JVC Fest

[Lois Gilbert]

2006 JVC JAZZ FESTIVAL – NEW YORK
PRESENTS MORE THAN 100 CONCERTS & EVENTS
ACROSS MANHATTAN AND BROOKLYN JUNE 12 – 24
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ornette Coleman, Dave Brubeck, Herbie Hancock, Etta James,
Smokey Robinson, Chris Botti, Cachao, Marcus Miller,
Roy Hargrove, Stanley Clarke/George Duke, Ralph Towner,
Hank Jones, Charles Lloyd, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Avishai Cohen and More!


NEW YORK, NY, April 18, 2006 – The 2006 JVC JAZZ FESTIVAL – NEW YORK covers the city June 12 – 24 with more than 300 artists performing the best in jazz, blues, ragtime, swing, Latin, Brazilian, R&B, tap dance and more in over 100 concerts and events (including clubs) at more than 20 venues throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, April 19.



This year’s festival highlights include Dave Brubeck’s first New York performance with his big band ... Smokey Robinson’s first concert at Carnegie Hall in 31 years and Etta James’ first in 21 years ... Ralph Towner’s first New York solo performance in 20 years ... the reunion of Stanley Clarke and George Duke after a 16-year hiatus ... a New Orleans trumpet celebration ... the New York debut of Sangam with Charles Lloyd, Zakir Hussain and Eric Harland ... all-star salutes to Cachao, Herbie Hancock, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Bucky Pizzarelli, the Village Vanguard and Cobi Narita ... and the return of Ornette Coleman to the JVC Jazz Festival.



“Jazz in itself is a celebration and this year we have plenty of great music as well as milestones, debuts, returns and reunions to commemorate,” said George Wein, CEO of Festival Productions, Inc., and producer of the JVC Jazz Festival and other events around the world. “In more than five decades, we’ve built many friendships with the likes of Dave, Ornette, Herbie and Toshiko and we look forward to maintaining long-lasting relationships with the younger set like Chris Botti, Lizz Wright, Roy Hargrove and Avishai Cohen.”



The 2006 JVC Jazz Festival presents eight concerts at Carnegie Hall Stern Auditorium and three at Zankel Hall. The 8:00 p.m. Carnegie Hall concerts begin on Friday, June 16, with New Century: Same Genius featuring Ornette Coleman with Greg Cohen, Denardo Coleman and Tony Falanga. On Saturday, June 17, Chris Botti and Lizz Wright make their Carnegie Hall debuts as leaders in an evening titled Setting the Style of Spring. Pay tribute to club owner Lorraine Gordon on Monday, June 19, at Sweet Lorraine: A Jazz Celebration for the Village Vanguard featuring The Bad Plus; Roy Hargrove Quintet with guest soloist Bobby Hutcherson; Paul Motian Trio 2000 + One with Chris Potter, Larry Grenadier and Rebecca Martin; Vanguard Jazz Orchestra with guest soloist Joe Lovano; and Dr. Michael White’s Original Liberty Jazz Band. Catch Ladies Sing the Blues with the one and only Etta James as she returns to Carnegie Hall for the first time in 21 years and Susan Tedeschi in her Carnegie Hall debut on Tuesday, June 20.



Celebrate Dave Brubeck’s Birthday Party: Take 5 Plus 80 on Wednesday, June 21, starring the Dave Brubeck Quartet with Randy Jones, Bobby Militello and Michael Moore plus the New York debut of the Dave Brubeck Big Band directed by Marvin Stamm and the comedy of Bill Cosby. Smokey’s back in town on Thursday, June 22, and after 31 years, he returns to Carnegie Hall for An Evening in Concert with Smokey Robinson. It’s Herbie’s World: Herbie Hancock & Friends on Friday, June 23, featuring Quartet with Wayne Shorter, Dave Holland and Brian Blade; Trio with Jack DeJohnette and Ron Carter; Piano Duets with Gonzalo Rubalcaba; and Quintet with Richie Barshay, Lionel Loueke, Matt Garrison and Lili Haydn with special guest Marcus Miller. On Saturday, June 24, don’t miss A Salute to Cachao: The Master of Mambo, presented in association with RMP Productions, starring Israel “Cachao” Lopez & His Mambo All-Stars with Carlos “Patato” Valdez, “Chocolate” Armenteros, Dave Valentin, Orestes Vilato, Alfredo De La Fe, Jimmy Bosch, Nelson Gonzalez, Richie Flores and Frederico Brito plus the Spanish Harlem Orchestra.



