NPR Music - Danilo Perez "Providencia"

Danilo Perez's New Release "Providencia" Available For Full Album Preview As Part Of NPR Music's "Exclusive First Listen" Series.  I can't recommend it highly enough.  A beautiful album and, as mentioned several times in prior posts, NPR offers this first listen absolutely free.

Maine Bar "Jazzed for Justice" Fundraiser

The Maine Bar Association's New Lawyers Section will be holding a unique (and jazz-related) fundraiser for the Campaign for Justice.  On September 10, 2010, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Freeport, ME (yes, the Freeport made famous by LL Bean) there will be a cocktail reception and silent auction with live jazz music performed by Justice Carl Bradford’s jazz quartet, Port City 4.

The silent auction will run from 6:00 – 8:00 pm, and select live auction items will be ready for bidding starting at 8:30 pm.  If you have questions about the event, email Amanda Doherty at adoherty@sgolawyers.com.

Chicago Jazz Festival Schedule

The schedule for the Chicago Jazz Festival (September 1 through 5) has been released. Here are the dates, artists, and venues:

THURSDAY, SEPT. 2 Millennium Park - Jay Pritzker Pavilion
•12-12:50 pm - Umbrella Music: Bridging Improvised Music and Dance
•1:05-1:55 pm - Jodie Christian Quintet
•2:10-3 pm - MIYUMI Project Big Band: “Trans-Rooted” feat. JASC Tsukasa Taiko
•3:15-4 pm - Jim Wagner's All Stars featuring Willie Pickens, Ari Brown, Jimmy Ellis, Robert Shy, Frank Russell, Corey Wilkes and Maggie Brown
•7:30-10 pm - Made In Chicago: World Class Jazz Presents A Big Band Birthday Bash for Ahmad Jamal’s 80th with Jeff Lindberg's Chicago Jazz Orchestra

FRIDAY, SEPT. 3 Chicago Cultural Center
Randolph Café
•12-1 pm - Hector Silveira Septet
•1:30-2:30 pm - The Grilly Brothers Sextet
Claudia Cassidy Theater
•12:15-1:15 pm - James Dapogny: "Art of the Solo"
•1:45-2:45 pm - AACM Experimental Ensemble
Preston Bradley Hall
•12:30-1:30 pm - Tomeka Reid's Hear In Now Trio
•2-3 pm - Jim Cooper's Mallet Madness feat. Kathy Kelly & Carl Leukaufe

FRIDAY, SEPT. 3 Millennium Park - Jay Pritzker Pavilion
•4-4:50 pm - Lincoln Park High School Jazz Ensemble and Noteworthy
•5-5:50 pm - James Dapogny
•6-6:55 pm - Mike LeDonne Trio with special guest Eric Alexander
•7:10- 8:10 pm - Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Orchestra
•8:30-9:30 pm - Ramsey Lewis 75th Birthday Celebration

SATURDAY, SEPT. 4 Grant Park
Jazz on Jackson Stage
•12-12:55 pm - Douglas Ewart Nyahbingi Drum Choir
•1:10-2:05 pm - Paul Giallorenzo's GitGo
•2:20-3:15 pm - Maggie Brown: "A Tribute to Abbey Lincoln"
•3:30-4:30 pm - Dana Hall Quintet with special guest Nicholas Payton
•6-7:30 pm - Corey Wilkes
•8-9 pm - Steve Cole
The Chicago Community Trust Young Jazz Lions Stage
•12-12:30 pm - Chi-Arts Jazz Combo
•12:45-1:15 pm - Jazz Ambassadors Combo
•1:30-2:10 pm - Kenwood Academy Jazz Ensemble
•2:25-3:05 pm - Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School Jazz Ensemble
•3:20-3:50 pm - Lincoln Park High School Jazz Ensemble
•4:05-4:50 pm - Roosevelt University Jazz Ensemble
Jazz and Heritage Stage 
•12:30-1:30 pm - West End Jazz Band
•2-3 pm - Cameron Pfiffner's Marco Polo
•3:30-4:30 pm - Nicole Mitchell's Sonic Projections
Petrillo Music Shell
•5-5:50 pm - Chuchito Valdez Afro-Cuban Ensemble
•6-6:55 pm - Rene Marie "High Maintenance" Quartet
•7:10-8:10 pm - Charisma: "A Lee Morgan Tribute"
•8:30-9:30 pm - The Either/Orchestra with special guests Getachew Mekurya and Teshome Mitiku

SUNDAY, SEPT. 5 Grant Park
Jazz on Jackson Stage
•12-12:55 pm - Paulinho Garcia Quintet
•1:10-2:05 pm - Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Ensemble
•2:20-3:15 pm - Brad Goode Quartet
•3:30-4:30 pm - Brian Blade and The Fellowship Band
•6-7:30 pm - Harlan Jefferson
•8-9 pm - TBA
The Chicago Community Trust Young Jazz Lions Stage
•12-12:30 pm - Northside College Prep Jazz Combo
•12:45-1:15 pm - Whitney Young Magnet High School Jazz Combo
•1:30-2:10 pm - Lakeview High School Jazz Ensemble
•2:25-3:05 pm - John Hersey High School Jazz Ensemble
•3:30-4:05 pm - University of Chicago Jazz X-Tet
Jazz and Heritage Stage
•12:30-1:30 pm - Bethany Pickens Trio
•2-3 pm - NOMO
•3:30-4:30 pm - Saalik Ziyad's 5 After 7 Project
Petrillo Music Shell
•5-6 pm - Brad Mehldau Trio
•6:15-7:05 pm - Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls
•7:20-8:15 pm - Henry Threadgill's Zooid
•8:30-9:30 pm - Kurt Elling Quintet with special guest Ernie Watts

Jason Moran and the Bandwagon

I just received word from my favorite jazz venue that Jason Moran and the Bandwagon are performing tonight. Check out the Copenhagen JazzHouse for one of my favorite modern jazz artists.

Okay, if you aren't planning to be in Denmark tonight, then I suggest checking out NPR's Music App or website for great -- FREE -- listens of Moran's latest album "Ten."

Jason Moran and the Bandwagon -- "Ten"

I have just started to listen to Jason Moran's new album "Ten."  I am impressed so far.  While in the modern genre, Moran's music is multi-faceted and has more depth than say, The Bad Plus.  The music is varied, rich, and unexpected.

In addition to enjoying such fine music I have been doubly blessed in using NPR's new music app to download and listen to "Ten" for free.  If you are an iPhone user, check out NPR's new Music app.