demos that Kashiwa had sent him after “Dr. Goodfoot.” “The experience was surreal,” Hulon says, “as if I were suddenly on this fast track. A few years earlier, I wasn’t even playing the horn, and here I was in a studio recording with a world renowned saxophonist who believed in my potential as an artist. He saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself.

“Even as he was producing me,” he adds, “he was my teacher and mentor, telling me what I needed to do, helping make me a better player. The cool thing about Jeff is that he always has a goal for me inside his mind. He won’t always tell me what it is, but when I hit it, he tells me and then raising the bar. With constructive criticism, he knows how to get the best out of me. The experience became even more intense as we worked on After Hours. I am feeling more confident about myself as a player and artist than ever and am able to nail a song much faster. The first time we ever recorded, it took me eight hours to do the first song and four days to do three songs. This time we got almost the whole album done in three days”all thanks to Jeff’s encouragement and gentle push at the right times.”

Believing that “versatility is survivability,” Hulon (with Kashiwa’s guidance) breaks the mold of the typical urban jazz output these days by offering a wide variety of styles and grooves behind his rich emotional tenor melodies. That’s not surprising considering the wide variety of genres he listens to on his iPod” from hip hop and country to orchestral and classical music. Yet beyond simply providing musical pleasure to the genre’s adult audiences, he says, “I want to be inspiring to children and a good role model to them the way I have strived to be with my own kids. I’m really enjoying this journey every step of the way. As with medicine, I get great personal joy and satisfaction having people appreciate what I do. My time in the office is devoted to physical healing. But when I’m recording or playing live onstage, that’s when the spiritual healing begins.”

Over the past few years, Hulon has experienced the unique double blessing of performing for some of his patients, feeling joy and fulfillment as those who once could not even walk actually got up and danced and sang along” all thanks to him! Hulon has been practicing since 1986 and is a diplomat of the American Board of Internal Medicine and of the American Board of Rheumatology. He has a Master’s in Hospital Administration and has served in the U.S. Army and the Army Reserve, obtaining the rank of Captain. In an effort to give back to the community, Hulon and his wife Dinah created the Crayton Foundation to assist in providing minorities with a feasible way to attain the funding needed to attend college; they have given numerous scholarships to students interested in pursuing a career in healthcare related fields. The foundation gave the first ever scholarship at Florida State University for African American students.

Do visit Hulon's website CLICK HERE

ORGANIZED CHAOS

Rarely does a musician emerge who dramatically changes the way we listen to music, but such a man is Ornette Coleman. Ever since the late 1950's when he burst on the New York scene, his artistic vision has helped to expand contemporary musical boundaries. Most people think of Ornette Coleman as the revolutionary saxophonist who created "free jazz", but in truth, his music and his approach to making music have always defied simple categorization.

Born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1930, Ornette Coleman bought his first saxophone at the age of 14. Having taught himself how to play the instrument, he performed with various rhythm and blues bands and by the time he was nineteen he left Fort Worth to hook up with Silas Green's traveling minstrel show. It was not until Coleman joined Pee Wee Crauton's band that he was able to make it out of the honky-tonks and blues bars of the South. Apparently, even then, the young saxophonist style was controversial, and rumor has it that by the time the band reached Los Angeles, Crayton was paying Coleman not to solo. Bebop ruled jazz in the 1950's and initially while in Los Angeles, Coleman, like everybody else, playing bebop at jam sessions. "I could play and sound like Charlie Parker note-for-note, but I was only playing it from method. So I tried to figure out where to go from there," Coleman said

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As he started exploring musical possibilities of extending and fusing elements of honky-tonk, blues, funk, and bebop, Coleman created personal musical vocabulary free from the prevailing conventions of harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic structures. Coleman's musical style so alienated him from the jazz community that musicians literally walked off stage whenever Coleman showed up to play. In retrospect, Coleman's innovations, later to be known as "harmolodics", not only helped to revitalize jazz by pointing a new direction away from the rigid role of harmony in bebop, but also established his place in a select group of major 20th Century American composers, such as Charlie Parker, Harry Partch, Charles Ives and John Cage.

In Los Angeles during the early 50's Coleman had to support himself with menial jobs. However, he was fortunate enough to find a core of talented musicians, trumpeters Don Cherry and Bobby Bradford, drummers Ed Blackwell and Billy Higgins, and bassist Charlie Haden, who embraced his musical concepts. Although the musicians rarely found opportunities to perform the music, they spent a great deal of time improvising and rehearsing.

Things changed dramatically for Coleman in 1958 with the release his debut album, Something Else, and while he could still be scorned, he could not be ignored. One year later a second album, Tomorrow is the Question, was released and the original quartet was firmly established: Coleman on alto sax, Don Cherry on trumpet, Billy Higgins on drums, and Charlie Haden on bass.

In November of 1959, the quartet made its legendary New York debut at the Five Spot in Greenwich Village. The music was unlike anything ever heard before. Since neither bassist or drummer functioned in a conventionally rhythmic sense and with the absence of a pianist providing chordal harmonies, the band members were given tremendous room in which to improvise and to interact. The music, termed "free jazz", upset many musicians and deeply polarized the jazz community. But the well publicized musical feuds, (Coleman was actually physically abused by an extremely irate, but notable, musician), caught the attention of the New York intelligencia and the initial two week engagement turned into six months. On one side of the controversy, leading jazz musicians were openly hostile, calling him a charlatan, and on the other side, people like composer- conductor Leonard Bernstein, composer Virgil Thompson and numerous writers and painters were heralding the artistic impact of his arrival.

 
By 1960, the quartet recorded two more albums, Free Jazz and The Shape of Jazz to Come, but by the mid 1960's, Atlantic Records decided to severe its contract with Coleman and he withdrew from the public eye. During this period, aside from teaching himself to play the trumpet and the violin, Coleman turned his attention to composing in different musical forms. He wrote several string quartets, woodwind quintets and symphonic works, and like George Gershwin, Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman helped to break down the bountries between "modern jazz" and "serious concert" music. The first public performance of his string quartet, "Dedicated to Poets and Writers", took place at New York's Town Hall in 1962, however, performances of his works were scarce and most of the material from this period has yet to be performed or recorded. RCA Red Seal did release Form and Sounds in 1968 which featured a woodwind quintet by the same title, performed by the Philadelphia Woodwind Quintet and two symphonic chamber works entitled "Saints and Soldiers" and "Space Flight", performed by the string of the Philadelphia Orchestra. This release helped clear the way for the 1972 Columbia release of Coleman's Skies of America symphonic suite performed by the London Philharmonic. Although the work is scored jazz ensemble and orchestra, labor regulation in England would not permit the ensemble to play, and so the recording actually represents a concerto version of the work. The work received its New York debut, with the complete ensemble, at Lincoln Center on July 4th, 1972 with the American Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leon Thompson.

