September 25, 2006
JIMMY VASS Funeral
Thursday, September 28th
G. Choice Funeral Chapel
2530 N. Broad St, Phila., PA
(215) 227-0100
Time: 10:00 am (Viewing at 9:00 am)
The MEMORIAL for JIMMY VASS
Saturday, September 30th
4PM Until
University of the Streets
130 East 7th Street
(at Avenue A)Take the #6 to Astor Place or the F to 2nd Avenue
September 23, 2006
Dear Friends,
Jimmy peacefully left this life sometime on the night between September 20th and 21st 2006. The arrangements are in the works, and we definitely will have a celebration of Jimmy's life and music - details to follow! I can't really write much more right now. To say he will be missed, just sounds like a complete understatement. Jimmy was a tremendous musician, and a wonderful artist, but more than that, he was the most beautiful human being I've ever met. As Jimmy used to say: "You ARE your music."
With Peace & Love,
Lea (Jimmy's "other half")
"The best witness to God's Truth are those who show its Light in their Lives."
Monday, September 25, 2006
Sunday, September 24, 2006
The Trane Stopped at Awbury!
Willie Williams with the Philadelphia Homecoming Brigade Quintet
The Tranestop Resource Institute is to be enthusiastically commended for producing Philly's inaugural John Coltrane Jazz Festival, a tribute to the "Giant" of jazz and a celebration of his 80th birthday. It was a very successful community event with stellar performances and well attended, in spite of continuing atmospheric challenges. I'm certain that "all aboard" were glad to be there when this Trane arrived. They are keeping the culture alive and well!
THANK YOU TRANESTOP!
(and your many $pon$or$)
SUPPORT THE MUSIC!
POST YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS EVENT.
Friday, September 15, 2006
"Giant Steps Over Philly" Rescheduled
Philadelphia’s oldest non-profit jazz education and advocacy organization, The TraneStop Resource Institute, Inc., invites the public to come out to the Awbury Arboretum in Germantown on September 23, 2006 from 1 to 8:30 PM and celebrate the 80th birthday of Philadelphia’s most noted jazz musician, arranger, composer and cultural humanitarian - John William Coltrane. This free outdoor concert is part of the John Coltrane Jazz Festival – “Giant Steps Over Philly”, and is hosted by State Representative John Myers and State Senator LeAnna Washington.
This concert was rescheduled from September 2nd due to in-climate weather which provided the TraneStop the opportunity to merge this festival with its annual celebration of Coltrane’s birthday. The event will still have two stages with international recording artist Billy Paul headlining the John Myers Blues Stage and internationally recognized jazz legend Archie Shepp headlining the John Coltrane Jazz Stage.
Both headliners are Philadelphia natives and both have connections to the late John Coltrane, who has influenced generations of musicians across racial lines, musical genre and geographical boundaries. Both headliners have embraced the opportunity to pay tribute to this jazz legend. Billy Paul recalls that as a young performer (he began performing at 11 years old) he graced the same stage with Coltrane and Charlie Parker along with other great jazz legends who influenced his style.
For Archie Shepp this is a particularly exciting homecoming for a number of reasons. First, he has the opportunity to pay tribute to a musician he loved, admired and who influenced his radical political style of ”black art music” (nee African American classical music). Secondly he gets to see his family and performed in the Germantown community in which he was bred. (Archie often laments the fact that this music is no longer readily available within the community as it was in its developmental stages.) He also is delighted to be able to return the favor to Representative John Myers, because Archie credits John Myers’ father (a former leader in his community) w ith putting him on the path of becoming a professional musician.
Joining legends Billy Paul and Archie Shepp in this homecoming celebration of John Coltrane are; 1) on the John Myers Blues Stage at Haines and Ardleigh from 1-7PM - Fiidla’s Philly Blues Funk Experiment featuring Owen ‘Fiidla’ Brown, the Phyllies Intruders and The Lou Taylor Urban Collective and 2) on the John Coltrane Jazz Stage, off 800 East Washington Lane near Chew Avenue from 2-8:30PM - the Pioneers Quintet with Archie Shepp, James Spaulding, Stanley Cowell, Jymie Merritt and Allen Nelson; the Philadelphia Homecoming Brigade Quintet with Willie Williams, Papo Vazquez, Sumi Tonooka, Don Moore and Vincent Ector; the Search for the New Land Quintet with Duane Eubanks, Stanley Wilson, Ronnie Burrage, Jymie Merritt and Sid Simmons and the Tenor Love Quintet with Charles Bowen and William Thorpe on Tenor Sax, Tyrone Brown, Sid Simmons, Byron Landham and featuring Ella Gahnt on vocals.
This concert was rescheduled from September 2nd due to in-climate weather which provided the TraneStop the opportunity to merge this festival with its annual celebration of Coltrane’s birthday. The event will still have two stages with international recording artist Billy Paul headlining the John Myers Blues Stage and internationally recognized jazz legend Archie Shepp headlining the John Coltrane Jazz Stage.
Both headliners are Philadelphia natives and both have connections to the late John Coltrane, who has influenced generations of musicians across racial lines, musical genre and geographical boundaries. Both headliners have embraced the opportunity to pay tribute to this jazz legend. Billy Paul recalls that as a young performer (he began performing at 11 years old) he graced the same stage with Coltrane and Charlie Parker along with other great jazz legends who influenced his style.
