From romarkable at verizon.net Wed Jun 3 13:17:29 2009 From: romarkable at verizon.net (Rozanne Levine) Date: Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:17:29 -0400 Subject: [members-announce] Release of "Only Moment" CD from Rozanne Levine & Chakra Tuning Message-ID: Dear Fellow JJA members, We at Acoustics are excited to announce the release of ONLY MOMENT, the debut CD from Rozanne Levine & Chakra Tuning... Scheduled for release on June 1, 2009, Only Moment is already garnering acclaim ? called "gorgeous" and "amazing" by Massimo Ricci of Touching Extremes, and "completely sublime", "exquisite" and "quite magical" by Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery (more from Massimo and Bruce below). ONLY MOMENT features Rozanne Levine on alto clarinet, clarinet and compositions, with long-time band mate MARK WHITECAGE on clarinet, soprano saxophone and electronics. Adding their totally original voices are clarinetist PERRY ROBINSON and violinist/vocalist ROSI HERTLEIN. Rozanne Levine?s compositions form the thematic material from which the musicians improvise. Electronic manipulation plays a part in the group sound, as do bird whistles, ocarinas, half horns, and percussion. Rozanne brings her love of improvisational spontaneity and organic, subtly shifting sounds to the fore through the vehicle of Chakra Tuning. Sonic conversations emerge and develop as the group explores textures, sonorities and space. The music of Chakra Tuning weaves in and out of melodies, exploring rhythms, moods and inner space in a transforming, unfolding journey. You can read more about Rozanne and hear audio clips from ONLY MOMENT at the Acoustics web site: http://www.erjn.it/mus/whitecage.htm ONLY MOMENT is currently distributed through the following outlets ? more to be added: CD BABY (both CD and MP3 download) - http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/levinetuning THE JAZZ LOFT - http://www.jazzloft.com/p-49898-only-moment.aspx DOWNTOWN MUSIC GALLERY - http://search2.downtownmusicgallery.com/lookup.cgi?item=2009_04_24_00_26_48 THE BOP SHOP - http://www.bopshop.com/ ACOUSTICS http://www.erjn.it/mus/whitecage.htm More on ONLY MOMENT from Massimo Ricci and Bruce Lee Gallanter: "As soon as one spins Only Moment - the latest offering from Rozanne Levine's Chakra Tuning - the room is pervaded by presences resembling spirits of wellbeing. Right away, the clarity of every note played, the consistency of the amalgamation among the musicians and a sense of shared endeavor for the abolishment of narrow-mindedness contribute to a private feeling of enjoyment which is absolutely not based on something "easing the nerves", or plain silly. With each listen we find ourselves perseveringly intent in attempting a veritable penetration of every sound, like if the completion of the experience depended on a full understanding of any single acoustic event. The music comes out smoothly and extremely physically at once, influenced by so many things ? natural occurrences, bird talking, native Indian chants, theatre ? that the tracks might represent different segments of a being?s life cycle, and I?m writing this without the fear of sounding nonsensically hippy or esoterically lost in nowhereland, my skill in distinguishing between counterfeit illuminations and sober practices of inside connectivity rigorously trained as ever. Levine is flanked by Perry Robinson, Mark Whitecage and Rosi Hertlein. Listening to these artists reveal their fundamental nature through the full command of the instruments is just amazing. All kinds of clarinets, saxophones, ocarinas, bird whistles and percussion are utilized by the nominal leader and her long-time male companions, while Hertlein - a mean violinist ? also sings and handles additional percussive chores with the same nimbleness. The artists' technique might be admirable, and indeed it is. But what really wins for me is the sort of opposition to hopelessness that this gorgeous recording generates as early as the circulation of the first notes in the air. Coming from a hard-boiled mankind-disparager like yours truly, this should give you something to chew over." - Massimo Ricci, Touching Extremes "The first piece, 'Blues Lullaby in F' is a lovely, somber piece for solo clarinet which I found to be completely sublime. 