Friday, June 7, 2019

Preview- The Cookers, Jazz Alley, Seattle, WA, June 11, 2019, For One Night Only



                                                       Photo courtesy of The Cookers

By E. Joyce Glasgow, www.artsandculturescene.com

For jazz lovers who revel in deep listening and the thrill and excitement of hearing gorgeous collaborations played by seasoned musicians who embody, through collective decades of experience, the great, historic influences of mid-20th and 21st century jazz, then you must not miss The Cookers live.

This musically wise septet of veteran jazz musicians, who have produced five critically acclaimed recordings together, play with presence, confidence, originality, assertion, cohesion, powerful energy and fluid, engaging improvisation. This ensemble elegantly surfs a wave of abstracted, straight ahead and post hard bop jazz. Their playing is crisp, clear and demonstrative.

The Cookers will be performing, in Seattle, for one night only, at The Jazz Alley, on Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 7:30 PM. www.jazzalley.com

If you have children who love jazz and are learning to play or sing, bring them to hear these wonderful musicians for a rare opportunity to experience an impressive and fabulous advanced tutorial on the music that will be highly inspiring. Minors are allowed at the Jazz Alley for this early evening set.

 Pianist and composer, George Cables, is well-known to Seattle and Western Washington audiences for his numerous performances in Seattle and years of teaching students and performing at the Port Townsend Jazz Festival. He has played with a range of historic jazz greats including Sonny Rollins, Sarah Vaughn, Dexter Gordon, Freddie Hubbard, Roy Haynes, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Dizzy Gillespie and Art Blakey. Cables leads his own trio, works with other ensembles and is a clinician in college jazz programs.

Tenor saxophonist and composer, Billy Harper, leads his own quintet, teaches and lectures at universities, is an alumnus of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and has played with Gil Evans, Max Roach, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Lee Morgan and other jazz leaders.

Bassist, composer and Grammy winner, Cecil McBee, has traveled the world with numerous jazz luminaries including Betty Carter, Charles Lloyd, McCoy Tyner, Bennie Goodman, Bobby Hutcherson, Dinah Washington, Pharaoh Sanders, Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis, Nancy Wilson, Keith Jarrett, Alice Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Freddie Hubbard and Abdullah Ibrahim. He teaches privately and at colleges and universities.

Drummer and composer, Billy Hart, has played with Wes Montgomery, Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Stan Getz, Eddie Harris, Pharaoh Sanders and others and leads his own quartet.

Trumpeter, composer and medical doctor, Eddie Henderson, received his first informal trumpet lesson at age nine, from Louis Armstrong. He has played with Herbie Hancock, Pharaoh Sanders, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Elvin Jones, Max Roach, Joe Henderson, Slide Hampton, Roy Haynes and others, as well as fronting his own bands.

Trumpeter, composer and arranger, David Weiss, has played with Freddie Hubbard, Charles Tolliver, Geri Allen, James Moody, Muhal Richard Abrams, Louis Hayes, Frank Foster, Jimmy Heath and others. He founded the New Jazz Composers Octet and leads several of his own ensembles. The Cookers was one of his special projects and he solidified the band's personnel in 2007 into the powerhouse working group that it is today. Weiss does the rearranging for the band's repertoire of original compositions by Cables, Harper and McBee.

New Orlean's alto saxophonist and composer, Donald Harrison, has played with Lena Horne, Miles Davis, Dr. John, McCoy Tyner, Eddie Palmieri, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Billy Cobham, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and many others. He co-wrote the soundtrack for the feature film, "Rachel's Getting Married", in which he played himself, was featured in Spike Lee's HBO documentary about Hurricane Katrina "When the Levees Broke" and aspects of his life and music are chronicled in the HBO series "Treme", for which he was a character consultant and appeared as himself in eleven episodes. Harrison teaches at the college level and is the founder of the New Jazz School for students thirteen to eighteen and is co-founder and artistic director of  Tipitina's Intern Program, which is a college preparatory and professional music training program for junior and senior high school students, both in New Orleans. Harrison has won numerous, international music awards, from France, Japan, Switzerland and in the U.S.

