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Now entering its tenth season as the most successful series of its kind in area history, the Art of Jazz Series, this year generously sponsored by Hunt Real Estate, presents an unprecedented line up of international jazz artists. Enjoy the best of jazz surrounded by the best in modern and contemporary art at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.
TICKETS
$18 Gallery Members
$22 general admission
Tickets go on sale August 15, 2008. For tickets, please call 716.270.8292. Concerts usually sell out well in advance of each performance. Order tickets early to avoid disappointment.
muse, the Gallery's restaurant, will be open before each performance for dinner or brunch. Reservations are strongly recommended. Please call 716.270.8223.
The Hunt Real Estate Art of Jazz Series is produced by Bruce Eaton and organized by the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. It is supported, in part, by a generous grant from Hunt Real Estate.
The CINDY BLACKMAN QUARTET
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Concert, 8 pm
Whether providing impeccable time for a “Who’s Who” of jazz — including Joe Henderson, Hugh Masekela, Pharoah Sanders, and Cassandra Wilson — or propelling the band of rocker Lenny Kravitz, drummer, composer, and powerhouse bandleader Cindy Blackman shatters any stereotypes about female instrumentalists. While absorbing the influences of Tony Williams and Art Blakey, she began her career as a street performer in New York City. After recording with trumpeter Wallace Roney, she was offered her first recording contract as a leader in 1987. Since then, Blackman has been seen and heard by millions around the world and is currently featured in a series of television ads for Volkswagen — a testament to her striking musical and visual style. Her most recent release Jazz For The New Millenium, with her longtime saxophonist J.D. Allen, showcases her versalitity and commitment to modern jazz as she continues to add her magic to the work of other artists, including singer Joss Stone.
www.cindyblackman.com
The DAVID LIEBMAN GROUP
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Pre-Concert Conversation, 7 pm
On The Corner: The Visionary Crossroads of Miles Davis with series producer Bruce Eaton
Concert, 8 pm
Best known for his early 1970s work with Miles Davis and the searching spirit of his own ensembles — including Quest and Lookout Farm — David Liebman is “one of the most important saxophonists in contemporary music...a leader and artist of integrity and independent direction,” DownBeat Magazine. Born in Brooklyn, saxophonist/flutist Liebman has spent a lifetime playing with the best in the business. After an early stint with jazz-rock pioneers Ten Wheel Drive, Liebman secured a spot in the band of John Coltrane’s drummer Elvin Jones. Hired by Miles Davis, Liebman was a pivotal member of Davis’s groundbreaking “On The Corner” band from 1972 to 1974. Liebman then formed the group Lookout Farm with pianist Richie Beirach, toured the world with pianist Chick Corea, and then reunited with Beirach in the acclaimed group Quest. The current David Liebman Quartet formed in 1991 with guitarist Vic Juris, bassist Tony Marino, and drummer Marko Marcinko. Liebman has consistently placed among the top finalists in the Downbeat Critics' Poll since 1973 in the Soprano Saxophone category and has been featured on nearly 300 recordings — more than 100 as a leader or co-leader.
www.daveliebman.com
The DR. LONNIE SMITH TRIO
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Pre-Concert Conversation, 2 pm
The Pine Grill Union: Buffalo and the B-3 with series producer Bruce Eaton and special guests
Concert, 3 pm
From his roots in the legendary jazz clubs of Buffalo’s East Side through recordings and tours with such luminaries as George Benson, David “Fathead” Newman, and Lou Donaldson, Dr. Lonnie Smith is an authentic master of the Hammond B-3 organ. Born in Buffalo, Smith purchased an organ from local dealer Art Kubera and was soon performing at Buffalo's hottest club, The Pine Grill, and then made the move to New York City, joining George Benson's Quartet. After performing with Lou Donaldson and recording the seminal jazz gem “Alligator Boogaloo,” Smith was signed to Blue Note Records. He has recorded and performed with Lee Morgan, King Curtis, Blue Mitchell, Joe Lovano, Ron Carter, Grover Washington, Jr., and Dizzy Gillespie to name but a few. A prolific creative force and innovator, his musical evolution has included recording everything from tribute albums to Jimi Hendrix and John Coltrane, to straight-ahead jazz, funk, and acid-jazz recordings. Smith’s dynamic performances have inspired generations and today his name is truly synonymous with his instrument.