Zankel Hall presents Alone at Night with solo pianist Brad Mehldau on Tuesday, June 20; At Night, Alone with solo guitarist Ralph Towner on Wednesday, June 21; and the New York debut of Sangam: Charles Lloyd, Zakir Hussain and Eric Harland on Thursday, June 22. All three concerts are set for 8:30 p.m.



The festival continues its East Side tradition at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College with seven concerts beginning at 8:00 p.m. First up is An Evening with Hank Jones & Friends featuring Roberta Gambarini, Russell Malone and Joe Wilder with George Mraz and Willie Jones, III on Tuesday, June 13. There are Tenors Galore featuring Houston Person Quartet with Stan Hope, Chip White and Per-Ola Gadd and Eric Alexander Quartet with Harold Mabern, Joe Farnsworth and John Webber with special guest Harry Allen on Wednesday, June 14. In A Ladies Salute to A Pioneer on Thursday, June 15, Toshiko Akiyoshi celebrates the 50th anniversary of her arrival in the United States with piano masters who followed in her footsteps, Hiromi and Tomoko Ohno with special guest Frank Wess. On Monday, June 19, the Kaye’s the place for Bucky Pizzarelli’s 80th Birthday Party with Howard Alden, Harry Allen, Gene Bertoncini, Paul Faulise, John Frosk, Russ Kassoff, Jay Leonhart, Tony Monte, Ken Peplowski, John Pizzarelli, Kenny Rankin and the Wire Choir of Southern Illinois University. On Tuesday, June 20, get a taste of Clarinet Marmalade, a view of what the clarinet has meant to jazz, with Ken Peplowski, Don Byron, Kenny Davern and Evan Christopher with George Colligan, Billy Hart, Cyrus Chestnut, Greg Cohen, James Chirillo and Tony DeNicola.



Rich Conaty heads to The Kaye Playhouse on Wednesday, June 21, to host Ragtime to Swingtime with Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks, Dan Levinson’s Roof Garden Jass Band, Bryan Wright, Nancy Anderson and The Andy Stein Blue Five. The Kaye Playhouse series wraps up with Clarion Call: A New Orleans Trumpet Celebration with Kermit Ruffins, Marlon Jordan, Christian Scott and James Andrews with David Torkanowsky, Herlin Riley and others on Thursday, June 22.



Teaming up with Live Nation for four concerts, the JVC Jazz Festival takes a bow at Irving Plaza and Avalon. On Tuesday, June 13, at Avalon, celebrate the reunion of Stanley Clarke/George Duke Project, who get together after a 16-year hiatus, plus Mike Stern Band. At Irving Plaza, catch Avishai Cohen Trio, Groove Collective and Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey on Thursday, June 15; Marcus Miller Band and Roy Hargrove’s RH Factor on Friday, June 16; and The Bad Plus and Gold Sounds featuring Cyrus Chestnut, James Carter, Reginald Veal and Ali Jackson performing the music of Pavement on Wednesday, June 21. Concerts are set for 9:00 p.m.



Check out Andrew Hill Trio with John Herbert and Eric McPherson at Studio Museum in Harlem on Thursday, June 15, at 7:30 p.m. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture presents its annual JVC Jazz Festival concert, A Father’s Day Gift, featuring Bobby Hutcherson Quartet with Renee Rosnes, Dwayne Burno and Willie Jones, III on Sunday, June 18, at 3:00 p.m. In association with Symphony Space, the festival presents Bill Frisell Trio with Petra Haden, Kelly Joe Phelps and Bill Frisell, at Jay Sharp Theatre on Friday, June 23, at 8:00 p.m.



Move to the beat of Brazil Nights at the Jazz Standard. Brazil Nights I features Choro Ensemble: Pedro Ramos, Anat Cohen, Ze Mauricio, Carlos Almeida and Gustavo Dantas on Wednesday, June 21. Experience Brazil Nights II on Thursday, June 22, with Cyro Baptists’s Antropo-Fagia plus special guest Romero Lubambo with Tim Keiper, Brian Marsella and Shanir Blumenkranz. Trio Da Paz with Romero Lubambo, Nilson Mata and Duduka da Fonseca plus special guest Kenny Barron star in Brazil Nights III on Friday, June 23, rounded out by Brazil Nights IV on Saturday, June 24, with Luciana Souza Brazilian Duos featuring Romero Lubambo. Sets are at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., with a third show at 11:30 p.m. on Friday.



