Monday, April 30, 2012

Jazz - The World's "Cultural Passport"

Why Jazz? Because it's America's great gift to the world, a language of freedom and democracy...


1st Annual International Jazz Day at the UN

"From its earliest days, when the pianist Jelly Roll Morton spoke of a “Spanish tinge,” jazz has been extraordinarily open to international influences. Now it’s official. Last fall Unesco — the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization — designated jazz a “universal music of freedom and creativity” and decreed that henceforth every April 30 is to be celebrated around the world as International Jazz Day."  Read more >>

“What jazz brings to the table is collective improvisation and tolerance, respect and freedom, and when you mix that up with every world musical style, you are creating a cultural passport,” he added. “I really believe that what jazz has given to the world is a window, a paradigm of how countries should be interacting with each other.” (Danilo Perez, Pianist)

“Jazz was immediately a comforting quilt to be under, because I felt I was stepping into a brother music and running into people who embraced me as a friend,” he said. “The jazz musicians of that time, like John Coltrane, were already looking eastward and experimenting with modal music. So it was almost like meeting halfway, which made it easy for me..." (Zakir Hussain, Percussionist)

"Jazz at its best is a microcosm of what society should be, incorporating and absorbing what’s going on around us and coming out with something that breaks down barriers and connects people. Would that the rest of the world could do that.”  (George Duke, Pianist)

Thursday, April 26, 2012

A-JAM Combo Featured at Jazz Festival

St. Mary's University's 50th annual Fiesta Jazz Festival is this weekend. This year's event features the Alamo Jazz Allstars Mentorship group at 3 PM on Friday, April 27.

The headliner this year is the venerable Jim Cullum and his band. Read more in Jim Beal's column in the San Antonio Express-News...

http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/article/Fiesta-in-shades-of-jazz-and-blues-3509112.php

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

APRIL EVENTS - 1st Spring Music Festival @ Vista, St. Mary's 50th Fiesta Jazz Festival

April and May an exciting months for the Alamo Allstars. Here are a couple of highlights in April.  Stay tuned....


Thursday, April 19, 7 PM - Northwest Vista College's 1st Annual Spring Music Festival. Palmetto Center for the Arts, Wiseman Road / 3535 North Ellison, San Antonio 78251.

Two evenings of NVC student concerts featuring solo and ensemble performances. Wednesday evening's concert features the Vista Voices choir and Quod Novus chamber ensembles (April 18). Thursday's concert features the Orquesta Vista jazz ensemble and the Alamo Jazz Allstars combo (April 19). Both evenings include solo peformances by music majors. Proceeds support students in Alamo Jazz Allstars Mentorship program (A-JAM). Tickets $4.

Friday, April 27, 3 PM - St. Mary's University's 50th Annual Fiesta Jazz Festival / World Class Concert. Alumni Pavilion - Pecan Grove, One Camino Santa Maria, San Antonio 78228


Don't miss the "Jazz of Fiesta." Enjoy Jim Cullum's Band as the Fiesta Jazz artist. Sponsored by St. Mary's University Music Department and the Fiesta Commission dedicated to presenting the finest jazz in town. Bring a friend and join us for an evening of "Great Jazz." Concerts from 1:00 to 10:00 PM. Alamo Allstars set is at 3 PM.