www.drlonniesmith.com
The MULGREW MILLER TRIO
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Pre-Concert Conversation, 2 pm
Remembering Oscar Peterson with Dick Judelsohn, host of Be-Bop and Beyond, WBFO-FM
Concert, 3 pm
A pianist of dazzling eloquence and sophistication, Mulgrew Miller has appeared on more than 400 recordings and played with numerous legendary bandleaders. Born in the Mississippi Delta town of Greenwood, Miller’s life was forever changed after seeing the legendary Oscar Peterson perform on television. After studying at Memphis State University, Miller joined the Duke Ellington Orchestra under the direction of Mercer Ellington in 1977. Lengthy stints with some of the greatest working bands of the era followed, including Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, the Tony Williams Quintet, and Betty Carter’s trio along with performances and recordings with Benny Golson, Freddie Hubbard, Johnny Griffin, and Woody Shaw. In recent years, Miller has cemented his reputation as a jazz master with impeccable taste and sense of swing. When leading his trio, “…no pianist of Miller’s generation brings such a wide stylistic palette to the table,” DownBeat Magazine.
www.mulgrewmiller.com
TED NASH AND ODEON
Sunday, March 28, 2009
Concert, 3 pm
A featured member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, saxophonist Ted Nash’s group Odeon has “a sound unlike any other,” one that includes elements of “tango, klezmer, second-line rhythms, impressionism, Ellington voicings, marches, the Near East, the Middle East, the Far East, country music, and jazz,” Gary Giddins, The Village Voice. Born in Los Angeles, multi-instrumentalist Nash's interest in music developed early and by the age of seventeen he had been a member of the bands of Quincy Jones, Lionel Hampton, and Tashiko Akiyoshi. During his early years in New York he performed with Gerry Mulligan and began a long association with the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra. A founding member of the Jazz Composer’s Collective with Matt Wilson and Ben Allison, Nash has also been intricately involved for the last decade with Jazz at Lincoln Center as a composer, educator, and as a member of the Wynton Marsalis-led orchestra. Odeon, one of Nash's current groups, offers an eclectic presentation, garnering much acclaim for its imaginative focus “on jazz's relationship with other musics around the world.” Will Friewald.
www.tednash.com
THE KENDRA SHANK QUARTET / FRANK KIMBROUGH
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Concert, 8 pm
An unforgettable evening of great jazz, this evening will feature a special double bill.
“A superbly skilled vocalist,” Nate Chinen, The New York Times, Kendra Shank’s A Spirit Free: Abbey Lincoln Songbook was hailed as one of 2007’s best jazz albums. Considered "one of the top jazz singers around today," Scott Yanow, L.A. Jazz Scene, she captivates audiences worldwide with her genuine warmth, emotional depth, and musicality. "Kendra Shank's delectable voice — warm-toned, fine-grained, quietly sexy — sets her well apart from the crowd, as does her knack for picking unhackneyed, slightly off-center material. The up-tempo tunes swing hard; the ballads shimmer and shine. Get in on the ground floor: this lady is going up," Terry Teachout, Time.
www.kendrashank.comPalmetto recording artist Frank Kimbrough “belongs to an elite group of pianist- composers,” New York Newsday, “a near-visionary…whose work simmers with melodic intrigue…,” The New Yorker. A protégé of Shirley Horn and active on the New York scene for twenty-five years, Kimbrough has previously performed at the Albright-Knox with the Maria Schneider Orchestra and the late Dewey Redman. His most recent release, Air, shows Kimbrough “…full of sly wit and lovely melody. Kimbrough's music has always been marked by its subtlety and charm, but this solo outing really lets those virtues shine through,” Ed Hazell, Jazziz.
home.earthlink.net/~fkimbrough