MICHAELWEISS SEPTET debuts commissioned work Nov. 7 & 8

[Brooklyn]

MICHAEL WEISS SEPTET DEBUTS COMMISSIONED WORK WITH TWO PERFORMANCES ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7 AND 8

The BMI award-winning composer and pianist leads his septet — Ryan Kisor, trumpet; Jim Snidero, alto saxophone and flute; Adam Kolker, tenor saxophone and bass clarinet; Paul Gill, bass; Joe Strasser, drums; Daniel Freedman, percussion — through two evenings of original material drawn from his critically acclaimed new album Soul Journey as well as a new work commissioned by Chamber Music America.

Friday, November 7th at the Jazz Gallery, 290 Hudson Street, New York, NY. Sets at 9:00 and 10:30pm.
$15 cover charge, $10 for members. 212-242-1063. www.jazzgallery.org.

Saturday, November 8th at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, 58 Seventh Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. 8:00pm.
Tickets are $20. 718-622-3300. www.brooklynconservatory.com.

Soul Journey has earned wide critical acclaim:

"The songs simply smoke." –– Detroit Free Press
"Soul Journey is downright terrific." –– Boston Herald
"Weiss has a rich palette of composing devices at his command" –– Downbeat
"This music lives and breathes freshness and exhilarating originality." –– Jazz Journal
"The music on Soul Journey has warmth, integrity and above all, originality." –– Jazz Times
"It is hard to imagine any serious jazz lover not being captivated by this album." –– All Music Guide

As a recipient of Chamber Music America’s New Works: Creation and Presentation composition grant, Weiss will premier his new work along with compositions from his new release, "Soul Journey." In 2000, he was awarded the Grand Prize in the BMI/Thelonious Monk Institute’s Composition Competition for "El Camino," one of the standout tracks on "Soul Journey." The commissioned work, "Three Doors" is about seventeen minutes in length.

One of the most respected pianists on the New York scene, Weiss has forged an expansive aesthetic that marries deep respect for the jazz tradition with a modernist’s commitment to make it new. The nine diverse compositions on "Soul Journey" range from thrilling steeplechase structures to beguiling Latin melodies to brooding contemporary ballads. Weiss’ personal sound world is defined by melodic integrity, harmonic richness, rhythmic surprise, expressive detail, formal ingenuity, intellectual honesty and emotional depth. In his recent work, Weiss continues seeking fresh ways of integrating composition and improvisation beyond the standard jazz format.

The focused intensity and savvy interplay of Weiss’ group reveals the countless bandstand hours the layers have logged together since 1996. Among the group’s most important gigs have been concerts at the Detroit International Jazz Festival, the Smithsonian Institution, the Blue Note in New York and an appearance on National Public Radio’s "Jazz Set." In New York, Weiss has been heard recently with Jimmy Heath at this year’s JVC Jazz Festival, Jazzmobile, and at the Jazz Standard with Frank Wess.

Michael Weiss was born in Dallas on Feb. 10, 1958. Since arriving in New York in 1981, he has performed or recorded with such luminaries as Lou Donaldson, Slide Hampton, George Coleman, Art Farmer, Pepper Adams, Jimmy Heath, Frank Wess, Gary Bartz, Tom Harrell, Charles McPherson, the Junior Cook-Bill Hardman Quintet, the Jazztet, the Mingus Epitaph, Lincoln Center and Vanguard Jazz Orchestras. In 1987 Weiss became Johnny Griffin’s regular pianist and has since recorded four albums with him. In addition, he has appeared as a soloist on CBS’s "Nightwatch," PBS’s "Live From Lincoln Center" and on NPR’s "Piano Jazz," "Jazzset," "Making the Music and "A Jazz Piano Christmas."

Weiss has recorded three previous albums as leader, all of which have been hailed by critics. His debut, "Presenting Michael Weiss" (Criss Cross) was named a Stereo Review Best Recording of the Month in Oct. 1987. "Power Station" (DIW) made the Fanfare Critic’s Want List in 1998 and was a Top Five pick by Ira Gitler in Jazz Times in 1998; Gitler also named Weiss as one of the most underrated musicians in jazz in a 1997 survey. "Milestones" (SteepleChase) received 4 1/2 stars from Down Beat critic Zan Stewart in 1999.

For more information visit the Michael Weiss website: www.michaelweiss.info

[Pete C]

Strange the way those apostrophes converted.

Congrats on the commission, Michael. I'm aiming for the Friday early show at JG.