“A GREAT NIGHT IN HARLEM” Apollo Theater May 17th 7:00 PM

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Christian McBride, Geri Allen, Paquito D'Rivera, Quincy Jones, Stanley Jordan, Steven Bernstein, Victor Lewis

Join Quincy Jones and 40 other legends for an unforgettable night that will help save the music…

Jazz Foundation of America presents its 11th Annual
“A GREAT NIGHT IN HARLEM”

APOLLO THEATER
MAY 17th

7PM

PERFORMANCES BY

Over 40 legends of jazz, R&B, blues, and Rock ‘n’ Roll including

Sonny Rollins and Quincy Jones Receive National Medal Of Arts

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African American, Jazz, Quincy Jones, Sonny Rollins

Sonny Rollins

At a short ceremony at the White House today, President Barack Obama presented 20 people with the 2010 National Medal of Arts or the National Humanities Medal. The Arts honorees included Sonny Rollins, the venerated saxophonist, and Quincy Jones, the composer/arranger/producer whose musical roots in jazz are deep.

The National Medal of Arts is the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the United States Government.

Qunicy Jones

After brief remarks, during which President Obama mentioned that he once owned Sonny Rollins albums on vinyl, Obama presented each award individually, while a short prepared statement was read. Here are the statements for Jones and Rollins:Quincy Jones for his extraordinary contributions to American music as a musician, composer, record producer, and arranger. As a master inventor of musical hybrids, he has mixed pop, soul, hip-hop, jazz, classical, African, and Brazilian music into many dazzling fusions, traversing virtually every medium, including records, live performances, movies, and television.

Sonny Rollins for his contributions to American jazz music. Widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians of the post-bebop era, Mr. Rollins’ melodic sensibilities, playing style, and solos have delighted audiences and influenced generations of musicians for over 50 years.

In a statement issued in a press release yesterday, Rollins said, “I’m very happy that jazz, the greatest American music, is being recognized through this honor, and I’m grateful to accept this award on behalf of the gods of our music.”

by Patrick Jarenwattananon

..:: SOURCE: Jazz News ::..

IMG Artists, Sony Masterworks and The Quincy Jones Musiq Consortium

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Jazz, Larry Rosen, Quincy Jones

IMG Artists, Sony Masterworks and
The Quincy Jones Musiq Consortium
Form A New Strategic Alliance With
JAZZ ROOTS: A Larry Rosen Jazz Series

Presenting The Story Of The Music Of The Americas

New York, NY – [December 2, 2010] JAZZ ROOTS: A Larry Rosen Jazz Series, one of America’s leading performing arts and education programs announces the formation of a new alliance with three strategic partners: IMG Artists, Sony Masterworks and The Quincy Jones Musiq Consortium.

The alliance was made official when JAZZ ROOTS signed an exclusive worldwide representation agreement with IMG Artists, one of the world’s premier talent management and presenting organizations.

“The JAZZ ROOTS brand and unique presentations provides an opportunity to bring this powerful music genre to fans across all demographic and territorial boundaries,” said IMG Artists’ President, Jeff Fuhrman. “We are extremely excited to offer our global resources to help take JAZZ ROOTS to audiences around the world.”

[Flux Music Essentials] … features Hiromi, Muhammad, Mehldau & Jones

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Brad Mehldau, Hiromi, Idris Muhammad, Jazz, Quincy Jones

Flux Music Essentials

Greeting’s jazz connoisseurs, I’m back with yet another intriguing palette of creative music from some of today’s most unique, adventurous and inspiring voices known and unknown artists alike in the world of jazz.

Hiromi - Brain (Telarc, 2004)

Hiromi -][- Brain – [Telarc, 2004]

She’s got prodigious piano technique, brains and beauty (as six full-page photos included with the CD make abundantly clear), incredible energy, and lots of “mo” (is there any young instrumentalist who is bigger at the present moment?). All of which may raise some suspicions among closer followers of the jazz scene, past and present.

Admittedly, I was impressed but not captivated after a first listen. The tracks with synthesizer, the all-original program of “descriptive,” “programmatic” titles, the packaging–it smacked of commercialism and new-age aesthetics. But I recall having a similar reaction to Ahmad Jamal the first time I heard him. He didn’t employ harmonies like Art Tatum, swing like Oscar, fill up the space with complex melodic lines like Bud Powell. But over time it became clear that Ahmad was the master colorist of them all, a painter of musical tone poems that could be infinitely suggestive if not mesmerizing. Hiromi, who was “discovered” and first produced by Ahmad, has the same affinities.

