NYC Pride Week 2011

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Parent Category: Other Festivals

Category: Music

Published on Thursday, 16 June 2011 05:00

Written by L E Shannon

NYC Pride Week runs June 18 - 27, 2011 at several venues in New York City.

Heritage of Pride, Inc, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, hosts its NYC Pride events each year in New York City. These events are organized for and on behalf of all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals and groups, and all others who support the struggle for the liberation of these communities.

In the spirit of Stonewall, Heritage of Pride welcomes the participation of all, regardless of age, creed, gender, gender identification, HIV status, national origin, physical, mental or developmental ability, race, religion or sexual origin.

Read more: NYC Pride Week 2011

Chelsea Music Festival - Encore!

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Parent Category: Other Festivals

Category: Music

Published on Sunday, 12 June 2011 05:00

Written by L E Shannon

The Chelsea Art Museum (CAM) again presents the Chelsea Music Festival (CMF) for a second year from June 14 - 18, 2011 at CAM and other locations throughout the cultural hub of Chelsea, including The General Theological Seminary, St. Paul's Church and the Leo Baeck Institute, in New York City.

CMF celebrates music and art with world-renowned musicians and exciting newcomers on the international music stage and features Classical and Jazz music alongside World and New York premieres of works by living composers.

Artists include:

• Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation violinist and featured artist Ye-Eun Choi
• Grammy award-winning jazz bassist John Patitucci
• cellist and CMF 2011 Artist-in-Residence Alban Gerhardt
• violinist Augustin Hadelich
• New York Philharmonic violist Rebecca Young
• pianist Helen Huang
• Composers-in-Residence Brad Balliett and Doug Balliett
• Visual Artist-in-Residence Carri Jobe

The CMF 2011 schedule includes daily evening concerts, a family program, panel discussion, late night events and impromptu daytime performances at various Chelsea landmarks such as the High Line and Hudson River Park.  

From the traditional to the experimental; the Baroque to the Romantic; and from Hip Hop to Jazz, the events celebrate composers such as Franz Liszt and Gustav Mahler, as well as a wide range of contemporary composers.

Highlights:

The Festival Opening Night – Liszt I: The Protagonist
The Chelsea Music Festival Opening Night begins the journey of exploring the theme of Franz Liszt by retracing the composer’s musical life and influences with music by Bach, Beethoven, Liszt and Schubert.  Champagne reception à la Liszt with Festival artists to follow.

June 15, Wednesday – Mahler & Radical Departures
This evening event combines the theme of Mahler with an art exhibit entitled Radical Departures at the Leo Baeck Institute, bringing together the work of Jewish and non-Jewish German artists whose work was eventually branded as "degenerate" by the Nazis and who were forced to flee Germany.

June 16, Thursday – Liszt II: The Organist
On St. Paul Church’s magnificent 1897 Jardine organ, international virtuoso Stephen Tharp performs organ works by Franz Liszt in dialogue with a new composition from Composer-in-Residence Brad Balliett for choir and four bassoons, featuring ensemble Cantori New York, conducted by Mark Shapiro.

June 17, Friday – Liszt III: The Melodist – Carte Blanche to Alban Gerhardt
Internationally renowned star cellist and CMF 2011 Artist-in-Residence Alban Gerhardt collaborates with Festival musicians to create an evening filled with music centered around this evening’s theme, exploring the beauty and necessity of melody.

June 18, Saturday morning – Family Event: How to Compose in Color and Sound II
This event allows children and adults alike to have a hands-on opportunity to step into the shoes of a composer and learn about the process of musical creation. 

Participants will experience the sounds of various instruments, collaborate on a graphic score composition, and play their composition with Festival musicians. They will also create visual artwork inspired by live music and the museum’s surroundings.

This event features Composers-in-Residence Doug Balliett and Brad Balliett, Chelsea Music Festival musicians and Festival Visual Artist-in-Residence Carri Jobe.

June 18, Saturday – "Voyager": Festival Finale with John Patitucci and Friends
Grammy award-winning bassist and jazz composer John Patitucci presents original compositions and Liszt-inspired arrangements, joined by jazz pianist Helen Sung, drummer Marcus Gilmore and Festival musicians in a unique blend of musical forces and styles. Festival Finale reception with all artists follows.

Also presented is a talk on Saturday afternoon:

The Festival Talks – Paths on the Upright: Improvisation and journeying the musical highway from classical to jazz
Festival musicians John Patitucci, Artist-in-Residence Alban Gerhardt, organist Stephen Tharp and Composers-in-Residence Brad Balliett and Doug Balliett discuss the impulse to create through improvisation, notation and communication.  Hosted by CMF Artistic Director Ken-David Masur.

