JAZZ EVENTS

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The City of White Plains New York presents a Six-Day Jazz Celebration from September 2-7 at eight venues in downtown White Plains.

For info, schedule, and tickets log on to artsw.org/jazzfest and wpbid.com

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The Central Jersey Jazz Festival 2014 will take place from September 12-14 at various locations in New Jersey.

For more info visit centraljerseyjazzfestival.com

A JAZZ LEGEND

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ON THIS DAY IN 1920, Charlie Parker aka "Bird," was born in Kansas City, Kansas.

"Bird" was a legendary jazz saxophonist and composer.  He was a central figure in inventing the jazz musical style called bebop, and a Grammy Award winner.

Parker, who was one of the most influential improvising soloists in jazz, was idolized by those who worked with him. He inspired a generation of jazz musicians.

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To learn more about the career and life of the "Yardbird," google-search his name and read all the related entries.

To hear his music get out the MP3 player and enjoy jazz at it's finest!

GETTING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION STARTED

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Before, during, and after the American Revolution, Black people played significant roles in the development of this country:

CRISPUS ATTUCKS was an important catalyst in getting the revolutionary war started. Born in Framingham, Massachusetts in 1723, he was owned by a local church official.

After serving his master for many years, Attucks escaped to freedom. He lived as a free man for over 20 years, working aboard whaling ships as a sailor; many free Black men became sailors, as the voyages sometimes lasted a year or longer.

In 1770, while stationed in Boston, Attucks joined a group of men on Dock Square, jeering and complaining about the presence of the British troops.
 to the British
After some heated words, a fight broke out. Attucks grabbed a soldier's bayonet and knocked him down. Soon rocks and snowballs were being thrown at the soldiers.

The British soldiers began firing. Attucks was struck first. He died instantly. Four other Americans also died. These deaths angered the colonists and made them want to stand up to the British.
                                                                       
They called this shooting the Boston Massacre.

Crispus Attucks was long remembered afterwards as the first patriot to give his life for the revolutionary cause.

In 1888, an American artist made a statue of Crispus Attucks. You can see it if you visit Boston.



For further info on Crispus Attucks, google-search his name and read all related entries.

THE BIRTH OF JAZZ

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On this day in 1909, LESTER YOUNG was born in Woodville, Mississippi.

He was a pioneer saxophonist who introduced an approach to improvisation that has provided much of the basis for modern jazz solo conception.

During his early years with the Count Basie Band, his lyrical swing solos complemented the singing of Billie Holiday perfectly.

He nicknamed her Lady Day, and she called him Prez, short for President.

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ALICE COLTRANE was born in Detroit, Michigan on this day in 1937. She studied classical music and jazz, but began playing jazz as a pianist in the early sixties.

She was an accomplished pianist, organist, harpist, and composer.

In 1965 she married the legendary saxophonist John Coltrane, and recorded with him and his band until his death in 1967. 

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To read the complete bios of these jazz pioneers, google-search their names.

Thurgood Marshall- COMMUNITY CREATOR

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Thurgood Marshall was born in Baltimore, Md. in 1908. His grandfather and great grandfather were slaves. After attending Lincoln University, and Howard University Law School, he became a lawyer.

He was best known for his high success rate in arguing before the Supreme Court and for the victory in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), a decision that desegregated public schools.

In 1967, President Lyndon Johnson nominated him as an Associate Justice to the United States Supreme Court, making him the first Black person to be so named. 

To read the full bio of Thurgood Marshall, google-search his name.

THE BLACK EXPERIENCE 101

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DID YOU KNOW THAT...

IN 1962, THIS PERSON BECAME THE FIRST BLACK PLAYER INDUCTED IN THE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME.


CAN YOU NAME THAT PERSON?
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Answer to previous quiz (7/14) THURGOOD MARSHALL

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JAZZ EVENTS

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FREE CHARLIE PARKER JAZZ FESTIVAL SET FOR AUG 23 &24 IN NYC
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The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival annually assembles some of the finest musicians in the world who reflect Parker's musical individuality and genius to promote appreciation for this highly influential and world-renowned artist.



Saturday 8/23 at 3pm, The Wallace Roney Orchestra and others will appear at Marcus Garvy Park in Harlem. It is located at 18 Mount Morris Park.

Sunday 8/24 at 3pm, Kenny Barron and others will be at Tompkins Square Park in the Alphabet City portion of Manhattan's East Village at 500 E 9th Street            
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KC JAZZ ALIVE PRESENTS:


The 2014 Kansas City Charlie Parker Celebration, which takes place over several days, is filled with musical performances at nine KC jazz clubs and venues which are collectively celebrating the life and legacy of their native son.

For a complete schedule of performances and special events visit americanjazzmuseum.org and kcjazzalive.or


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Charlie "Yardbird" or "Bird" Parker  (1920 - 1955) is arguably one of the most important and influential saxophonists and jazz icons of all time. He was born in Kansas City, KS, and eventually moved to Kansas City, MO where jazz was flourishing.

JAZZ NOTES

   Jazz music has been called an American art form. It is America's contribution to the arts.

Properly defined, jazz is a musical tradition and style of music that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in Black communities throughout the Southern United States.

In fact, jazz is a major contribution of American Black men and women to contemporary culture. In a preliminary description, jazz could be called a Black musical idiom.

JAZZ NOTES will explore the history of this music and it's role in helping to create the Black community.

                                  

"After emancipation...all those people...needed the music more than ever...trying to find out from the music what they were supposed to do...
They learned it wasn't just white people the music had to reach to, nor even their own people, but straight out to life..."                                                                                                                                  -Sidney Bechet***


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***Sidney Bechet (1897-1959) was born in New Orleans, LA. He was perhaps the first notable jazz saxophonist.

HISTORICAL NEWS JOURNAL

                                      FUGITIVE SLAVE
                                        BILL PASSED

Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 12, 1793 - A bill for catching criminals and fugitive slaves has been passed today by the Congress. The bill allows a slaveholder to seize his prey without a warrant of any kind...With it's passage, southern slaveholders have won a victory in their struggle to recover their escaping slaves. For now they can legally seize a slave anywhere in the nation...
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EXTRA
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FUGITIVE FLEES!

Boston, Mass., Feb. 20, 1793
-The first attempt to enforce
the  new odious Fugitive Slave
Bill here has met with failure!
    A fugitive slave, grabbed by
his master on the streets of
Boston and taken to court
under the new law, fled from the
courtroom, leaving the con-
stables sprawled on the floor.
     As he left, cries of "Run!
Run!" "Quick!"  "Get Away!"
were shouted by citizens of
Boston watching the spectacle.
    The crowd, rather than
attempting to apprehend him, in
fact, did everything but detain
his master to prevent him pur-
suing the slave. This incident
signals the attitude of many in
the state regarding the new law.
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*** The preceding were actual newspaper articles printed on January 1, 1794. 

Harriet Tubman - COMMUNITY CREATOR

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Harriet Tubman was born born c1822 to slave parents.

She was an abolitionist, humanitarian, and Union spy during the American civil war.

After escaping from slavery, she made numerous missions to rescue family and friends using the network know as the Underground Railroad. 

 This network consisted of secret routes and safe houses used by slaves to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists.

Tubman personally helped to free over 300 people.



***To learn more of the exploits of Harriet Tubman, google-search her name and read all related entries. 


SPECIAL NOTE:

The Underground Railroad  was formed in the early 19th century, and reached it's height between 1850 and 1870. It is estimated that approximately 300,000 slaves escaped via the "Railroad"  during it's 20 year peak period.