During the 1970's Coleman's musical visions continued to expand. In 1975, Coleman formed his current band, Prime Time, and now the "free jazz/classical composer" was creating very danceable music that combined elements of jazz, funk, R & B, and rock with an unusual mix of instruments: two guitarists, two drummers, two bassists, and Coleman on sax, violin and trumpet. Prime Time's multi-layered melodies, polytonal, and polyrhythmic textures, defined by Coleman as "Harmolodics", continued to shape the music of the period, not only jazz. Coleman's influence affected many rock musicians of the '70's, most notably, Frank Zappa. Coleman and the Prime Time has since toured extensively throughout North America, Europe and Asia and have recorded several albums on the A & M Horizon, Antilles, Artists House, and Caravan of Dreams labels.

Around the same period, Coleman became increasingly interested in music from diverse African cultures. He traveled throughout Africa and in 1977, A & M Records released Dancing in Your Head featuring, on one side, field recordings that Coleman made while playing with tribal musicians of Joujouka, Morocco, and on the other side, Prime Time's now legendary first offering. In the 1980's, Coleman continued to surprise the musical world with diverse projects. In 1983, Coleman was commssioned by Caravan of Dreams to revise and to complete Skies of America. The work premiered September 29th at the Civic Center in Fort Worth, Texas, his home town, with conductor John Giordano leading the Fort Worth Symphony and Prime Time.

The same year, Coleman was commissioned by the Brooklyn Academy to write a chamber piece for their "Meet the Modern" series. The resulting piece was entitled "The Sacred Mind of Johnny Dolphin" and the work was performed by the Brooklyn Philharmonic with Lucas Foss conducting. The work recently received its European debut at the Camden Jazz Festival in London.

In July 1985, in Hartford, Real Art Ways presented the most thorough examination of Coleman's work date. The week-long festival included performances by Prime Time, screenings of Shirley Clark's documentary film, Ornette: Made in America and of selections from Coleman's home video archives which included sessions in Morocco and Nigeria, concerts by former bandmembers James (Blood) Ulmer, Ed Blackwell and Don Cherry, and performances of Coleman's recently composed chamber music, including "The Sacred Mind of Johnny Dolphin", for double string quartet, trumpet and percussion, and "Time Design", a work for string quartet and percussion dedicated to the memory of Buckminster Fuller.
The critical success of the Hartford festival led to several subsequent commissions in 1986. For solo violin, Coleman wrote a work entitled "Trinity", for solo mandolin he wrote "Notes Talking", and the Fromm Music Foundation at Harvard University commissioned "In Honor of NASA and Planetary Soloist", a work written for the Kronos Quartet and Joseph Celli on oboe, English horn, and Mukha Veena (an Indian Wind instrument). Coleman was also commissioned by Tuffts University to write "DNA Meets E=MC2", which was performed by Prime Time and his original Quartet.

  In 1986 and 1987 also saw two important record releases for Coleman: "Song X" recorded with guitarist Pat Metheny, and the Caravan of Dreams release of In All Languages, a double album featuring both Prime Time and the Original Quartet. Between these recordings and the chamber music festivals, Coleman's was again at the forefront of public attention. "Song X" was selected as the Down beat's "Records of the Year", Prime Time as top "Electric Jazz Group", and Coleman was chosen as top "Alto Sax" of the year and "Jazz Musician of the Year". In addition, Rolling Stones Magazine honored Coleman as "Jazz Artist of the Year".
Coleman's wide ranging musical contributions are not only reflected by the music represented on the more than forty albums, but also by the many bandmembers, inspired by Coleman's vision, who have gone on to develop indipendent careers, such as James (Blood) Ulmer, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Don Cherry, Dewey Redman, Ed Blackwell, Billy Higgins, and Charlie Haden. Ornette Coleman has always had an unusual ability to resurface at times when musical establishments were in need of revitalization. For more than thirty years, the multi-stylistic elements in Coleman's music have appealed to a wide range of people, and in today's age of changing demographic, his music offers programs that relate to culturally diverse audiences. Coleman's music has always reflected the richness and range of musical expression and today he speaks as a mature artist at the peak of his power.

To visit Ornette Coleman's website CLICK HERE.

NSide Out

NSide Out

Norman A. Woods aka jazz/poet N-Side is a performing jazz/poet, screenwriter and music publisher from the S.F. Bay area. A native of Berkeley, California, he has always had an aspiration to be an artist of some description and has always supported the arts in some way emotionally, financially and resourcefully.

Some say he has seen it all. From Jimi Hendrix plays Berkeley to the Silicon Valley explosion. In his own word he would say, “Seen a lot, heard a lot, done a lot, had fun a lot and everything in between!  From Vietnam anti-war protest to rainy days of homelessness

N-Side’s poetic work is done in a traditional style, which reflects his love of poetry from the “Harlem Renaissance” era. Most of his poetry is influenced by the writing of Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, Arna Bontemps, Countee Cullen and so on. His contemporary jazz influences include, but are not limited to, Red Garland, Donald Byrd, Gil Scott-Heron and his favorite poet, Kamau Da'aood.

N-Side's "reflective poetry" is said by some that " his simple words speak volumes of fundamental truths in a few stanzas, with smooth-up tempo jazz creating oceans of emotion", Mark States, Poetry Express. N-Side's poetry covers a variety of subjects such as, education, hope, and from healing to personal empowerment. His mission is to speak for the disregarded voices of the unheard, because everybody matters!

N-Side’s vision of the symbiotic relationship between jazz and poetry is built on his love of jazz and the philosophy that "sometimes the best place to find a good pair of hands, is to look down at the end of your arms!" and that "art unified in motion will create magic!"

An example of this is shown through his directing the film: A journey from the N-Side: an unscripted profile of a jazz/poet, of which he received (2) awards last year. One in the “Accolade Competition” and “The Best Short Film competition”. Adding to, a short film, “Mystic Dance”, (7) jazz CD recordings and has produced and directed (4) LIVE performance DVD. He has also produced recordings for a few artists on his record label, Shalamar Records, Three Alexander Music (BMI)

He is still writing poetry and has performed at various bay area jazz festivals with his band,” The Tribe” consisting of: Si Perkoff - piano, Mandy Flowers – upright bass, Mark Wright - Trumpet and Achytan – drums. As a bandleader, he performs for charitable organizations and causes committed to making hope reachable. His music CD’s, and performance DVD’s, are made available for fundraising events and non-profit organizations that he supports.  Welcome to the N-Side!  

