Over the past several months MCG Jazz has been in the process of upgrading the audio and video capabilities. The facility is now equipped with four HD cameras – robotically controlled. The pro tools system was also upgraded to the current software and hardware version . Additionally the studios now have the ability to webcast live from the concerts. The first live stream will take place on May 18, 2012 featuring the magnificent Dutch musicians Amina Figarova and Tineke Postma. Visit www.mcgjazz.org to sign in for the stream.
Check out this example of the new MCG Jazz HD video.
I got a call last summer from a good friend in Phoenix that was responsible for many of the K-Tel recordings from the 70s and 80s, asking if MCG Jazz would be interested in producing a project that included the top 50 jazz tracks of all time. After weeks of discussion, I could nail it down to my personal list of over 200 tracks. . . . and eventually we narrowed the list to 52 tracks over four CDs.
The recording sessions took place over a six week period and features over 30 of the finest musicians from the Pittsburgh region. The tracks were grouped into for packages; Chillin’, Swingin’, Groovin’ and Boppin’. The recordings are scheduled for release this summer.
After working with the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History to recreate Duke Ellington’s only musical Beggar’s Holiday in the fall of 2009, I became keenly aware of the vast abundance of priceless music in the museum’s collection. After a series of meetings with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra Executive Director, Ken Kimery, we decided to mount a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald utilizing many of the original arrangements Ella recorded from master arrangers such as Billy May and Oliver Nelson.
With the help of the Ella Fitzgerald Foundation, the program first appeared on the MCG Jazz 2009-2010 concert season. Subsequently, the project has toured to the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, AZ, and Blues Alley, Washington, DC. This summer, “A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald featuring the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra with vocalist Kim Nazarian” will be presented at the Animal Crackers Jazz Series at the Racine Zoo in Racine, WI on July 11, 2012, and as part of the Allegheny County Parks Summer Concert Series at South Park Amphitheater, Pittsburgh, PA on July 13. For tickets to the Animal Crackers series please click here. South Park is a free event, for more information, click here.
For the past several years I have been transcribing the guitar trio arrangements from the Poll Winners recordings from the late 1950’s that featured Barney Kessel, Ray Brown and Shelly Mann. From 1958 – 1962, all three of these jazz legends won the DownBeat reader Poll for top musician in there category. As a result they made five records under the “Poll Winners” title. Click here to check out the original records.
I selected 11 tracks from these five recordings and recorded the arrangements with Tom Wendt on drums and Jeff Grubbs on Bass. In addition to the CD of the music, the arrangements will be made available as well. The release date is scheduled for October 30, 2012. Sample of the record coming soon!
This announcement is from the Jazz Forward Coalition, a new group of industry leaders. Please check out the newsletter, forward the link to your friends and share our excitement about our new global and unified voice for jazz.
Click here to view the premiere edition of the JFC “Business of Jazz” newsletter.
Jazz is as vital as ever, with vibrant local scenes, active educators and thousands of jazz recordings released each year. However, the jazz community lacks a central organization to coordinate and maximize its vast resources, and must take a mainstream new media approach through social and professional networking. The Jazz Forward Coalition (JFC) was formed by a consortium of industry leaders who seek to raise jazz’s profile by enhancing its vitality and cultural relevance. The organization’s leadership group includes: Peter Gordon (Thirsty Ear Recordings), Michael Ricci (All About Jazz), Marty Ashby (MCG Jazz), Don Lucoff (DL Media) and Jeff Myers (THIS IS RED Agency).
JFC plans to utilize existing and emerging technologies in order to sustain growth and expose jazz to an under-served community. The goals of the organization include creating a central hub for the jazz industry, a global brand for jazz, and a leadership voice for the jazz community. They plan to reach these goals through grants, fundraising efforts, music industry partnerships and with an online presence.
The work of the JFC will be focused on four levels: connectivity via a business-to-business website; a global voice that speaks both within the community and outside; a knowledge base library of tools bringing marketplace solutions to its membership base; and strategic partnerships to help with mainstream market penetration and economic viability.
JFC will create an interactive website that will allow jazz professionals to network, publish and exchange information and access marketplace tools.An online newsletter, “Business of Jazz,” has already been developed to keep jazz professionals up-to-date on industry news and trends.
Click here to view the premiere edition of the JFC “Business of Jazz” newsletter.