Here is a video of a live streamed performance by The Cookers, at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, NYC,  Jazz Live at Lincoln Center.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pohNagO_jQ&list=RD6pohNagO_jQ&start_radio=1&t=2320

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

NYC Vegetarian Food Festival, May 18-19, 2019, Metropolitan Pavilion, NYC

By E. Joyce Glasgow
www.artsandculturescene.com.

The ninth annual NYC Vegetarian Food Festival will take place on May 18 and 19, 2019, at the Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th St., NYC

Although it is called a Vegetarian food festival, it has become primarily a Vegan festival, reflecting the changes in the times and people's diets, just in the nine short years since its beginnings, as many Vegetarians and others have moved towards completely removing all animal products from their diets, including dairy and eggs.

There will be over ninety exhibitors, including food vendors, food and drink sampling, Vegan skin care products, animal advocacy organizations, environmental organizations and other non-profits. Food available ranges from gourmet, Vegan nut cheeses and chocolates, to Vegan "comfort" food.

There will be a Keynote speakers' stage, a chef demonstration stage and a "Mind/Body Zone", where attendees can take Yoga, Pilates and Meditation classes.

Dr. Gabriel Cousens, (photo courtesy of the NYC Vegetarian Food Festival)

Don't miss Dr Gabriel Cousens, who will be speaking twice on Sunday, May 19, on "Holistic Veganism" and "Shakitpat Meditation".  Dr. Cousens is a wise, thorough and engaging speaker with over forty five years of working in physical, mental and spiritual healing. He is the author of thirteen books on health, healing and spirit and is a Columbia University trained medical doctor, practicing holistically, including extensive training and practice in homeopathy, Aryuveda, acupunture, meditation and is a psychiatrist, family therapist and an ordained Rabbi. Dr. Cousens is a Renaissance Man in the field of healing. He has successfully helped many people cure themselves of type two Diabetes and other diseases at his retreat center "Tree of Life" in Patagonia, Arizona, in the past, and now, in his next phase, dedicated to working one and one with private clients from around the world.

There are numerous, experienced and eclectic Vegan speakers and chefs participating.
Go to https://www.nycvegfoodfest.com to see a complete list of speakers, panels, subject matter, chefs and exhibitors for this very popular, annual, two day festival.

Sunday, April 21, 2019

Fridge Art Fair Returns to the Nu Hotel, "Fridge Does Frida", Brooklyn, New York, April 30th-May 5th, 2019

Photo credits: E. Joyce Glasgow, www.artsandculturescene.com

The Fridge Art Fair New York 2019 returns to the Nu Hotel, 85 Smith Street, Brooklyn New York, April 30th through May 5th, 2019. Visit www.fridgeartfair.com for details.This year's theme is "Fridge does Frida", in honor of the Frida Kahlo exhibit running concurrently at the Brooklyn Art Museum. The Fridge was founded by painter, Eric Ginsburg, who produces it each year in Miami and New York City. Over thirty five independent artists will display their work, in all mediums, in the Nu Hotel lobby and other areas of the building. This is a fun, funky and casual art fair where one can just sit down, have something to eat or drink in the lobby bar and just enjoy hanging out and being surrounded by colorful and lively art and conversation. The "Fridge", "TEFAF", "Other", "Moniker", "Superfine!" and "Frieze" Art Fairs all take place during this first week of May, 2019 in New York City. Photos from last year's Fridge Art Fair NYC, 2018 at the Nu Hotel, Brooklyn, follow below.
A portion of the Nu Hotel lobby, the front window, filled with art by Anais Laurent and others. Fridge Art Fair 2018

American painter and author, Anais Laurent, traveled from her home in Avignon, France to display her artwork at the Fridge Art Fair, Brooklyn, NY, 2018. Here she is taking advantage of a balmy spring day to do some painting out of doors, during the show. She combines luscious inks and watercolors to create fluid, intuitive abstract paintings. Fridge artist, Dylan Green is seen drawing in the background at another outdoor table.