To visit Norman Woods aka N-Side's CD Baby page CLICK HERE
To visit N-Side & The Tribe's Facebook Fan Page CLICK HERE
To visit N-Side & The Tribe on Youtube CLICK HERE

The Artistry of Monet

Monet was born and raised in New York City surrounded by multiple genres of music by both parents - her mother a doo-wop singer who performed at the Apollo Theater and her father a manager of jazz and Latin artists and by the legendary Betty Carter who was a very close family friend, so you see Monet's musical roots run deep. Monet also plays guitar, oboe, piccolo and piano as well as her signature instrument the flute, for which she was offered a scholarship to attend Cornell University at the age of 14 due to her amazing proficiency. Lifesize Mirror, the title of Monet’s brand new project was released by the Purpose Music Group through Nia Distribution in Oct. LifeSize Mirror makes a bold revealing statement about how profoundly life’s journey has touched her. The thick, golden brown locs that once graced her crown – very much the signature image of her debut release ESSENCE six years ago - are gone. You almost don’t recognize her. But that unmistakable voice buried deep in her chest, almost as if coming directly from her heart is ever present. Her flute that teases and soars, bouncing in the air like a wondrously, hypnotic tribal spell – is pronounced, only finer, richer and more knowing. This couldn't be more evident than in "VAIN," which uniquely combines jazz, classical and instrumental soul " VAIN" is an account of a reflective journey - Monet’s flute like a snake charmer, beautifully intricate which starts out with moments of calm, coaxing gently until it deepens to a throaty rasp, becoming more complex and intriguing.

Monet’s musical repertoire is diverse with influences drawn from jazz, soul, latin, classical, folk, house and funk. Fundamentally, however, her sound is purely rooted in organic soul. The influences are a glorious amalgamation of Marvin Gaye, Joni Mitchell, Bob Marley, Sade and Hubert Laws. One would be remiss not to mention Monet’s various film credits including acting and directing. This is a resume full of aesthetic discovery.

While in between projects, leading up to the actual production of LIFESIZE MIRROR, Monet was quite busy at work fine tuning her craft, contributing her signature flute work, songwriting and vocals to recent projects by Angela Johnson “That's Just The Way"(which is also on Lifesize Mirror), Nigerian world soul artist Siji "Fantasy" and "Ekundayo,” and singer/songwriters Kendra Ross "Has to Be,” and La Sonya Gunther, " How we Livin." Monet is involved in upcoming projects by the Revelations featuring Tre Williams “Don’t Wait ", Abby Dobson "Fly," Tarrah Reynolds and Collette. Monet also contributed to club hits by Melena Perez, "Confession,” and Tortured Soul, "Don't Hold me Down,” flute and vocals respectively.

LIFESIZE MIRROR promises to be rich with what we expect from Monet. However some surprising alternative twists to her sound abound. There is more orchestration in the arrangements, and the addition of violin, cello, trumpet and soprano sax on various cuts are welcome. Her reggae dub influence is present on, “Ever Want.” Then there’s the Monet that many are definitely familiar with in “Hold me Sweetly,” a quivering ode to desire that Monet admittedly calls baby making music. Other cuts from this effort seem to convey odes of promise, hope, inspiration and transformation like “Walk with Me,” and “It’s Your Life,” which is an anthem to one being a master of one’s own destiny. Jeff Smith (Family Stand), violinist Tarrah Reynolds, keyboardist Nick Rolfe, vocalists Tricia Angus, Saundra Williams, Martha Redbone, and Abby Dobson, are all contributors to LIFESIZEMIRROR. The producers of the project include Steve Wallace, Angela Johnson, Sijii, Prez, Jesse Fischer (Soul Cycle),Ticklah and Ethan White (Tortured Soul).

Monet is an explorer. Through her musical expression we witness her seeking the highest level of self awareness and realization which is often referred to as LIFESIZE MIRROR. I n this project she freely moves through her existence fearlessly, balancing both the pain and the pleasure, the heartache and the rapture making sure we feel it too, spiritually, intellectually and physically. Conveying this is no easy feat – and as we bear witness to Monet’s creativity as she continues to document her journey through her music. We know that we’re all the better to be an audience to such a gift.

Lifesize Mirror has charted for three weeks on the Billboard Jazz Chart , reaching a high of #41 in December , a rarity for an artist who is also part of the independent honest soul movement.

To visit Monet on Reverbnation CLICK HERE

To Visit Monet on Purpose Records CLICK HERE

"COLLECTIONS"

Odean Pope was born October 24, 1938 in Ninety‐Six, South Carolina to musical parents who rooted him in the sounds of the Southern Baptist Church. After moving to Philadelphia at the age of ten, his lifelong study of music began in earnest and was buttressed by The Graniff School of Music and Benjamin Franklin High School's music program.

Odean grew up in jazz rich territory with other Philadelphia notables such as: John Coltrane, Lee Morgan, Clifford Brown, Benny Golson, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy and Percy Heath, Ray Bryant, Bill Barron, Kenny Barron, Archie Shepp, Jymie Merritt, Jimmy Garrison, Philly Joe Jones and Dizzy Gillespie. Coltrane chose Odean to replace him in Jimmy Smith's Group when he left for New York to join Miles Davis. Although he was close to Coltrane and continues to revere his artistry, Odean was always searching for his own musical sound. This led him to study with Ron Rubin, the principal woodwind player in the Philadelphia Orchestra. At a later time he studied at The Paris Conservatory for Music under Kenny Clarke. It was there that he received his Certificate in Orchestration, Modern harmony, African rhythms, Be‐Bop Art Forms and Arrangement. He studied with the pianist, Ray Bryant, bassist, Jymie Merritt and was significantly influenced by the brilliant, if not eccentric pianist, Hasaan Ibn Ali. Odean added, "Then being able to study with Max (Roach) from '79 up until '02, was like going to one of the highest institutions in the whole world."


Integrating several musical influences including the church choir of his youth, Philadelphia jazz and R&B of the 50's and classical woodwind chamber music, led Odean in the early 70's to help form Catalyst, a collective of musicians and music representing his new aesthetic. A two‐CD set was reissued in 1999 on 32 Records as: "Catalyst: The Funkiest Band You Never Heard." It was music ahead of its time. In 1979, Odean joined the Max Roach Quartet as a regular member for more than two decades. It was as the tenor man with Max Roach that Odean perfected the techniques of circular breathing and multiphonics, both allowing him to stretch his solo improvisations from dazzling elevations to the throbbing, husky sounds for which he is so well known, to all kinds of delicacy in getting from one to the other. Odean won acclaim from Australia to Japan, even winning "Best Tenor Saxophone Player" at the North Sea Jazz Festival.

Odean works with his trio, (Lee Smith, Craig McIver) quartet and saxophone choir. The saxophone choir is formatted with nine saxophones, and was established by Odean in 1977 and premiered in 1985 with a Soul Note album called "The Saxophone Shop."

The saxophone choir has been the realization of his southern legacy; a medium for creating the richly textured harmonic sound that has permeated his musical soul since childhood. Even though he plays clarinet, oboe, piccolo, flute and piano, Odean feels an affinity for the tenor saxophone because it most closely mimics the human voice. He constructs layers of melodic sound by playing within the fourth system in different tone scales using multiphonics, achieving several pitches together, for which he is well known. The choir reaches a stunning intensity that is simultaneously one voice and is also, as described by Francis Davis, "harmonically engorged."




