WBGO.ORG - JAZZ EVENTS/NEWS

WBGO 88.3FM | WBGO.org Home | Listen to WBGO | Listen to WBGO HD2 | Download the WBGO App | Events |News | Blog | Program Schedule | Become a Member | Host Profiles Elena Pinderhughes  Jazz Appreciation Month comes to WBGO! Every week in April, WBGO will showcase a different student ensemble with vocalists who performed live in our studios for Jazz Appreciation Month. All of these sets will be available online, so keep your eyes peeled on the WBGO Blog as we post more live sets over the course of the month! We're kicking things off with the Manhattan School of Music Jazz Quintet. Directed by Justin DiCioccio, this dynamite quintet features flautist and vocalist Elena Pinderhughes. What are you waiting for? Start celebrating the jazziest month of the year now! WBGO's 2015 Gala: Celebrating "The Chairmen Of The Board" WBGO’s Champions of Jazz Benefit 2015 took place Monday night in the ballroom of the Mandarin Oriental, New York with a performance by Frank Sinatra Jr., with special guests Bob Costas and Monty Alexander to honor WBGO Board Chair Stephen N. Ishin and the legacy of Frank Sinatra. Frank Sinatra Jr. and his band played a set of timeless Sinatra anthems, ending with an emotional finale of “My Way” and “New York, New York” that brought audience members to tears and packed the dance floor. Opening the performance was jazz pianist Monty Alexander, who set the stage for the evening by recreating his days of playing at Jilly’s Saloon in the 1960s, the club long associated with Sinatra. Beloved broadcaster Bob Costas announced the formation of an endowment fund to honor his fellow Syracuse classmate and late retired President of WBGO Cephas Bowles who passed away in February. Bowles was committed to creating opportunities for future generations of Newark youth to engage in broadcasting and the creation of this fund will begin to realize those dreams. Adam Ifshin, President and CEO of DLC Management announced a gift of $50,000 to the endowment fund, following a generous gift from an anonymous donor that kicked off a run of inspired giving. We thank all who attended and all who participated in making the gala an event for the ages! Truly a spectacular night for WBGO and lovers of jazz the world over. For photos of the event, click here! WBGO Radar WBGO Radar brings you exclusive streams of new records you can't hear anywhere but WBGO.org. We give you the inside scoop on what's about to drop in the jazz world! Right now, you can check out the masterful, soulful styles of pianist Harold Mabern with his Afro Blues, or the groovy, vibrant styles of trumpter Chris Washburne and his band SYOTOS with Low Ridin'.  It's all on WBGO Radar! WBGO Programming Jazz Night In America Radio broadcast Sundays at 6pm and Wednesday at 6:30pm, Webcast Wednesdays at 9pm on WBGO 88.3FM and WBGO.org Blue Note Records at 75 (Encore) | Tonight, 6:30pm How would you pair your favorite Blue Note recording artists? McCoy Tyner with Bobby Hutcherson? Lou Donaldson with Dr. Lonnie Smith? Dianne Reeves with Terence Blanchard? Wayne Shorter with Norah Jones? This week on Jazz Night in America, we take you front row for the Blue Note Records 75th anniversary party. This past May, Blue Note celebrated at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C., and many generations of artists came to celebrate. Cassandra Wilson Sings Billie Holiday (Webcast) | Tonight, 9pm One hundred years after she was born, Billie Holiday remains iconic in American music, not to mention jazz singing. Cassandra Wilson has made her career in jazz singing by embracing a wide range of American music, and it holds true on her latest project: a new album rearranging the Billie Holiday songbook. The new Coming Forth By Day, created with rocker Nick Cave's producer and rhythm section, reshapes songs like "Good Morning Heartache" and "Strange Fruit" with fresh textures and resonances. For Billie Holiday's centennial, Jazz Night In America presents Cassandra Wilson in concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., performing her take on the classic tunes. Billie Holiday at 100 | April 12 & 15 Jazz Night in America marks the centennial of the birth of Billie Holiday with Grammy® winner Cassandra Wilson showcases her blues, country, and folk-tinged delivery, singing selections from her newest recording highlighting the artistry of Billie Holiday. Jazz Night speaks with some of the key players in the making of this recording. We also catch up with pianist Barbara Carroll who shares her story of the one opportunity she had to perform with Lady Day on The Today Show in 1958. Visit Jazz Night in America online. Hugh Masekela The CheckoutTuesdays at 6:30pm on WBGO 88.3FM and WBGO.org Cape Town Jazz Fest Special: Masekela, Jephta, Mombelli |Listen Now Simon Rentner travels to the Cape Town Jazz Festival to talk about the past, present and future of South African jazz with three of its greats: trumpeter Hugh Masekela, and bassists Carlo Mombelli and Benjamin Jephta. Gretchen Parlato, Katie Thiroux, & Camila Meza | Listen now It's three female singers, in three cities - Gretchen Parlato in NYC, Camila Meza in Newark, and Katie Thiroux in Boston - this week. What do they have in common? It's all live, and it's all for you. Visit The Checkout online. Rhythm Revue with Felix HernandezSaturdays from 10am-2pm on WBGO 88.3FM and WBGO.org  Dance! | April 11 It's the day of the dance, and Felix spins his listeners' favorite party classics.  