'Thunder Talks' begins with just subtle percussion, ocarina, voice and other exquisite earthy sounds. It has an organic elegance that I find to be ever so fine, like meditating on the sounds of the forest. On 'Lost Freedoms' we hear a few layers of clarinets that sound orchestral, with superb harmonies. There is a unique blend and sound here that is quite magical. Perhaps it is the subtle electronics that Mark Whitecage employs that makes this so special. Although each clarinet is distinct with its own sound, the combination of three strong players makes this a particularly wonderful tapestry." - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery ================================ For more information, bookings, distributor inquiries, review copies (pls include postal mail address and affiliation) and any questions, please contact Rozanne at Acoustics, romarkable at verizon.net. ======== Rozanne Levine Co-Director Acoustics 110 Revere Court Montville, NJ 07045-9011 Tel/Fax: 973-335-5720 E-Mail: romarkable at verizon.net http://www.erjn.it/mus/whitecage.htm http://www.allaboutjazz.com/rozannelevine http://www.erjn.it/gallery/levine.htm From muzikmuse at comcast.net Fri Jun 12 14:05:36 2009 From: muzikmuse at comcast.net (Willard Jenkins) Date: Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:05:36 -0400 Subject: [members-announce] June Independent Ear Message-ID: <20090612180540.A0E141818A@77.patternbook.com> Fresh new June entries in The Independent Ear webzine at www.openskyjazz.com ... * Part 2 of our ongoing series Ain't but a few of us - Black jazz writers telling their story; this time with a revealing contribution from John Murph. * The Sampling Game: Bonding the Generations; hip hop producer Jonathan Kaslow reverses the sampling equation with his newly released compilation Stax: The Soul of Hip Hop; check his insights on the often obscure source material central to the hip hop game. * A letter-from-South Africa; our conversation with saxophonist-composer Salim Washington on his current residency in the Kwa-Zulu Natal region of beautiful South Africa and how it compares to another recent residency he undertook in Bahia, Brazil. * The Tip: to label or not to label - advice on why self-producing DIY jazz artists really need to label their product properly. Please visit The Independent Ear at www.openskyjazz.com and as usual your comments are welcomed and encouraged. Peace, Willard Jenkins www.openskyjazz.com Home of The Independent Ear From ritmocity at yahoo.com Thu Jun 18 17:29:53 2009 From: ritmocity at yahoo.com (RITMO! CITY) Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:29:53 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [members-announce] MJM needs a few volunteers Message-ID: <86985.67886.qm@web50606.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Do you enjoy writing essays, have photographic and/or journalistic experience? If so, the Miami Jazz Museum is looking for volunteers to be part of its cultural anthropological research initiative. Be part of this historic opportunity to make a vital contribution to the American art-form of Jazz that is part of this area. The Miami Jazz Museum is a non-for-profit organization that seeks to enrich the human condition and help contribute to the wellness of Miami's multi-ethnic community through its cultural anthropological research initiative dedicated to the advancement, education and historical preservation of Miami's Jazz heritage. Its main goal is to establish and maintain a place that would serve as a vital archive source of information that documents the history of Jazz in Miami with images and literary essays/biographies of artists in the visual and musical performing arts, places, artifacts and recordings--all things that have made a significant contribution to the culture of Jazz in Miami and surrounding area. For more information, contact Bobby Ramirez: info at miamijazzmuseum.com More info at: www.miamijazzmuseum.com PLEASE consider the environment before printing this email. Check out our eco-informative website: CELEBRATING PARADISE - www.wowflorida.net From pr at ronkaplan.com Fri Jun 19 10:03:05 2009 From: pr at ronkaplan.com (pr at ronkaplan.com) Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:03:05 -0500 Subject: [members-announce] NYC: Ron Kaplan sings New York! July 10 and 11, 2009 (fwd) Message-ID: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Kapland Records (Phone) 831-687-0278 (Email) pr at ronkaplan.com NYC: Ron Kaplan sings New York! July 10 and 11, 2009 Great American Songbook Preservationist and classic-jazz-standards singer Ron Kaplan is making a rare concert appearance in New York City on July 10 and 11 to present his ?New York Song Collection? (a