Odean has led two musical lives. Whereas his musical legion left for New York, Odean kept Philadelphia as his home base. Having grown up in North Philadelphia, Odean has always felt a strong commitment to his community through working musically with the children. He was musical director of a Philadelphia cultural initiative, "Model Cities." He started the jazz studies program at the Settlement Music School and he continues to give master classes in the School District of Philadelphia, as well as nationally and internationally.

Odean Pope's artistry as a performer, composer and arranger has earned him many
Citations from the City of Philadelphia. Among his many awards are, The Pew
Fellowship in the Arts for Music Composition (1992), The Rockefeller Foundation
(1992) and several from Chamber Music America.

Photos by John Abbott Photography

To visit the website of Odean Pope CLICK HERE

LOVE NOTES

Valentine's Day is upon us, the magic of Adoration fills the air. Let the sweet sounds of SOJP enhance the mood and guide Cupid's arrow into your hearts.

The music of Karen Francis, Little Jimmy Scott, Nancy Wilson, Dr. John, Gloria Lynne along with the poetry of Bigtrigger, NeoSouljah, Yumenyeti, Celestial Dancer, just to name a few will set the tempo for the evening.

ENJOY

SPOTLIGHT ON JAZZ AND POETRY'S

LOVENOTES

"Soulful Beginnings" SOJP's 4th Anniversary Program

Wynton Marsalis is an internationally acclaimed musician, composer, bandleader, educator and a leading advocate of American culture. He is the world’s first jazz artist to perform and compose across the full jazz spectrum from its New Orleans roots to bebop to modern jazz. By creating and performing an expansive range of brilliant new music for quartets to big bands, chamber music ensembles to symphony orchestras, tap dance to ballet, Wynton has expanded the vocabulary for jazz and created a vital body of work that places him among the world’s finest musicians and composers.

Early Years

Wynton was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on October 18, 1961, to Ellis and Dolores Marsalis, the second of six sons. At an early age he exhibited a superior aptitude for music and a desire to participate in American culture. At age eight Wynton performed traditional New Orleans music in the Fairview Baptist Church band led by legendary banjoist Danny Barker, and at 14 he performed with the New Orleans Philharmonic. During high school Wynton performed with the New Orleans Symphony Brass Quintet, New Orleans Community Concert Band, New Orleans Youth Orchestra, New Orleans Symphony, various jazz bands and with the popular local funk band, the Creators.

At age 17 Wynton became the youngest musician ever to be admitted to Tanglewood’s Berkshire Music Center. Despite his youth, he was awarded the school’s prestigious Harvey Shapiro Award for outstanding brass student. Wynton moved to New York City to attend Juilliard in 1979. When he began to pick up gigs around town, the grapevine began to buzz. In 1980 Wynton seized the opportunity to join the Jazz Messengers to study under master drummer and bandleader Art Blakey. It was from Blakey that Wynton acquired his concept for bandleading and for bringing intensity to each and every performance. In the years to follow Wynton performed with Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, Sweets Edison, Clark Terry, Sonny Rollins, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams and countless other jazz legends.

Wynton assembled his own band in 1981 and hit the road, performing over 120 concerts every year for 15 consecutive years. With the power of his superior musicianship, the infectious sound of his swinging bands and an exhaustive series of performances and music workshops, Marsalis rekindled widespread interest in jazz throughout the world. Wynton embraced the jazz lineage to garner recognition for the older generation of overlooked jazz musicians and prompted the re-issue of jazz catalog by record companies worldwide. He also inspired a renaissance that attracted a new generation of fine young talent to jazz. A look at the more distinguished jazz musicians of today reveals numerous students of Marsalis’ workshops: James Carter, Christian McBride, Roy Hargrove, Harry Connick Jr., Nicholas Payton, Eric Reed and Eric Lewis, to name a few.

Classical Career

Wynton’s love of the music of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and others drove him to pursue a career in classical music as well. He recorded the Haydn, Hummel and Leopold Mozart trumpet concertos at age 20. His debut recording received glorious reviews and won the Grammy Award® for “Best Classical Soloist with an Orchestra.” Marsalis went on to record 10 additional classical records, all to critical acclaim. Wynton performed with leading orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Pops, The Cleveland Orchestra, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra and London’s Royal Philharmonic, working with an eminent group of conductors including: Leppard, Dutoit, Maazel, Slatkin, Salonen and Tilson-Thomas. Famed classical trumpeter Maurice André praised Wynton as “potentially the greatest trumpeter of all time.”

Record Production

To date Wynton has produced over 70 records which have sold over seven million copies worldwide including three Gold Records. His recordings consistently incorporate a heavy emphasis on the blues, an inclusive approach to all forms of jazz from New Orleans to modern jazz, persistent use of swing as the primary rhythm, an embrace of the American popular song, individual and collective improvisation, and a panoramic vision of compositional styles from dittys to dynamic call and response patterns (both within the rhythm section and between the rhythm section and horn players). Always swinging, Marsalis blows his trumpet with a clear tone and a unique, virtuosic style derived from an encyclopedic range of trumpet techniques.

The Composer

Wynton Marsalis is a prolific and inventive composer. The dance community embraced Wynton’s inventiveness by awarding him with commissions to create new music for Garth Fagan (Citi Movement-Griot New York), Peter Martins at the New York City Ballet (Jazz: Six Syncopated Movements and Them Twos), Twyla Tharp with the American Ballet Theatre (Jump Start), Judith Jamison at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre (Sweet Release and Here…Now), and Savion Glover (Petite Suite and Spaces). Marsalis collaborated with the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society in 1995 to compose the string quartet At The Octoroon Balls, and again in 1998 to create a response to Stravinsky’s A Soldier’s Tale with his composition A Fiddler’s Tale. With his collection of standards arrangements, Wynton reconnected audiences with the beauty of the American popular song (Standard Time Volumes I-VI). He re-introduced the joy in New Orleans jazz with his recording The Majesty Of The Blues. He extended the jazz musician’s interplay with the blues in Levee Low Moan, Thick In The South and other blues recordings. With Citi Movement, In This House On This Morning and Blood On The Fields, Wynton invented a fresh conception for extended form compositions. His inventive interplay with melody, harmony and rhythm, along with his lyrical voicing and tonal coloring assert new possibilities for the jazz ensemble. In his dramatic oratorio Blood On The Fields, Wynton draws upon the blues, work songs, chants, call and response, spirituals, New Orleans jazz, Ellingtonesque orchestral arrangements and Afro-Caribbean rhythms; and he uses Greek chorus-style recitations to move the work along. The New York Times Magazine said the work “marked the symbolic moment when the full heritage of the line, Ellington through Mingus, was extended into the present.” The San Francisco Examiner stated, “Marsalis’ orchestral arrangements are magnificent. Duke Ellington’s shadings and themes come and go but Marsalis’ free use of dissonance, counter rhythms and polyphonics is way ahead of Ellington’s mid-century era.” Wynton extended his achievements in Blood On The Fields with All Rise, an epic composition for big band, gospel choir, and symphony orchestra - a classic work of high art - which was performed by the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Kurt Masur along with the Morgan State University Choir and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra (December 1999). Marsalis collaborated with Ghanaian master drummer Yacub Addy to create Congo Square, a groundbreaking composition combining elegant harmonies from America’s jazz tradition with fundamental rituals in African percussion and vocals (2006). For the anniversary of the Abyssinian Baptist Church’s 200th year of service, Marsalis blended Baptist church choir cadences with blues accents and big band swing rhythms to compose Abyssinian 200: A Celebration, which was performed by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and Abyssinian’s 100 voice choir before packed houses in New York City (May 2008). In the fall of 2009 the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra premiered Marsalis’ composition Blues Symphony. By infusing blues and ragtime rhythms with symphonic orchestrations Wynton creates a fresh type of enjoyment of classical repertoire. Employing complex layers of collective improvisation, Marsalis further expanded his repertoire for symphony orchestra with Swing Symphony, premiered by the renowned Berlin Philharmonic in June 2010, creating new possibilities for audiences to experience a symphony orchestra swing. The New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Barbican have all signed on to perform Swing Symphony. Marsalis’ rich and expansive body of music for the ages places him among the world’s most significant composers.