Singers | April 18 Felix features a battle of the vocal groups as part of today's classic soul mix.  Learn more about Rhythm Revue here. Sam "The Man" Taylor Portraits In BlueSaturday at 8am on WBGO 88.3FM and WBGO.org Jimmy Witherspoon - Albums, Vol. 5 | April 10 Sam "The Man" Taylor, Vol. 2 | April 11 & 17 Learn more about the show and host Bob Porter here.  Victoria F. Pratt Conversations with Allan Wolper Tuesdays at 7:30pm on WBGO 88.3FM and WBGO.org Victoria F. Pratt | Listen Now Victoria F. Pratt, the Chief Judge of the Newark, New Jersey Municipal Court, has won an international reputation for her efforts to reform the criminal justice system. She recently returned from a London judicial conference where she discussed the Newark Community Solutions court project. Pratt is the first person in the city's history of Dominican descent to become a Municipal Court Judge. Steven Pagones | April 21 In 1987, Steven Pagones, then a former assistant district attorney in Dutchess County, New York, was accused of being one of six white men who raped and abducted Tawana Brawley, a 15-year-old African American teenager. Her allegations created a racial storm, led by Al Sharpton, a civil rights activist and minister who now hosts a talk show on MSNBC television. A grand jury, after questioning 180 witnesses, exonerated Pagones and said he was the victim of a hoax. Afterwards Pagones won a defamation suit against Sharpton. Pagones recounts the impact the case had on his personal and professional life. Visit Conversations with Allan Wolper online. J.D. Williams SportsJam with Doug DoyleWednesdays at 7:30pm on WBGO 88.3FM and WBGO.org J.D. Williams | Tonight, 7:30pm Actor and sports fan J.D. Williams of Newark is best known for his roles on The Wire and Oz. Williams talks to host Doug Doyle about his love of sports and his early days at Arts High School. Nate Checketts | Listen Now Entrepreneur Nate Checketts certainly comes from a sports family with his dad Dave as the former president of the New York Knicks and Madison Square Garden. Nate is the co-founder of Rhone Apparel, premium active wear for men. He discuss his love of sports and his new product line.  Frank Scandale | Listen NowFrank Scandale is the co-founder of The Daily Payoff, a website dedicated to informing the public about the gaming and gambling industry. Scandale, a long-time New York Mets fan, is a former editor with The Record (Bergen County) and The Denver Post.  Visit SportsJam online. WBGO Travel & Events Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Photo by Mike McLaughlin. See What Your Member Card Can Do WBGO Member Event: Your Blues Ain't Sweet Like Mine World Premiere Friday, April 17, 8pm | Two River Theater, 21 Bridge Avenue, Red Bank, NJ  Join WBGO at the Two River Theater for the exciting world premiere ofYour Blues Ain't Sweet Like Mine, written and directed by Tony Award-winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson. WBGO Members get the best seats in the house for this opening night performance. Meet the director and cast at the Opening Night Cast Party immediately following the performance. Wine and light refreshments included. Call 973-624-8880 ext 232 for tickets, and visit wbgo.org to learn more about the event! ***** Members Discounts: Brooklyn Center The Great Gatsby Sunday, April 12, 3pm | Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College The parties at Jay Gatsby’s Long Island mansion were notoriously glamorous affairs. But beneath the celebrity and excess lurked a burning emptiness that no amount of champagne could quench. Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s epic tale of beautiful, sad people chasing the American Dream, Montana Rep’s adaptation perfectly captures both the idealism and the darkness of the Jazz Age. ***** Take 6 Saturday, April 18, 8pm | Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College Six voices seamlessly navigating syncopated rhythms and funky grooves, blending into an intoxicating brew of gospel, jazz, R&B, and pop – that’s Take 6. Heralded by Quincy Jones as “the baddest vocal cats on the planet,” this multi-platinum selling group has recorded or performed with such luminaries as Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, and Whitney Houston. Celebrate National Jazz Appreciation Month at Brooklyn Center with an unforgettable concert by the most nominated group in Grammy history. Note: There will be a pre-show discussion and Q&A with members of the group at 7pm in the Mezzanine Lounge. WBGO members should use code WBGO15 to receive a 15% discount when purchasing tickets online or present their WBGO member card if buying tickets at the box office. For more information contact theBrooklyn Center or call 718-951-4500. ***** Do you have a business that would like to participate in WBGO's members discount program? Contact Josh Rosenfeld atjrosenfeld@wbgo.org or at 973-624-8880 ext 232. Jazz à Juan  Jazz à Juan Festival in AntibesAntibes, France July 13-20, 2015 Seeing the fabled Cote d'Azur would be reason enough to join us in Juan-les-Pins, Antibes, this July. When it becomes the beautiful stage for the 55th Annual Jazz a Juan, the trip is irresistable. Come experience the combination of jazz and centenarian pine groves against the backdrop of the sparkling Mediterranean Sea this summer!Click here to learn