World Saxophone Congress preview: Sax maniacs by the sea

Publication: The Scotsman
Author: Jim Gilchrist
Date: July 5, 2012

WITH almost 200 world premieres, the 16th World Saxophone Congress next week in St Andrews promises a wealth of innovation and entertainment

ADOLPHE Sax could never have guessed just what he was unleashing when he patented a design for a curiously-shaped reed instrument in 1846, that his invention would power the music of such diverse creative spirits as Maurice Ravel and John Coltrane; likewise the douce Fife town of St Andrews probably has little inkling of what will hit it next week when some 800 musicians converge on it from around the globe for the 16th World Saxophone Congress.

The ancient stones of the East Neuk metropolis will reverberate to the unbridled sounds of innumerable reeds as the six-day event hosts scores of concerts, recitals, lectures and workshops – including some 200 world premieres – in venues ranging from St Andrews University’s 1,000-seat Younger Hall to the venerable undercroft of its department of medieval history. Part of the 600th anniversary celebrations of Scotland’s oldest university, the event ranges through classical, jazz, contemporary and even folk genres.

“It’s massive,” says Richard Ingham, the event’s organiser and musician-in-residence at the university. “We’ve been working on it since we won the bid to host it in Bangkok three years ago and it’s a great thrill to be bringing it here, with such a cornucopia of concerts and recitals every day.

“I want to show saxophonists from across the world what Scotland and the UK has to offer, and also I want people from the UK to see and hear what other players from all over the world are doing. There’s some amazing stuff going on out there.”

High-profile guests include the renowned American player Branford Marsalis, who will premiere a new concerto for saxophone by Andy Scott with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra at the opening gala concert on 10 July. Read more »

Submitted by Bobby on July 9th, 2012 — 03:50pm

Best 20 jazz albums (so far) of 2012

Publication: San Jose Mercury News
Author: Richard Scheinin
Date: July 2, 2012

With the collapse of the record industry comes the rise of itty bitty independent labels and musician-issued CDs. In the world of jazz, where so many great musicians scuffle for a flake of recognition, there are a zillion new recordings; my mailbox runneth over. Here are some of my jazz favorites so far from 2012. Happy summer listening.

Branford Marsalis: “Four MFs Playin’ Tunes” (Marsalis Music). Look out! The saxophonist’s long-standing quartet is newly juiced by Justin Faulkner, its young 46-limbed drummer.

Check out Richard’s other picks here. Read more »

Submitted by Bobby on July 5th, 2012 — 10:15am

Jazzfest Review: Marsalis and Calderazzo walk a musical high wire without a net

Publication: Ottawa Citizen
Author: Doug Fischer
Date: June 26, 2012

REVIEW: Branford Marsalis & Joey Calderazzo Duo
NAC Studio
Reviewed Tuesday, June 26

In these penny-pinching times, a cynic might be tempted to say the recent popularity of the jazz duo is simply the result of programmers finding ways to save money. Two musicians come cheaper than a quintet or, heaven forbid, a big band.

Ah, but true or not, the observation misses an essential point: the duo is not only good value for the bean-counters, it’s probably the leanest way to get at the core of jazz.

If jazz at its best is the in-the-moment interplay between musicians, then what’s more basic, more intimate, than an unencumbered encounter between two players at the top of their game — two guys like saxophonist Branford Marsalis and pianist Joey Calderazzo?

The pair have played together since Calderazzo replaced the late Kenny Kirkland in Marsalis’s powerhouse quartet in 1998. But it’s only been for the past few years than they have also performed as the seamlessly intuitive duo that played two shows at the Ottawa jazz festival Tuesday night.

Their kind of familiarity can lead in two directions: playing what’s comfortable, or taking advantage of the freedom that comes from trusting each other when walking out on a musical high wire without a net.

Happily, Marsalis and Calderazzo have chosen the latter course. Read more »

Submitted by Bobby on June 27th, 2012 — 09:22am

Saxophonist Branford Marsalis to open festival

Publication: WinonaDailyNews.com
Author: Terry Rindfleisch
Date: June 24, 2012

World-class jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis embarks on a new journey in the world of classical music at the 2012 Minnesota Beethoven Festival.

Marsalis, a three-time Grammy winner who has his own jazz quartet, is no stranger to classical music and is a frequent soloist with major symphony orchestras.

But when he opens the Beethoven festival next Sunday, the 51-year-old will perform his first classical music recital since high school.

“This recital is something I have wanted to do for a long time,” Marsalis said in a recent telephone interview. “I don’t play classical music as much as I would like, but the more I play, the better I get. It is the most solid music I play.”

For the recital, Marsalis is collaborating with pianist Ned Kirk, a Saint Mary’s University music professor and artistic/managing director of the Beethoven festival.

“He is an amazing musician and collaborating with him has been a joy,” Kirk said. “He is the first artist who has treated me like a partner, with a lot of give and take.”

Kirk has rehearsed with Marsalis in California, North Carolina and New Orleans in preparing for the recital. It was Kirk who suggested they stage a classical music recital together after Marsalis and a Brazilian ensemble performed a special concert in October 2008 as part of the Beethoven Festival.

“He was very excited about such a recital because it was new to him, and it has been an amazing experience,” Kirk said.

Marsalis will play works for alto and soprano sax by six composers, including Beethoven and Samuel Barber.

He has played classical music professionally for 10 years. He performs about 10 classical music concerts a year and he made his debut with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra two years ago.

Read more »
Submitted by Bobby on June 25th, 2012 — 09:36am

CIA director among winners of Jefferson Awards

Publication: Associated Press via the Austin Statesman
Author: Jessica Gresko
Date: June 18, 2012

WASHINGTON — The director of the CIA, two musicians and a former Buffalo Bills quarterback are among the people being honored with a national prize for public service that was co-founded 40 years ago by former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Recipients of the 2012 Jefferson Awards will accept their honors Tuesday in Washington during a luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and at an evening celebration at Constitution Hall. Most of the 18 recipients of the awards, dubbed a “Nobel Prize” for public service, are not celebrities. Finalists who will learn whether they won Tuesday include a leader of the Boy Scouts in Michigan, a Wisconsin woman who runs a local clothing drive, an Ohio mom who advocates for bicycle safety, and a grocery store employee from California who is the driving force behind the company’s volunteer program.

The more well-known honorees include retired four-star Army general-turned-CIA director David Petraeus, who led U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and became head of the CIA in 2011. He’s accepting the award for greatest public service by an elected or appointed official.

Jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis and singer-actor Harry Connick Jr. are being honored for their efforts to rebuild New Orleans following 2005’s Hurricane Katrina. The New Orleans natives worked with Habitat for Humanity to build 72 homes for the city’s displaced musicians and 10 duplexes for seniors. They also established a music center. Read more »

Submitted by Bobby on June 19th, 2012 — 10:21am