Television and Radio

In the fall of 1995 Wynton launched two major broadcast events. In October PBS premiered Marsalis On Music, an educational television series on jazz and classical music. The series was written and hosted by Marsalis and was enjoyed by millions of parents and children. Writers distinguished Marsalis On Music with comparisons to Leonard Bernstein’s celebrated Young People’s Concerts of the 50s and 60s. That same month National Public Radio aired the first of Marsalis’ 26-week series entitled Making the Music. These entertaining and insightful radio shows were the first full exposition of jazz music in American broadcast history. Wynton’s radio and television series were awarded the most prestigious distinction in broadcast journalism, the George Foster Peabody Award. Marsalis has also written five books: Sweet Swing Blues on the Road, Jazz in the Bittersweet Blues of Life, To a Young Musician: Letters from the Road, Jazz ABZ (an A to Z collection of poems celebrating jazz greats), and his most recent release Moving to Higher Ground: How Jazz Can Change Your Life.

Awards and Accolades

Wynton Marsalis has won nine Grammy Awards® in grand style. In 1983 he became the only artist ever to win Grammy Awards® for both jazz and classical records; and he repeated the distinction by winning jazz and classical Grammy Awards® again in 1984. Today Wynton is the only artist ever to win Grammy Awards® in five consecutive years (1983-1987). Honorary degrees have been conferred upon Wynton by over 25 of America’s leading academic institutions including Columbia, Harvard, Howard, Princeton and Yale (see Exhibit A). Elsewhere Wynton was honored with the Louis Armstrong Memorial Medal and the Algur H. Meadows Award for Excellence in the Arts. He was inducted into the American Academy of Achievement and was dubbed an Honorary Dreamer by the “I Have a Dream Foundation.” The New York Urban League awarded Wynton with the Frederick Douglass Medallion for distinguished leadership and the American Arts Council presented him with the Arts Education Award. Time magazine selected Wynton as one of America’s most promising leaders under age 40 in 1995, and in 1996 Time celebrated Marsalis again as one of America’s 25 most influential people. In November 2005 Wynton Marsalis received The National Medal of Arts, the highest award given to artists by the United States Government. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan proclaimed Wynton Marsalis an international ambassador of goodwill for the Unites States by appointing him a UN Messenger of Peace (2001).

In 1997 Wynton Marsalis became the first jazz musician ever to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music for his epic oratorio Blood On The Fields. During the five preceding decades the Pulitzer Prize jury refused to recognize jazz musicians and their improvisational music, reserving this distinction for classical composers. In the years following Marsalis’ award, the Pulitzer Prize for Music has been awarded posthumously to Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane. In a personal note to Wynton, Zarin Mehta wrote, “I was not surprised at your winning the Pulitzer Prize for Blood On The Fields. It is a broad, beautifully painted canvas that impresses and inspires. It speaks to us all ... I’m sure that, somewhere in the firmament, Buddy Bolden, Louis Armstrong and legions of others are smiling down on you.”

Wynton’s creativity has been celebrated throughout the world. He won the Netherlands’ Edison Award and the Grand Prix Du Disque of France. The Mayor of Vitoria, Spain, awarded Wynton with the city’s Gold Medal – its most coveted distinction. Britain’s senior conservatoire, the Royal Academy of Music, granted Mr. Marsalis Honorary Membership, the Academy’s highest decoration for a non-British citizen (1996). The city of Marciac, France, erected a bronze statue in his honor. The French Ministry of Culture appointed Wynton the rank of Knight in the Order of Arts and Literature and in the fall of 2009 Wynton received France’s highest distinction, the insignia Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, an honor that was first awarded by Napoleon Bonaparte. French Ambassador, His Excellency Pierre Vimont, captured the evening bestwith his introduction:

“We are gathered here tonight to express the French government’s recognition of one of the most influential figures in American music, an outstanding artist, in one word: a visionary…
I want to stress how important your work has been for both the American and the French. I want to put the emphasis on the main values and concerns that we all share: the importance of education and transmission of culture from one generation to the other, and a true commitment to the profoundly democratic idea that lies in jazz music.
I strongly believe that, for you, jazz is more than just a musical form. It is tradition, it is part of American history and culture and life. To you, jazz is the sound of democracy. And from this democratic nature of jazz derives openness, generosity, and universality.”
Jazz at Lincoln Center

In 1987 Wynton Marsalis co-founded a jazz program at Lincoln Center. In July 1996, due to its significant success, Jazz at Lincoln Center was installed as new constituent of Lincoln Center, equal in stature with the New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera, and New York City Ballet - a historic moment for jazz as an art form and for Lincoln Center as a cultural institution. In October 2004, with the assistance of a dedicated Board and staff, Marsalis opened Frederick P. Rose Hall, the world’s first institution for jazz. The complex contains three state-of-the-art performance spaces (including the first concert hall designed specifically for jazz) along with recording, broadcast, rehearsal and educational facilities. Jazz at Lincoln Center has become a preferred venue for New York jazz fans and a destination for travelers from throughout the world. Wynton presently serves as Artistic Director for Jazz at Lincoln Center and Music Director for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Under Wynton’s leadership, Jazz at Lincoln Center has developed an international agenda presenting rich and diverse programming that includes concerts, debates, film forums, dances, television and radio broadcasts, and educational activities.

Jazz at Lincoln Center is a mecca for learning as well as a hub for performance. Their comprehensive educational programming includes a Band Director’s Academy, a hugely popular concert series for kids called Jazz for Young People, Jazz in the Schools, a Middle School Jazz Academy, WeBop! (for kids ages 8 months to 5 years), an annual High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival that reaches over 2000 bands in 50 states and Canada, and online learning tools.