select group of songs taken from his album entitled New York). Kaplan will perform at FEINSTEIN'S at the Regency Hotel, located at 540 Park Avenue, NYC. Tickets can be purchased for the July 10 and 11, both set at 8:00 PM EDT. Tickets are $25-$40. You can also purchase on ticketweb. Singer Ron Kaplan keeps the flame burning brightly to illuminate jazz standards, the Great American Songbook and the classic sound of singers of the Fifties. The epitome of a "saloon singer," Kaplan has a rich, warm voice that literally cocoons the listener within the cozy atmosphere of images it creates. ?Ron Kaplan is an original personality in the world of jazz vocalists and he has managed to put his name into that previously closed inner circle. He has breathed new life into it by the sheer force of his style, for as you know, ?the style is the man himself?. The Velvet Crooner and the elegant power of his seemingly casual phrasing is in fact, ultra-tight and perfectly seductive Jean Szlamowicz, Jazz Hot? In addition to his career as a concert performer and recording artist, Kaplan also is the founder and executive director of American Songbook Preservation Society, a non-profit organization whose mission statement is: "To preserve our cultural treasure known as the Great American Songbook by performing this music to the public at home and abroad as Ambassadors of Song.? This very special musical fanfare will be a NY evening to remember. Ron is delighted to bring this recording to Feinstein?s Loews Regency under the musical direction of Steinway Artist and New Yorker Pete Malinverni. Making his New York visit even more special, Kaplan will perform some of these New York Songs and talk about this classic material on one of the city?s top talk shows, ?The Joey Reynolds Show? (on WOR 710 and nationally-syndicated) on Thursday, July 9, starting after midnight. The New York CD is available by request for review purposes in print or online media. There are up to 4 invitations available to attend and review the show for print media. In both cases send your request by email to kaplandisc at aol.com. ### ABOUT RON KAPLAN One of our finest contemporary singers of jazz standards, Ron Kaplan has spent his entire career championing the Great American Songbook, with much of that classic material written in or about New York City. So it makes perfect sense that this tradition-oriented vocalist dedicates his latest album, New York, to that remarkable metropolis. ?Although I am from California,? explains Kaplan, ?every time I go to New York City I am always struck by the energy, excitement and exuberance of the place. Everything about it is exciting ? the history, the architecture, the people, the culture, the arts. It?s the jazz capitol of the world. It?s the home of Broadway theatre, Tin Pan Alley, the Brill Building and countless legendary songwriters over the past century. There is so much to do and the atmosphere is so intense. It?s the city that never sleeps. It is one of the few cities in the world that has had many, many songs written about it. The difficulty wasn?t finding New York-themed songs for this recording, but deciding which ones to sing.? Ron Kaplan's New York and his other CDs are available at online sites (such as cdbaby.com and amazon.com), digital download locations (including iTunes.com, rhapsody.com) and Kaplan's own ronkaplan.com. In addition to his career as a concert performer and recording artist, Kaplan also is the founder and executive director of American Songbook Preservation Society, a non-profit organization whose mission statement is: "To preserve our cultural treasure known as the Great American Songbook by presenting this music to the public at home and abroad as Ambassadors of Song." For more information, visit his websites: http://ronkaplan.com http://www.greatamericansongbook.org From muzikmuse at comcast.net Sat Jun 20 13:12:43 2009 From: muzikmuse at comcast.net (Willard Jenkins) Date: Sat, 20 Jun 2009 13:12:43 -0400 Subject: [members-announce] Ain't But a Few of Us pt. 3 Message-ID: <20090620171243.EE428180C6@77.patternbook.com> Heads Up! Part 3 of the ongoing series Ain't But a Few of Us, conversations with African American jazz writers telling their story, is now available at The Independent Ear at www.openskyjazz.com , with insights from writer Eugene Holley Jr. (DownBeat, JazzTimes, Village Voice, All About Jazz, etc.). As always, your comments are welcomed and encouraged. Peace, Willard Jenkins www.openskyjazz.com Home of The Independent Ear