AFRO-AMERICAN MUSIC INSTITUTE CELEBRATES 36 YEARS
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/building-today-for-tomorrow/x/267428
Pain Relief Beyond Belief
http://www.komehsaessentials.com/
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.
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GEORGE V JOHNSON JR
Director & Founder
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Saxophonist Robert “Bootsie” Barnes has been proclaimed a Philadelphia treasure. His celebrity should rank along with Tasty Kakes and Philly Cheese Steaks. A very close friend of Hank Mobley...
NO ROOM FOR SQUARES by Hank Mobley
Bootsie Barnes, Tenor Sax John Swana, Trumpet Clifford Adams, Trombone, Farid Barron, Piano, Darryl Hall, Bass, Craig McIver Drums Philadelphia's finest blowing in New York City
“Bootsie” began his musical career at age 6 on piano and switched to drums at 10. His grandmother gave him a saxophone at age 16 and he never looked back.
In school, classmates included drummer Lex Humphries, Bill Cosby, Al “Tootie” Heath; bassist “Spanky” DeBreast;
tumpeter Lee Morgan, and a host of Philadelphia giants who went on to help shape the maturing face of Jazz music. He was among Philadelphia’s most called upon saxophonists. During the ‘60’s and 70’s he was playing with such legends as Don Patterson, Philly Joe Jones, and the late Al Grey.
Producer of Parma Jazz Festival 2010
Jazz Programmer "Jazz at the Lincoln Center"
LAGOS BLUES featured in music player
Born in 1940 in Farrell, Pennsylvania, Steve started playing Yugoslav folk songs on the piano with his grandfather when he was 11 years old. At 13 he started studying trumpet, inspired by listening to Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, Max Roach and Horace Silver. As soon as he was out of high school, he went to New York to study trumpet.
He spent three years in New York, listening almost every night to the jazz giants of the late fifties. By the time he was 20, his trumpet playing was good enough
to get him into the U.S. Army Band, so he came to Washington in 1961 for three years of service. There he began his love affair with the bass, moonlighting steadily as a bassist in the fertile DC jazz club scene. Steve’s mentor was Charlie “Bird” Hampton, then and now one of Washington’s great jazz saxophonists.
Andrew White - Satellite 1975.11.16
From his first touring and recording gig with the Trio ESP, Steve moved up rapidly in the world of jazz bassists, playing and recording with Andrew White, Roland Kirk, Stanley Cowell, David “Fathead” Newman and Eddie Harris. Other jazz greats he has performed with since include Cedar Walton, McCoy Tyner, Hank Jones, Milt Jackson, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Sonny Rollins, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Harry “Sweets” Edison, James Moody, Archie Shepp and Blue Mitchell. Steve is also in great demand as an accompanist for singers; he has played with everyone from Billy Eckstine, Joe Williams and Donny Hathaway to Anita O’Day, Roberta Flack, Betty Carter and Shirley Horn. He accompanies Shirley on several of her Verve releases.
Tal Farlow, Red Norvo & Steve Novosel - All of Me
Steve has toured with Red Norvo, Tal Farlow, Al Grey and most recently, with David “Fathead” Newman. In addition to his previous 57 recordings, he has several on Mapleshade including Portraits in Ivory and Brass with Jack Walrath and Larry Willis (Mapleshade #02032) and Every Rung Goes Higher Mapleshade #08232) with Willis and Steve Berrios plus singer Kenyetta.
"75TH ANNIVERSARY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION" TOUR
Coming to a City Near You...
1ST Annual Trenton Jazz Summit
'REMEMBERING HANK MOBLEY'
Produced by George V Johnson Jr
The TRENTONIAN NEWS
www.trentonian.com
Top Stories
PETE DALY, Staff Writer
The Trentonian - News - 09/19/2004 - Unlikely spot for fans of cool...
TRENTON -- Jazz enthusiasts were treated to a swinging good time last night at an unlikely jazz hot spot, the Amber Cafe in the heart of the city’s
Polish neighborhood.