Giving Back

Wynton Marsalis has devoted his life to uplifting populations worldwide with the egalitarian spirit of jazz. And while his body of work is enough to fill two lifetimes, Wynton continues to work tirelessly to contribute even more to our world’s cultural landscape. It has been said that he is an artist for whom greatness is not just possible, but inevitable. The most extraordinary dimension of Wynton Marsalis, however, is not his accomplishments but his character. It is the lesser-known part of this man who finds endless ways to give of himself. It is the person who waited in an empty parking lot for one full hour after a concert in Baltimore, waiting for a single student to return from home with his horn for a trumpet lesson. It is the citizen who personally funds scholarships for students and covers medical expenses for those in need. Immediately following Hurricane Katrina, Wynton organized the Higher Ground Hurricane Relief Concert and raised over $3 million for musicians and cultural organizations impacted by the hurricane. At the same time, he assumed a leadership role on the Bring Back New Orleans Cultural Commission where he was instrumental in shaping a master plan that would revitalize the city’s cultural base. Wynton Marsalis has selflessly donated his time and talent to non-profit organizations throughout the country to raise money to meet the many needs within our society. From My Sister’s Place (a shelter for battered women) to Graham Windham (a shelter for homeless children), the Children’s Defense Fund, Amnesty International, the Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute, Food For All Seasons (a food bank for the elderly and disadvantaged), Very Special Arts (an organization that provides experiences in dance, drama, literature, and music for individuals with physical and mental disabilities) to the Newark Boys Chorus School (a full-time academic music school for disadvantaged youths) and many, many more - Wynton responded enthusiastically to the call for service. It is Wynton Marsalis’ commitment to the improvement of life for all people that portrays the best of his character and humanity.

Wynton Marsalis Honorary Degrees

1988 Brown University (Doctor of Music)
Southern University at New Orleans (Doctor of Music)
1990 University at Buffalo - State University of New York
(Doctor of Music)
1992 Boston University (Doctor of Music)
1994 University of Miami (Doctor of Music)
1995 Hunter College (Doctor of Humane Letters)
Manhattan School of Music (Doctor of Music)
Princeton University (Doctor of Arts)
Yale University (Doctor of Music)
1996 Brandies University (Doctor of Humane Letters)
Columbia University (Doctor of Music)
Governors State University (Doctor of Humane Letters)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Doctor of Fine Arts)
University of Scranton (Doctor of Fine Arts)
1997 Amherst College (Doctor of Music)
Howard University (Doctor of Music)
Long Island University (Doctor of Music)
Rutgers University (Doctor of Fine Arts)
1998 Bard College (Doctor of Fine Arts)
Haverford College (Doctor of Humane Letters)
1999 University of Massachusetts Amherst (Doctor of Fine Arts)
2000 Middlebury College (Doctor of Arts)
University of Pennsylvania (Doctor of Music)
2001 Clark Atlanta University (Doctorate of Humane Letters)
Connecticut College (Doctor of Fine Arts)
2004 Bloomfield College (Doctor of Fine Arts)
2007 New York University (Doctor of Fine Arts)
2009 Harvard University (Doctor of Music)
Northwestern University (Doctor of Arts)

Courtesy of wyntonmarsalis.com



Eddie Oliver, a native of Orlando, Florida, Spoken Word Artist left home in 1999 to pursue his dreams of writing. While searching for more national exposure for his art form, he stumbled across the Atlanta poetry scene where he has strived and succeeded in earning the respect of being called one of the top spoken word artists in the country. A former rapper turned poet, Eddie has graced many stages with his resonating sultry voice that can be felt in the soul and melts the hearts and ears of its listeners. He has captivated fans from all walks of life while performing at grand events throughout the country. His smooth yet melodic, urban poetry has blessed audiences from The National Black Arts Festival, to The Nuyorican Poets Cafe, and everything in between. He has been featured on the television special POESY, and The Soul Lounge Groovenation Tour. Eddie has shared countless stages with a variety of soulful stars including India.Arie, Musiq Soulchild, and Malcolm Jamal Warner just to name a few. His song I Just Want to Live was featured on the CD compilation FUSION: A BLEND of POETRY and MUSIC distributed by Malaco Records. His intoxicating lyrical gift is also featured on all 11 songs of the Lee Williams and The Spirtual QC’s, God’s Groove! The Remix CD. His very own spoken word CD entitled POETIC SOUL: MIRROR IMAGES OF EDDIE OLIVER is laced with Hip-Hop, Jazz, and soulful rhythms. It is exalted by many as a masterpiece, a certified classic. His follow up CD entitled STREET CORNER SOUL is just as masterful. He is without question one of the most influential, and up and coming spoken word artists of our time.

Eddie is also a rising star on the theatrical scene. Among his countless honors was his directorial debut of the hit musical stage play, Little Black Girl’s Blues which received rave reviews. Mr. Oliver also received a best supporting actor nomination for his role as Neland in the stage play, The Apartment by Shut Up And Act Productions. He has also played the lead role in the hit Gospel stage play Daddy If You Only Knew, A Dance of Fatherhood, and Diante’s Hell where his smooth yet melodic urban poetry was featured. His poetry has also been on display in Rolling Out Magazine, The Creative Loafing, and The Orlando Times. Feature articles have been written about this new age, renaissance artist in Profound Word Magazine, The Poetry Papers, and Music 2 Showcase Magazine. This is only the beginning, now that his first poetry book entitled REFLECTIONS has been released, Eddie aspires to someday be catapulted amongst the poetry elite, along side his idol, the great Mr. Langston Hughes.

A gifted and advanced English student, Eddie fell in love with words at a very young age. All through his school years writing came easy to him. 9 times out of 10 if he was given a writing assignment he would get an A on it, and the teacher would always certainly read his paper in front of the class as an example of excellence. But the writing didn’t stop inside the classroom, behind clothes doors his creativity was blossoming. A shy young man, Eddie would sit in his room for hours just writing songs, raps, screenplays, and just random thoughts not really knowing what to do with any of it. Writing came so easy to him that he thought everyone could do it and to him writing was no big deal. Until one day after doing some soul searching because he was really unsure about what he wanted to do with his life. He thought about one question, ‘What is my gift?’ Believing that everyone has a gift, it finally hit him. ‘I’m a writer. That’s why the teachers always read my papers in front of the class, because I’m a writer.’ From that moment on Eddie became serious about his gift of writing which suddenly transitioned into an art of word play. A gifted lyricist, he fell in love with rap which almost landed him a deal with MCA Records, but fell through because of bad management. Sour about the rap industry, Eddie rebirth himself as a poet/spoken word artist where he felt there was no limitations on how he could express himself creatively. Thus Eddie Oliver the poet/spoken word artist was born from the rugged hood of Carver Shores in Orlando, Florida.

A lover of words, a lover of music, a lover of creativity, and a lover of life, Eddie believes that anything is possible once you realize what’s your gift? ‘Find it, explore it, nurture it, and master it. Then sit back and watch it grow,’ is Eddie’s advice to anyone searching for there purpose. For more info please feel free to visit www.eddieoliver.com or look for Eddie Oliver on facebook.