For Archie Shepp this is a particularly exciting homecoming for a number of reasons. First, he has the opportunity to pay tribute to a musician he loved, admired and who influenced his radical political style of ”black art music” (nee African American classical music). Secondly he gets to see his family and performed in the Germantown community in which he was bred. (Archie often laments the fact that this music is no longer readily available within the community as it was in its developmental stages.) He also is delighted to be able to return the favor to Representative John Myers, because Archie credits John Myers’ father (a former leader in his community) w ith putting him on the path of becoming a professional musician.
Joining legends Billy Paul and Archie Shepp in this homecoming celebration of John Coltrane are; 1) on the John Myers Blues Stage at Haines and Ardleigh from 1-7PM - Fiidla’s Philly Blues Funk Experiment featuring Owen ‘Fiidla’ Brown, the Phyllies Intruders and The Lou Taylor Urban Collective and 2) on the John Coltrane Jazz Stage, off 800 East Washington Lane near Chew Avenue from 2-8:30PM - the Pioneers Quintet with Archie Shepp, James Spaulding, Stanley Cowell, Jymie Merritt and Allen Nelson; the Philadelphia Homecoming Brigade Quintet with Willie Williams, Papo Vazquez, Sumi Tonooka, Don Moore and Vincent Ector; the Search for the New Land Quintet with Duane Eubanks, Stanley Wilson, Ronnie Burrage, Jymie Merritt and Sid Simmons and the Tenor Love Quintet with Charles Bowen and William Thorpe on Tenor Sax, Tyrone Brown, Sid Simmons, Byron Landham and featuring Ella Gahnt on vocals.
For information:
215-438-3178 or 215-380-4747
Thursday, September 14, 2006
"First Thursdays" Collingswood Jazz Series
The third season of First Thursdays kicks off on October 5th and runs through May 3rd at the Collingswood Community Center, 30 Collings Ave (next to the Firehouse)in Collingswood, NJ. One show starting at 7:30PM. $10 admission $5 for students. BYOB. Free soft drinks.
For info: call 856-858-8914
For the first concert on October 5th, pianist Dave Posmontier will be appearing with bassist Chico Huff, drummer Erik Johnson and saxophonist Bob Howell.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Camden's Legends & Legacies of Jazz
PBCIP's Sixth Annual JAZZ BRUNCH
Legends
&
Legacies
Featuring
Camden’s Award-Winning Creative Arts
High School Jazz Band
& Camden jazz legends Sam Dockery,
Charlie Rice & Daille Winston Kettrell
Don’t miss a moment in Camden Jazz History
you won’t soon forget!
Saturday, October 14
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Woodbine Inn
Route 73, Pennsauken, NJ
Tickets: $40
Sponsorships are available. Call (856) 964-0440 for details.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
"Impressions" by John Coltrane Quartet
The John Coltrane Quartet with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, Elvin Jones and featuring Eric Dolphy - PRICELESS!
Monday, September 04, 2006
"Afro Blue" Video by John Coltrane
This is one of my favorite compositions by the John Coltrane Quartet. What about you? Which are your favorite Coltrane pieces? This is his birthday month (September 23rd), so give up the comments about this musical and spiritual giant that is STILL influencing the people that hear his music. He's been gone for 40 years, but the music he left is ETERNAL!
Saturday, September 02, 2006
John Coltrane's "Alabama" Video
In the early morning of Sunday, September 15, 1963, a gaggle of malcontents planted 12 sticks of dynamite in a window well outside the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The dynamite exploded eight hours later killing Denise McNair, 11, and Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson and Addie Mae Collins, all 14, in the process galvanizing the Civil Rights Movement. Two months later, on November 18, 1963, John Coltrane stepped up to the microphone in fabled Englewood, NJ studio of one Rudy Van Gelder and over a McCoy Tyner Tremolo, blew his searing and definitive statement on the subject of the bombing - "Alabama."
"A Sacred Jazz Suite"
WORLD PREMIERE
"For the Healing of the Nations"
"A Sacred Jazz Suite"
For the Victims and Survivors of 9/11
Composed by Geri Allen - Ms. Allen at the Piano
With large orchestra including
Oliver Lake; Craig Harris; Antoine Roney; John Blake; Akua Dixon; Kenny Davis; Mark Johnson; Jay Hoggard; Dwight Andrews; Patrice Williams, and
Creative Arts High School Students of Camden.
Poetry by Sandra-Turner Barnes
with
Andy Bey; Nnenna Freelon; Mary Stallings and
The Afro Blue Vocal Ensemble of Howard University
Sunday - September 10, 2006 - 3:00PM
Rutgers Camden Center for the Arts
The Gordon Theatre
350 N. Third StreetCamden, N.J. 08102
$25.00 Box Office: 856-225-2700
“He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal.. on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life.. the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”
On Sept 11, 2001 a series of coordinated terrorist attacks upon the United States brought fear into our hearts and the phrase “9/11” into our national lexicon. Five years on, a nation still struggles with the impact and repercussions of that day.
As a tribute to the lives lost on that day and since, and mindful of the role music can play in personal and collective healing, the Walt Whitman Arts Center has commissioned pianist Geri Allen to compose “For the Healing of the Nations”, a sacred jazz suite in two movements. The title song of Allen's critically acclaimed new Telarc release "Timeless Portraits and Dreams" was the genesis for the suite "For The Healing of The Nations".
"Jazz pianist Geri Allen has taken the freedom of Jazz and combined it with the cultural freedom movements that have paralleled the evolution of jazz itself." - Tavis Smiley
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