The cafe’s dimly lit, elegant decor was perfectly complimented by the soothing jazz tunes of George V. Johnson Jr and a crew of jazz virtuosos at the restaurant’s first Trenton Jazz Summit.
"It’s very calming, and very elegant. The music is a perfect blend (for the restaurant)," said Anna Sypniewski, who owns and operates the year-old Amber Cafe on Brunswick Avenue with her husband, Janusz.
Johnson crooned original lyrics to more than 25 melodious compositions of the late jazz great Hank Mobley in front of a sold-out crowd at 8 p.m. and a large 6 p.m. audience.
Johnson’s velvety voice blanketed the sounds of veteran jazz artists Bootsie Barnes on the tenor sax, Grammy award-winning arranger Don Sickler on trumpet, Sid Simmons on piano, James King on the bass and Ronnie Burrage on drums.
Barnes is a master saxophonist from Philadelphia and a close friend of the late Mobley, widely considered to be one of the greatest American jazz artists.
Sickler, also a friend of Mobley’s, has won several Grammy awards for his arranging, most recently for his work on the last album by the late John Henderson, "Lush Life."
Simmons is a Philadelphia native best known for his performances with jazz great Grover Washington. King and Burrage have played with numerous acts since the 1970s.
"I think it’s great," said Louis Sample, 64, a Ewing resident who has been a jazz fan since childhood. "It’s beautiful. Jazz is the one thing we lack here. There are other acts at KatManDu and Perry’s (on North Olden Avenue), but there’s nothing like this. I’m glad I came to check it out."
Johnson said although people might think the newly-opened Amber Cafe is not a typical jazz establishment, he and his band jumped at the idea.
"It’s perfect because we’re taking this national treasure to this atmosphere to be enjoyed by all races," Johnson said. "Jazz is a universal language." He said he hopes other Trenton establishments catch on to hosting jazz acts.
"People are starving for it," Johnson said. "Jazz is the original art form in America."
©The Trentonian 2005
Don Sickler, Frank Wess & George V Johnson Jr 2003 -
Six Day Hank Mobley Jazz Festival @ Jazz Standard
HANK'S SYMPHONY
Lyrics by George V Johnson Jr.
Mobley was born in Eastman, Georgia, but was raised in Elizabeth, New Jersey, near Newark. Early in his career, he worked with Gillespie Dizzy Gillespie and Max Roach. He took part in one of the landmark hard bop
sessions,
alongside Art Blakey,
Horace Silver, Doug Watkins and trumpeter
The results of these sessions were released as Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers.
They contrasted with the classical pretensions of cool jazz, with Mobley's rich lyricism being bluesier, alongside the funky approach of Horace Silver. When The Jazz Messengers split in 1956, Mobley continued on with pianist Horace Silver for a short time, although he did work again with Blakey some years later, when the drummer appeared on Mobley's albums in the early 60s.
During the 1960s, he worked chiefly as a leader, recording over 20 albums for Records"">Blue Note Records, including Soul Station (1960)
and Roll Call (1960), between 1955 and 1970. He performed with many of the most important hard bop players, such as
and formed a particularly productive partnership with trumpeter Lee Morgan.
Mobley is widely recognized as one of the great composers of originals in the hard-bop era, with interesting chord changes and room for soloists to spread out.
His 1961 album, Workout "Another Workout, while considered an instant classic, was inexplicably not released until 1985.
Mobley also spent a brief time in 1961 with Miles Davis, during the trumpeter's search for a replacement for
John Coltrane. He is heard on the album Someday My Prince Will Come (alongside Coltrane, who returned for the recording of some tracks),
and some live recordings (In Person: Live at the Blackhawk and At Carnegie Hall).
Though considered by some as not having the improvisational fire of Coltrane, Mobley was still a major voice on tenor saxophone, known for his melodic playing
To George, one of my adopted sons. All the best to a great artist.
During the early 70's George V., attended the weekly jazz workshops
John was a regular at the Caverns and was the house band. His group then was Tommy Potter and Roy Haynes
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