For more information, go to www.chelseaartmuseum.org.

Chelsea Music Festival
June 14 - 18, 2011

Chelsea Art Museum
556 W. 22nd St. (at 11th Avenue)
New York City

The General Theological Seminary
440 W. 21st Street
New York City
212-243-5150

Church of St. Paul‘s, New York
315 West 22nd Street
New York City

Leo Baeck Institute
15 West 16th Street
New York City
212-744-6400

Blue Note Launches Inaugural Jazz Fest

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Parent Category: Other Festivals

Category: Music

Published on Friday, 10 June 2011 05:00

Written by L E Shannon

The Blue Note Jazz Club celebrates its 30th Anniversary with its inaugural Blue Note Jazz Festival from June 1 - 30, 2011 in the heart of Greenwich Village, New York City.

This is the year’s largest New York jazz festival, with several jazz greats, many of whom have performed at the Blue Note for years, set to perform, including

• Dave Brubeck
• Chris Botti
• Nancy Wilson
• Bobby McFerrin
• Brian Wilson
• The Roots
• Chaka Kahn
• Roberta Flack
• El Gran Combo
• Jon Hendricks
• Kathleen Battle
• McCoy Tyner
• Youssou N’Dour
• Bill Frisell
• Meshell Ndegeocello
• Madeleine Peyroux

and many more. 

Since its inception in 1981, the Blue Note has become a cultural institution in New York and one of the premier jazz clubs in the world. Jazz is undoubtedly America's music, and while the Blue Note strives to celebrate the music's great history, the club is a place where progression and innovation - the foundation of jazz - are encouraged and practiced on a nightly basis.

"Thirty years ago, I never could have dreamed that the Blue Note would become what it is today," owner and operator Danny Bensusan said of his famed jazz club.

"It wasn’t easy to convince the artists to play here at first. We had help from some of the musicians who believed in what we were trying to do -- Ray Brown and Dizzy Gillespie, in particular -- and as we started bringing in bigger names, the reputation of the club grew. Once they played the Blue Note, they always wanted to come back, because there is an intimacy here between the audience and the musician that is appealing to everyone."

While the Blue Note Jazz Festival celebrates the club’s accomplishments and legendary artists, Bensusan believes the Blue Note’s future success will come from exposing new artists, captivating new audiences and investing in jazz education.

In light of this, the Blue Note Jazz Festival includes a series at the Mercury Lounge devoted to young up-and-coming artists in a variety of genres, as well as the new Spontaneous Construction Series at the Blue Note presented by Search & Restore, which pairs young, experimental artists together for the first time.

Additionally, the Blue Note Jazz Festival will sponsor educational programs for the non-profit organization JazzReach and its "ELLINGTON!" program at the Highline Ballroom, which will host hundreds of New York City Public School students each day over a period of three afternoons.

For Bensusan, the Blue Note Jazz Festival is a reflection of where the Blue Note has been, but most importantly, an indication of what lies ahead.

"I’m proud that after 30 years, the Blue Note has become an important institution in New York and that with the Blue Note Jazz Festival, we are continuing to expand and work toward making the Blue Note as good as it can be."

Shows are also scheduled at

• BB King Blues Club & Grill
• Beacon Theatre
• Highline Ballroom
• Joe’s Pub
• Le Poisson Rouge
• The Lehman Center for Performing Arts
• Mercury Lounge
• Rose Hall at Lincoln Center
• Terminal 5
• Town Hall

For more information, go to www.BlueNoteJazzFestival.com.

Blue Note Jazz Festival
June 1 - 30, 2011

Blue Note Jazz Club
131 W. 3rd St. (betw 6th Ave & McDougal St.)
New York City
212-475-8592
www.bluenotejazz.com

B.B. King Blues Club & Grill
237 West 42nd St
New York City
212-997-4144
www.bbkingblues.com

The Beacon Theatre
2124 Broadway
New York City

Highline Ballroom
431 West 16th Street
New York City
www.highlineballroom.com

Joe’s Pub
425 Lafayette Street
New York City

Mercury Lounge
217 E Houston Street # A
New York City

Le Poisson Rouge
158 Bleecker Street
New York City

Rose Theater
in Frederick P. Rose Hall
Broadway at 60th Street
Columbus Circle
New York City

The Town Hall
123 West 43rd Street
New York City

Terminal 5
610 West 56th Street
New York City

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts
250 Bedford Park Blvd West
Bronx, New York