SOJP 2011 REVISITED

This is Spotlight On Jazz and Poetry's review of some of the fantastic programs and wonderful artists in the worlds of Jazz and Poetry. So many of our loyal listeners wrote in to us to let us know what show they enjoyed the most and what artists were their favorites.

Each program received rave reviews, therefore we decided to highlight ALL of the shows and artists which were featured during the year. We sincerely hope that you enjoy this special program!

We would also like to thank each and every one of you for your continued support. We here at SOJP will continue to strive for excellence in the programs that we'll be presenting for your enjoyment during the upcoming year of 2012 and beyond!!

Spotlight On Jazz and Poetry "Jazz as Poetic Inspiration"

"A JAZZY CHRISTMAS 2011"

Spotlight On Jazz & Poetry's

"A Jazzy Christmas 2011"

will showcase some of your all time favorite musicians as well as some new and exciting faces such as, Wynton Maralis, Kenny Burrell, Vince Guaraldi, Monika Herzig, Eartha Kitt, Rob Juice, Dinah Washington, Lou Rawls, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Rod Tate and many others playing and singing some of your favorite Christmas music.


On behalf of the SOJP family,
I would like to wish each and every one of you

A Very Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza and a
Safe, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

Light In The Sky

Omar Sosa is one of the most versatile jazz artists on the scene today: composer, arranger, producer, pianist, percussionist, and bandleader. He fuses a wide range of world music and electronic elements with his native Afro-Cuban roots to create a fresh and original urban sound - all with a Latin jazz heart. On stage, Mr. Sosa is a charismatic figure, inspiring his fellow musicians with his dynamic playing and improvisational approach to the music - an approach full of raw emotional power and humor. Mr. Sosa invariably inspires audiences to their feet and to join him in chorus vocals, heightening the sense of spontaneity and connection.

Omar Sosa was born (April 10, 1965) and raised in Camagüey, Cuba, the largest inland city of the island nation, with a current population of about 300,000. The city lies at the center of a large prairie, junction point of railroads and highways, commercial center for trade in cattle and sugar produced in the province, and home of many beautiful churches, cathedrals and mansions. His father, Sindulfo Sosa, was a teacher of history and philosophy, as well as an administrator of the local school system. His mother, Maricusa Palacios, now retired and living in Havana, was a telex operator for the local electric company.

At the age of eight, Omar began studying percussion, including marimba, at the music conservatory in Camagüey. After passing a rigorous musical exam, Omar moved his studies to the prestigious Escuela Nacional de Musica in Havana. Here, as a teenager, not finding his first choice instrument – the marimba – readily available, he began to focus on the piano, finishing his formal education in 1983 at the Instituto Superior de Arte, also in Havana.
Growing up in Camaguey, Omar listened to music at home – Nat King Cole, Orquesta Aragon, Pacho Alonso, Benny More, and much classical music. He was impressed early on by one of his father’s records – a set of Cuban descargas - but had no idea that this was Latin jazz. He was touched profoundly by the music’s freedom and expressiveness. It was the group Los Amigos, with Frank Emilio Flynn, Tata Guines, Cachao, and Barreto, et al. Another album constantly on the family’s record player was called Pianoforte, a recording by Chucho Valdes. Omar was also impressed by a recording of Afro-Cuban songs by the Conjunto Folklorico Nacional – so much so that he briefly toyed with the idea of becoming a dancer.

Later, at the conservatory in Havana, influenced by his classmates, Omar became familiar with the music called jazz. He listened to a radio program hosted by the father of drummer Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez. Students would stay up late to hear the show, and compare notes at the school the next day. At the time, this radio show was one of the main sources of information about jazz.

As some of his peer’s musician parents began to travel, Omar received records and information about many of the great American artists like Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Keith Jarret, Coltrane, Charlie Parker. At the same time, Omar was influenced by progressive Cuban artists like Chucho Valdez, Irakere, and Emiliano Salvador. It was also as he finished his studies in 1983 that he was introduced to the music of Thelonious Monk, whose legacy of expressive freedom has left a strong mark on Omar’s creative approach. By the late ‘80’s, having studied everything from Afro-Cuban folkloric traditions to European classical music, he began working with two Cuban pop singers - first Vicente Feliu, then Xiomara Laugart – serving as musical director for various of their touring and recording ensembles.

Moving to Quito, Ecuador for several years beginning in 1993, Sosa discovered the folkloric music of Esmeraldas, a pocket of African-rooted culture on the northwest coast of that country known especially for its use of the marimba. In addition to launching his own jazz fusion ensemble, Entrenoz, Sosa produced Andarele, a recording by the Afro-Ecuadorian group Koral y Esmeralda.

After a brief stint in Palma Mallorca, Spain, Omar moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in late 1995 where he quickly invigorated the local Latin jazz scene with his explosive playing and adventurous writing. The next year Sosa made his U.S. recording debut on Ota Records with the solo piano Omar Omar, followed in 1997 with the first in a trilogy of groundbreaking large-ensemble, World-Jazz recordings: Free Roots, Spirit Of The Roots (1998) and Bembon (2000).

In 1998 Omar began his collaboration with noted Bay Area percussionist and educator John Santos. The duo released a live recording, Nfumbe, in conjunction with their appearance at the San Francisco Jazz Festival that year. The following year, revealing more of the contemplative side of his musical sensibilities, Omar released his second solo piano recording, Inside, a Top 20-selling CD in France for distributor Night & Day. Capping an extraordinarily productive period, Omar also traveled to Ecuador in 1999 to record his critically acclaimed CD, Bembon.

To visit the website of OMAR SOSA click here

Polyrhythmic Passion AllStars

On October 15, 2011 Spotlight On Jazz and Poetry presented it's "LIVE" event "POLYRHYTHMIC PASSIONS." This week's program will give you a peak at the artists who appeared at this classic SOJP event!!


Monika Herzig, born June 12, 1964 is a lot of things. A jazz pianist, whose second album for Owl Studios, a DVD and CD combo called Come with Me, was released this April. A pedagogue, teaching music industry courses for undergrads at IU-Bloomington and a jazz history class for continuing studies students at IUPUI. A church organist, employed by Ellettsville First United Methodist for 16 years.


Born and Raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Janine Nash…aka…Lady J is a lyricist, poet and singer with over 10 years of performance and studio experience. She has been a background vocalist for Barrington Henderson (lead singer for the Temptations); and The Rose Brothers. She has performed as an opening act for Kirk Whalum; Howard Hewitt; Bloodstone and Slave. As a writer she has penned songs with former Earth, Wind and Fire guitarist, Sheldon Reynolds and member Ralph Johnson. One of her written pieces appears on the recently released “Devoted Spirits CD, “The Answer”.