Eric Ginsberg, (L.) painter, founder and curator of the Fridge Art Shows in New York and Miami is pictured here with artist and art curator, Natalie Fisk, (R.) for the Nu Hotel, Brooklyn NY, where the Fridge Art Fair 2018 was held and where the 2019 Fridge returns to. The Nu Hotel also engages local artists to create murals and other art year round for their hotel rooms and lobby. The hotel's changing art on display is an integral and intimate part of the character of this small, casual boutique hotel.
Artist and Fridge founder , Eric Ginsburg, is known for his dog and cat portraits, which capture the sweet spirits of their subjects.
Ginsberg also captures the playful and whimsical nature of dogs and cats in his free and bold approach to painting.
In celebration of David Bowie, as the Fridge NYC 2018 theme, a duo of guitar and violin performed Bowie's music amongst the paintings one evening. The violinist also works at the hotel when he is not playing music.
Artist, Amanda Acosta, Co-Curator of the Fridge Art Fair, NY 2018, relaxing and enjoying the show, in the Nu Hotel lobby bar. 
Colorful acrylic paintings on canvas, by E. Joyce Glasgow, capturing themes inspired by Nature, at Fridge Fair NYC 2018
View of the lobby and visitors and artists relaxing amongst the paintings, Fridge NYC 2018.
Another view of the lobby and the many, varied, stylistically unique paintings around the room, Fridge NYC 2018
A piece by a Brazilian artist, who lives in Brooklyn NY at the Fridge NYC 2018




Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Preview: globalFEST NYC 2019, January 6th, 2019, Copacabana, New York City

Preview: GlobalFEST NYC 2019, Copacabana, January 6th, 2019. http://globalfest.org/fest

By E. Joyce Glasgow
www.artsandculturescene.com

Twelve world music groups will take to three stages at the Copacabana in New York City, on January 6th, 2019, for the annual globalFEST, showcasing and celebrating the variety, diversity, excitement and joy of musical performances from around the globe.
Many of the groups chosen this year sound exciting. I am especially interested in hearing the following acts.

Classically trained tenor vocalist, Jeremy Dutcher, reinvents traditional songs of his indigenous people, the Wolastoqiyik, of New Brunswick, Eastern Canada, with drama, passion and power.

Debashashish Battacharya plays the Hindustani slide guitar inspired by Hawaiian lap steel guitar, which was popularized in India in the 1940's by Hawaiian master lap steel guitarist, teacher and instrument maker, Tau Moe,

Ukrainian women's ensemble, Dakh Daughters are very theatrical, intense and performance art oriented in their songs, utilizing makeup. costumes and props in a cabaret style performance that feels chamber like, including string instruments; cello, violin and two double basses.

Magos Herrera and Brooklyn Rider. Herrera is a fiery, powerful, hypnotic and sensual Mexican vocalist and songwriter, accompanied by the passionate, adventurous string quartet, Brooklyn Rider and percussion.


This year's offerings include:
Amythyst Kiah (Tennessee/USA): "Southern gothic, alt-country blues"-globalFEST
B.C.U.C. - Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness (South Africa): "Defiant and hypnotic Soweto sounds"-          globalFEST
CHA WA (New Orleans/USA): "New Orleans brass driving Mardi Gras Indian funk "-globalFEST
Debashish Bhattacharya (India):"Calcutta’s innovative slide guitar master "-globalFEST
Jeremy Dutcher (Tobique/Canada): "Reinvented indigenous Wolastoqiyik songs"- globalFEST                            
Magos Herrera & Brooklyn Rider (Mexico/USA): "Innovative string quartet and lush vocals"-                       globalFEST
Orquesta Akokán (Cuba/USA): "Powerhouse Cuban son supergroup"-globalFEST 
47SOUL (Palestine/United Kingdom): "Electro dabke from the Palestinian diaspora"-globalFEST 
Combo Chimbita (Colombia/USA): "Psychedelic cumbia-inflected tropical futurism"-globalFEST               
Dakh Daughters (Ukraine): "Kyiv’s underground punk cabaret"- globalFEST
                                                  
Gato Preto (Mozambique/Ghana/Senegal/Germany): "Afrofuturist global bass"- globalFEST                         
Zouk Machine (Guadeloupe/France): "The grande dame of French-Antillean zouk"-globalFEST