JVC Jazz Festival welcomes Makor Jazz on Film, presenting five movies and post screening discussions at Steinhardt Center. Makor presents “Mingus” and “Other Voices: The Meditations of Charles Mingus” with the discussion led by Sue Mingus on Tuesday, June 13, at 7:30 p.m.; “A Night in Havana: Dizzy Gillespie in Cuba,” with John Holland and Donald L. Maggin on Wednesday, June 14, at 7:30 p.m.; “Herbie Hancock: Possibilities,” with Bob Belden on Thursday, June 15, at 7:30 p.m.; “Keith Jarrett: The Art of Improvisation,” the New York premiere, on Saturday, June 17, at 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.; and “Home,” the New York premiere of the documentary capturing the last recording Charles Lloyd did with Billy Higgins, with Larry Appelbaum interviewing Charles Lloyd and filmmaker, Dorothy Darr, on Sunday, June 18, at 6:00 p.m.

The JVC Jazz Festival – New York includes three free concerts. Downbeat Magazine Presents: Jazz Combos featuring the Milwaukee Youth Symphony’s Bronzeville/Apex Jazz Quartets; the Kansas City (KS) Community College Jazz Combo; and New Jersey City University’s Graduate Jazz Combo at St. Peter’s Church at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 15. At St. Peter’s Church on Thursday, June 22, at 12:30 p.m., JVC Jazz Festival and International Women in Jazz, Inc. celebrate Cobi Narita, founder of International Women in Jazz, with performances by Kit McClure Band and Laurie Krauz with the Daryl Kojak Quartet. On Saturday, June 24, at 7:30 p.m., JVC Celebrates Brooklyn! at Prospect Park Bandshell with Savion Glover and the Robert Glasper Trio, presented in association with the Celebrate Brooklyn Festival.



The 2-for-1 Club Night series with special discounts to JVC Jazz Festival ticket holders will be offered throughout the festival at The Blue Note, Iridium Jazz Club, Kitano, Smoke, Sweet Rhythm and Zinc.



JVC Special Events & Educational Programs include Jazz Textures, a visual exhibition on jazz featuring quilts, paintings, sculptures, photographs, and multimedia works, at Countee Cullen Library, Citibank Financial Center and Taller Boricua Gallery June 13 – August 31. Show your support at the Jazz Journalists Associations 2006 Jazz Awards, on Monday, June 19, at 4:00 p.m. at B.B. King’s Blues Club & Grill.



JVC Jazz Festival – New York salutes Vision Festival XI. With generous support from the George & Joyce Wein Foundation, the festival takes place June 13 – 18 at Angel Orensanz Center. For more information, visit www.visionfestival.org.



Spend the weekend at Freihofer’s Jazz Festival presented by Chrysler, at Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, NY, June 24 – 25, starting at noon with a line-up of world-renowned artists including Dave Brubeck Quartet, Stanley Clarke/George Duke Project, Jamie Cullum, Groovin’ for Grover, Etta James, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Herbie Hancock and Smokey Robinson. For more information, visit www.spac.org.



JVC Jazz Festival – Newport, now celebrating the 52nd year of the famed Newport Jazz Festival, is set for August 11 – 13 at Ft. Adams State Park. Artists will be announced on May 9.



Additional support for the JVC Jazz Festival – New York is provided by NYC & Co., Macy’s and media partners The Village Voice and Jazz 88/WBGO-FM.



The Buckingham Hotel, located at 101 West 57th Street at Sixth Avenue, is the official host hotel of the JVC Jazz Festival – New York. For the special rate, call (888) 511-1900 and ask for the JVC Jazz Festival Room Block.



For more information, visit the official JVC Jazz Festival – New York website at www.festivalproductions.net.





Tickets and information for JVC Jazz Festival – New York concerts are available at respective box offices or by telephone: Carnegie Hall (212) 247-7800; Avalon/Irving Plaza (212) 307-7171; Jazz Standard (212) 576-2232; Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College (212) 772-4448; Makor (212) 601-1000; Prospect Park Bandshell (718) 855-7882; Schomburg Center (212) 491-2200; Studio Museum in Harlem (212) 864-4500; St. Peter’s Church (212) 935-2200; Symphony Space (212) 864-5400; Zankel Hall (212) 247-7800. For information and a Festival brochure, call (212) 501-1390 or (212) 501-1393 for Group Sales weekdays from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. or write JVC Jazz Festival – New York, P.O. Box 1169, Ansonia Station, New York, NY 10023.



JVC, sponsor of JVC Jazz Festivals worldwide since 1984, is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of high quality audio and video products.