Listen to “Desert on the Moon.” It ‘s a bubbling piece, more suggestive of a mountain stream in its progress through a variety of moods, tempos, textures, and dynamic contrasts. Every moment is alive and purposeful, as Hiromi takes us on a journey from rippling, impressionist passages to sharply-defined pointillism (she has some musical karate chops!) to unabashed romantic lyricism (an unapologetic allusion to “My One and Only Love”), finally bringing the force of the whole to an explosive, climactic conclusion, then just as seamlessly providing a tranquil, restorative coda.

Her piano technique extends beyond mere virtuosity. She gets a bright, pure and round sound from the instrument that is absolutely consistent in all registers and at soft as well as loud volumes. Moreover, this recording is probably the best that I’ve ever heard a piano sound on CD. If you have any sort of half-way decent stereo system, Hiromi and her Yamaha Concert Grand will be bigger than life in your living room. Better make room because from the evidence on this disk, she’ll be around for a long time to come. —Samuel Chell | Amazon.com

Quincy Jones | Gula Matari

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African American, Jazz, Quincy Jones

By now, you’ve probably figured out I love the body of work by the incomparable voice of composer, and arranger Quincy Jones! Remarkably, Jones imprint as musician and producer has impacted artists and music fans alike and continues to do so. If you don’t have it, do consider “Gula Matari” the 1970 classic will indeed make a great addition to your already extensive music collection. —Rob Young | The Urban Fllux

Quincy Jones | Gula Matari – [A&M/Universal (Japan), 1970]

Quincy Jones - Gula Matari

A real step forward for Quincy Jones — a record that really shows the jazzman moving into sophisticated new territory — a sound that’s just right for the CTI generation! The album’s got a vibe that’s a bit similar to Quincy’s Walking In Space album, but it’s a lot deeper too — touched with some of the African elements you might guess from the title — arranged in ways that are often quite spacious, so that the tunes really take some time to find just the right groove!

Backings are large, but show the leaner elements that Jones was bringing to his soundtrack work — and instrumentation includes vibes from Milt Jackson, marimba from Don Elliott, flute from Hubert Laws, soprano sax from Jerome Richardson, trumpet from Freddie Hubbard, trombone from Al Grey, and guitar from Eric Gale. Keyboards figure strongly — played by Herbie Hancock and Bob James — and special features include a bit of guitar and whistling from Toots Thielemans, plus some soulful vocals from Valerie Simpson. “Gula Matari” is an incredible 12 minute tribal groove — and other titles include a killer take on Nat Adderley’s “Hummin“, plus “Walkin” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water“.

..:: Source: DustyGroove.com ::..

Quincy Jones | The Quintessence

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African American, Big Band, Jazz, Producer, Quincy Jones, Trumpet

Quincy Jones | The Quintessence – [IMPULSE, 1961]

Quincy Jones - The Quintessence

A very soulful set of big band material from Quincy Jones — recorded during that tight early 60s period when his arrangements just couldn’t fail! The album’s his only session for Impulse, and it’s got a slightly deeper style than his work from the time for Mercury — a bit more sophisticated, with nice modern touches that take the tunes in surprising directions.

Part of the greatness of the set lies in the players — as the album features work by Curtis Fuller, Thad Jones, Stu Martin, Freddie Hubbard, Patty Brown, Phil Woods, and Jerome Richardson — and titles include “Robot Portrait”, “Hard Sock Dance”, “The Twitch”, and “For Lena & Lennie“. —Dusty Groove

..:: Source: Dusty Groove.com ::..

Quincy Jones | Sounds … and Stuff Like That!

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African American, Arranger, Composer, Producer, Quincy Jones, Trumpet

Quincy Jones | Sounds … and Stuff Like That! – [A&M Records, 1978]

Quincy Jones - Sounds ... and Stuff Like That!

After owning this on vinyl for almost 30 years, I finally got it on CD. The record still played well but it was beginning to show its age. Then there’s the fact that they no longer make cars with tape players, apparently, and I need something to play in the new car I’m getting next month.

But most of all, I’m just bored beyond endurance with the majority of music coming out these days and have decided to spend my money going into the archives and revamping my record collection.

I am completely unabashed about my adoration for Quincy Jones. To me he is literally the best producer, conductor and arranger of my generation and I very much doubt I’ll see anything to equal him in my lifetime. From the various magazine interviews and TV appearances of him I’ve seen, he seems like a pretty cool dude too.