PROGRESSIVE MUSIC COMPANY

AFRO-AMERICAN MUSIC INSTITUTE CELEBRATES 36 YEARS

BOYS CHOIR AFRICA SHIRTS
 
 
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/building-today-for-tomorrow/x/267428

 Pain Relief Beyond Belief

                         http://www.komehsaessentials.com/                              

 

PITTSBURGH JAZZ

 

From Blakey to Brown, Como to Costa, Eckstine to Eldridge, Galbraith to Garner, Harris to Hines, Horne to Hyman, Jamal to Jefferson, Kelly to Klook; Mancini to Marmarosa, May to Mitchell, Negri to Nestico, Parlan to Ponder, Reed to Ruther, Strayhorn to Sullivan, Turk to Turrentine, Wade to Williams… the forthcoming publication Treasury of Pittsburgh Jazz Connections by Dr. Nelson Harrison and Dr. Ralph Proctor, Jr. will document the legacy of one of the world’s greatest jazz capitals.

 

Do you want to know who Dizzy Gillespie  idolized? Did you ever wonder who inspired Kenny Clarke and Art Blakey? Who was the pianist that mentored Monk, Bud Powell, Tad Dameron, Elmo Hope, Sarah Vaughan and Mel Torme? Who was Art Tatum’s idol and Nat Cole’s mentor? What musical quartet pioneered the concept adopted later by the Modern Jazz Quartet? Were you ever curious to know who taught saxophone to Stanley Turrentine or who taught piano to Ahmad Jamal? What community music school trained Robert McFerrin, Sr. for his history-making debut with the Metropolitan Opera? What virtually unknown pianist was a significant influence on young John Coltrane, Shirley Scott, McCoy Tyner, Bobby Timmons and Ray Bryant when he moved to Philadelphia from Pittsburgh in the 1940s?  Would you be surprised to know that Erroll Garner attended classes at the Julliard School of Music in New York and was at the top of his class in writing and arranging proficiency?

 

Some answers  can be gleaned from the postings on the Pittsburgh Jazz Network.

 

For almost 100 years the Pittsburgh region has been a metacenter of jazz originality that is second to no other in the history of jazz.  One of the best kept secrets in jazz folklore, the Pittsburgh Jazz Legacy has heretofore remained mythical.  We have dubbed it “the greatest story never told” since it has not been represented in writing before now in such a way as to be accessible to anyone seeking to know more about it.  When it was happening, little did we know how priceless the memories would become when the times were gone.

 

Today jazz is still king in Pittsburgh, with events, performances and activities happening all the time. The Pittsburgh Jazz Network is dedicated to celebrating and showcasing the places, artists and fans that carry on the legacy of Pittsburgh's jazz heritage.

 

WELCOME!

 

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Duke Ellington is first African-American and the first musician to solo on U.S. circulating coin

    MARY LOU WILLIAMS     

            INTERVIEW

       In Her Own Words

BENJY MYAZ RIDING THE CHARTS ON THEBEAT.FM

August 11, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Benjy Myaz has, consistently, been on the charts of TheBeat.FM (www.thebeat.fm) Internet Radio for the past year. He now occupies numbers one through five on their “Top 20 Singles Chart”; and is holding down the number three spot on the “Top 10 Artists” list. Based in San Diego, California, USA, TheBeat.FM boasts a listenership of approximately seven million persons, worldwide.

Occupying the number 1 spot is the ever-green hit “Love You Higher”; followed by the also famous, “Time” – nine years after its release. “Slow Down” is, currently, at number 3; followed by “How ‘Bout Us” and “Eternal Love” in 4th and 5th positions, respectively. The statistics reflect a total of 7,375 plays, for all five songs since Benjy became a member of TheBeat.FM in the summer of 2006.

“Love You Higher”, now considered as a classic in the annals of Reggae music, was originally released as a single in Jamaica in 1995. It then appeared on his début Album, “Intimate Relationship” which was released in the U.S. in 1997. The album captures the spirit of love within. Produced and arranged by Benjy Myaz, the album announced his entrance into the musical arena as a vocalist.

His second album, “Time Together”, released in Jamaica and Japan in 1998 and the U.S. in 2000 (VP Records) features both “Time” and “Slow Down” as two, of the fourteen, Reggae/Lovers’ Rock tracks. With writing, arrangements and productions coming from Benjy Myaz, one can only say that even with the cover versions, he comes with a unique sound, and for sure, a different attitude.

His 2008 release, “Eternal Love” on his My’Werks label (featuring the power-filled voice of A’Lisa on this single), is a delightful duet, showing off the vocal ranges of both artistes.

“How ‘Bout Us” comes from his new instrumental album, “You’ve Got Me”, the first of its kind ever produced in Jamaica – featuring the sound of the Bass as the lead instrument up front. Release date has been set for September, 2009. This is what Myaz has to say about the album, “Over the years, musical geniuses such as Jaco Pastorious, Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, John Pattatucci, to name a few, have advanced the technique of utilizing the bass, not only as a root instrument, but also to hold together the melody of a song. With this influence, I was challenged to do so within the genre of my own musical accomplishments. This album has been the threshold since 1993, crossing the parameters of genre. With influences coming from so many styles it’s very hard to place exactly where this project fits but it’s fused and it’s been a long time in the making and came out capturing my many moods over the years.”

With songs spanning a period of fourteen years (1996-present), varying in genres, and in occupation of the top 5 places on TheBeat.FM; Benjy not only validates the much-stated sentiment as “one of Jamaica’s most talented recording and performing artistes...bassist and vocalist”; but also that “things of quality have no fear of time”. Benjy continues to “chase the creativity...not the competition”.

- END –
Contact:
Marie Francis
Communications Consultant & Video Producer
Artiste Management/Publicist/Booking Agent
emmariefrancis@gmail.com (E-Mail)
emmariefrancis@yahoo.com (E-Mail)
http://www.myspace.com/emmariefrancis (Website)
http://www.linkedin.com/in/emmfrancis (Website)
876-371-1107 (Mobile/Digicel)
876-349-5721 (Mobile/LIME)
954-719-0582 (Tel-VOIP)

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