more about this dreamy summer getaway! ***** Newport Jazz Festival Trip Newport, Rhode Island July 31-August 3, 2015 WBGO is the exclusive travel partner of the Newport Jazz Festival, and we're offering a weekend package full of music, camaraderie, and fun! Arrive at the Newport Hotel & Marina to a Friday night welcome reception, then get ready to hear great jazz at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Saturday and Sunday mornings, hop aboard the ferry for the legendary outdoor Newport Jazz Festival. Before departing back to reality on Monday, join us for a bon voyage breakfast and take in the view from the marina! WBGO will provide you with an insider’s guide to not only the festival -- chock full of thrilling performers like Jamie Cullum, Christian McBride, Dr. John, and many more -- but the surrounding attractions as well. To book your weekend trip, get more details, or learn more about the one day bus trips to the Festival gate, click here.  For more information on WBGO's Travel & Events, visitwbgo.org/events. WBGO Kids Jazz Free Concert Series "Ellington!" featuring METTA QUINTET  Saturday, April 11, 12:30pm | Newark Symphony Hall (Terrace Ballroom)  An interactive, multi-media introduction to one of the most celebrated musicians in history; the great American composer, pianist and bandleader, Duke Ellington! New generations will experience a wide variety of Duke's broad musical achievements, from hit songs to blues riffs to scores for stage and screen.  Support for WBGO 2015 NEA Jazz Masters Ceremony and Concert Monday, April 20, 7:30pm | Rose Theater, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York, NY Join the National Endowment for the Arts and Jazz at Lincoln Center for a celebration of the 2015 NEA Jazz Masters: Carla Bley (Composer, Arranger, Bandleader, Keyboardist), George Coleman (Saxophonist, Composer, Educator), Charles Lloyd (Saxophonist, Flutist, Composer, Arranger), and Joe Segal (Jazz Presenter and Club Owner). Each year since 1982, the National Endowment for the Arts has conferred the NEA Jazz Masters Award on living legends who have made major contributions to jazz. Other NEA Jazz Masters include Art Blakey, Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, Miles Davis, Paquito D'Rivera, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, and the Marsalis Family. The program will feature Helen Sung (piano, music director), Rudresh Mahanthappa (saxophone), Ingrid Jensen (trumpet), Cécile McLorin Salvant (vocals). NEA Jazz Masters Jimmy Heath (saxophone) and Jimmy Cobb (drums) along with Gerald Clayton (piano) will also join to pay tribute to the 2015 NEA Jazz Masters throughout the course of the evening. 2015 NEA Jazz Masters Charles Lloyd and Carla Bley will each perform selections. Free tickets are available here or in person at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Box Office, located on Broadway and 60th St, Ground Floor.  Cicely L. Tyson High School of Performing and Fine Arts Jazz Band with Director Oscar Petty (center) & Artist in Residence, Steve Colson.  The Cicely L. Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts Annual Jazz Concert  Sunday, April 19, 4pm | Cicely Tyson School Performing Arts Center, East Orange, NJ The Cicely L. Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts Annual Jazz Concert takes place once again this April for Jazz Appreciation Month. Come out and support these talented student performers on Sunday, April 19, at the Cicely Tyson School Performing Arts Center, located at 35 Winans Street, East Orange. The program features Tyson's acclaimed student jazz band, directed by their highly respected teacher Oscar Petty. Guest appearances include student vocal group Cloud 9, Tyson's NJPAC Jazz Artist in Residence Steve Colson, and visiting artists saxophonists Lakecia Benjamin and Bruce Williams, drummer Victor Jones and bassist Andy McKee. With these talented students and their renown jazz mentors taking the stage, it is assured that the audience will enjoy every minute. Ticket price of $5 makes the price right to see all of this talent onstage as the Cicely L. Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts celebrates jazz, America's national treasure. For more information visit tysonse.eastorange.schoolfusion.us. Jacqueline Lennon International Women in Jazz - Women in Jazz Festival Saturday, April 18, 12-8pm | Saint Peter's Church, 54th Street & Lexington Avenue Support International Women in Jazz, Inc. (IWJ) a non-profit organization committed to supporting women jazz artists and related professionals, and to fostering a greater awareness of the diverse contributions women make to jazz, worldwide. IWJ’s Women in Jazz All Day Festival features the internationally acclaimed DIVA Jazz Orchestra and special honoree, Gwen Kelley, publisher and managing editor of Hot House Magazine. Also in concert are Tina Fabrique, Greta Marie Herron and Gabrielle Garo, Youth in Action winner. "Jam sessions, vendors for jazz, seminars, concerts and IWJ fun await you", says Jacqueline Lennon, President of International Women in Jazz.  Admission $30 with re-entry, door or online tickets.  For more information visit internationalwomeninjazz.org. WBGO is a publicly-supported, cultural institution that champions jazz, an American art form, and presents news to a worldwide audience through radio, other technologies and events. Become a member today!