“Each and every poem I write, I consider a gift from God. A turn of a phrase. Emotions that surface. An experience distilled into verse. Each offering is a present from the Creator. All Praises. Thank you for choosing me as the vessel.” (Lady Dove’s Artist’s Statement)

"Lady Dove" aka Pheralyn Dove, is a poet, performer, wordsmith, infotainist and culturalist whose work has been showcased nationwide and internationally as a spoken-word artist, actor, author, essayist, playwright, creative writer and technical writer. She has appeared on stages in her native Philadelphia, New York City, Paris, France and Rome, Italy. Dove has been a press agent, an entertainment editor for the Philadelphia Tribune and feature writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Yuma "Dr. Yew" Bellomee a.k.a. Yewmanyeti was born in Bronx, NY and raised there and Mt. Vernon, NY. As the son of a musician and a dancer, at an early age, he acquired a love and inclination for music, which rooted in African drumming, then later branched into learning keyboard & saxophone, writing poetry, and creating Hip Hop music. Yuma enjoys being a student of life, especially in the realms of health, nature, culture, and music.




Toni Washingtin is just an average kinda person! Born in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Toni is the fifth of five children.
At an early age she would watch and listen to her three sister's who were major inflences in her life. They alway's kept up with the changing trends and because the whole family loved music she was exposed to everything from Jazz, R & B to classical. By the age of seven she began to write short story's and poetry keeping a book of everything that she wrote. Learning poetry and songs was something that she loved doing. She began taking piano lessons by age eight and sang in school plays. By the time that she was eleven she was taking dance lessons and started her first singing group which consisted of herself and three other girls.

Translinear Dawn

Alice Coltrane, who later changed her name to Turiyasangitananda, was born on August 27, 1937 in Detroit, Mich. As a child in Detroit, young Alice McLeod studied classical music and participated in the gospel band at church. But her brother, bassist Ernie Farrow, introduced her to jazz early on, and as a teen she became quite taken with bop and its offshoots. In Detroit she played piano on sessions with masters like guitarist Kenny Burrell and saxophonist Lucky Thompson. By the early 1960s she was sharing the bandstand with vibes player Terry Gibbs. It was on tour with Gibbs that she met saxophonist John Coltrane. Their 1966 wedding was the start of a musical union as well. When she replaced pianist McCoy Tyner in the classic Coltrane Quartet there was hubbub in the jazz world. But John Coltrane’s music was unfolding further with every passing month — he had begun probing musical motifs from the East. Alice’s approach to the piano assisted in extending the music even further.

When her husband crossed over in 1967, Alice continued working with members of his last group, including Garrison, saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, and drummer Rashied Ali. She began playing the harp, utilizing sitar and tablas in the ensemble, and turning fully to Eastern cultures for inspiration; spiritual and colorful, her music morphed into the soundtrack for prayer. Her talents and trajectory spoke to others.


Alice Coltrane was an uncompromising pianist, composer and bandleader, who spent the majority of her life seeking spiritually in both music and her private life. Music ran in Alice Coltrane's family; her older brother was bassist Ernie Farrow, who in the '50s and '60s played in the bands of Barry Harris, Stan Getz, Terry Gibbs, and especially Yusef Lateef. Alice McLeod began studying classical music at the age of seven. She attended Detroit's Cass Technical High School with pianist Hugh Lawson and drummer Earl Williams. As a young woman she played in church and was a fine bebop pianist in the bands of such local musicians as Lateef and Kenny Burrell. McLeod traveled to Paris in 1959 to study with Bud Powell. She met John Coltrane while touring and recording with Gibbs around 1962-1963; she married the saxophonist in 1965, and joined his band -- replacing McCoy Tyner -- one year later. Alice stayed with John's band until his death in 1967; on his albums Live at the Village Vanguard Again! and Concert in Japan, her playing is characterized by rhythmically ambiguous arpeggios and a pulsing thickness of texture.

Subsequently, she formed her own bands with players such as Pharoah Sanders, Joe Henderson, Frank Lowe, Carlos Ward, Rashied Ali, Archie Shepp, and Jimmy Garrison. In addition to the piano, Alice also played harp and Wurlitzer organ. She led a series of groups and recorded fairly often for Impulse, including the celebrated albums Monastic Trio, Journey in Satchidananda, Universal Consciousness, and World Galaxy. She then moved to Warner Brothers, where she released albums such as Transcendence, Eternity, and her double live opus Transfiguration in 1978.

Long concerned with spiritual matters, Coltrane founded a center for Eastern spiritual study called the Vedanta Center in 1975. Also, she began a long hiatus from public or recorded performance, though her 1981 appearance on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz radio series was released by Jazz Alliance. In 1987, she led a quartet that included her sons Ravi and Oran in a John Coltrane tribute concert at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. Coltrane returned to public performance in 1998 at a Town Hall Concert with Ravi and again at Joe's Pub in Manhattan in 2002.

She began recording again in 2000 and eventually issued the stellar Translinear Light on the Verve label in 2004. Produced by Ravi, it featured Coltrane on piano, organ, and synthesizer, in a host of playing situations with luminary collaborators that included not only her sons, but also Charlie Haden, Jack DeJohnette, Jeff "Tain" Watts, and James Genus. After the release of Translinear Light, she began playing live more frequently, including a date in Paris shortly after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and a brief tour in fall 2006 with Ravi. Alice Coltrane crossed over on January 12, 2007, of respiratory failure at Los Angeles' West Hills Hospital and Medical Center.



Anushka Nagji, better known in the poetry world as Anushka In-Repair, was born on July 10 1986 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Anushka is an avid dreamer and egregiously idealistic. She loves the ocean and the prairie as she splits her time between Victoria, British Columbia and Calgary, Alberta in Canada while in the final year of Law School.

Anushka loves and fights with equal passion which is reflective in her poetry. And, she’s currently working on a manuscript tentatively titled, “The Dear L Letters”
When asked what is the relationship between jazz and poetry and what is the importance of each to our culture? Anushka responds; If my poetry was music, it would be John and Alice Coltrane fucking, sweating, loving, it would be jazz.

She adds, "How much is being created? Are the resulting creations diverse and representative? Is the act of the creation encouraged or discouraged? Censored or uncensored?" Jazz and poetry are and will always be interconnected forms of art. Both traditionally require the artist not just to say the words, sing them or play them, but asks the artist to understand why they need to be said, sung and played. There is a freedom that is available and encouraged in jazz and poetry that I have not found anywhere else, the bebop, the scatting, the freestyle allows for a wide range of creation within these umbrella terms.

Art. The creation and dissemination or consumption of, all uncensored and unregulated in regards to content, are essential to a properly functioning, free society. In particular, jazz and poetry have been historically and remain so, important to this idea. Both art forms allow and often embody the truth, raw and ugly, beautiful and inspiring, in the world and in the people around us. The resulting creations are powerful critiques and praises to our lifestyles, our government, and our norms. Therefore, jazz and poetry in particular operate as a measure of society, civilization.