Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Gregory Charles Royal was born on October 10, 1961 IN Washington, D.C. As a student at Howard University he received the 1982 DownBeat Magazine Student Music Award for Jazz Vocal Group and Graduate College Outstanding Performance in the Jazz Instrumental Soloist Category. He graduated from Howard University with a Master of Music in Jazz Studies.
Royal went on to play with the Duke Ellington Orchestra for a decade beginning in 1989, then with Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, Slide Hampton and his World of Trombones, and Howard University Jazz Ensemble. He has appeared onstage as a trombonist with the Broadway shows Five Guys Named Moe and Jelly’s Last Jam.
He has written and appeared in a play God Doesn’t Mean You Get To Live Forever, which was presented at the Baruch Performing Arts Center. and at Theatre Row on 42nd Street in New York. Royal also wrote and appeared in the short film World’s Not for Me. The film won the Harlem Spotlight Best Narrative Short Award at the Harlem International Film Festival in 2016.
Trombonist, composer, writer Chuck Royal, who is the co-founder of The BeBop Channel Corporation, the former parent owner of JazzTimes, continues to pursue his career in music.
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RENÉ MARIE & EXPERIMENT IN TRUTH
The Grammy-nominated vocalists René Marie is performing a tribute to Harry Belafonte’s Greatest Hits. The celebration includes songs like Jump in the Line and Banana Boat (Day-O). Step into an unforgettable evening filled with music, storytelling, and celebration as the incomparable René Marie leads a dynamic 7-piece band to honor the legendary King of Calypso, Harry Belafonte.
René Marie, a rare modern vocal icon and two-time Grammy nominee for Best Jazz Vocal Album—is a powerhouse vocalist, lyricist, composer, arranger, playwright, actress, and educator. Her Americana roots blend seamlessly with jazz improvisation, creating a genre-defying experience that captivates and moves audiences.
Under masterful arrangements by acclaimed trumpeter Etienne Charles, the band breathes new life into Belafonte’s timeless classics—from the infectious rhythms of “Day-O” to deeper, poignant cuts that reflect his enduring legacy as a trailblazing activist.
Whether you’re a lifelong fan or just discovering the power of Harry Belafonte’s music and message, this joyous tribute will have you swaying to the beat while reflecting on the profound impact of his art and activism.
For over two decades, René Marie has redefined jazz through bold artistry and a genre-blending style inspired by legends Ella Fitzgerald and Dinah Washington. Her eleven recordings, including the GRAMMY-nominated Sound of Red, showcase her journey of resilience and healing through music. Prepare to be inspired, uplifted, and deeply moved.
The Band:
Etienne Charles (arranger, trumpet, percussion)
Andrae Murchison (trombone)
Dan Wilson (guitar)
Xavier Davis (piano)
Rodney Jordan (bass)
Quentin E. Baxter (drums, tambourine)
Tickets: VIP ~ $175.00 | General Admission ~ $75.00
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Anthony K. Wright was born October 9, 1959 in London, England and began playing brass at school, before moving to clarinet at the age of 12, and later picked up the tenor saxophone. Turning professional in the early 1980s he played as a session musician and ran various rock bands in night clubs and on the gig circuit in London and South Wales. He maintained his interest in the clarinet, and in the early Nineties began playing jazz on the West Country ciecuit, whilst teaching Performing Arts at North Devon College.
Moving to Surrey late in the decade he is now widely known as a reeds teacher, with students ranging from adult beginners to advanced Grade 8 and Diploma-level specialists. His forte is improvisational jazz. leads a cool jazz band, Anthony’s AllStars, which features both clarinet and saxophone. He also plays with Riverside Shuffle Band and Vic Cracknell’s Swing Band, and other local bands.’
Tenor saxophonist Anthony Wright continues to perform and spends much of his time composing, arranging and creating his own recordings of what he has labeled intelligent pop..
Get a dose of the musicians and vocalists who were members of a global society integral in the making and preservation of jazz for over a hundred and twenty-five years…
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Aladar Pege was born on October 8, 1939 in Budapest, Hungary into a family of Gypsy musicians. He did not start playing the bass until age 15 but he quickly grabbed the attention of his teachers at the Bartók Bela Musical Training College. He studied classical music at Bartók, and worked in dance orchestras. He attended Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music and after graduating in 1969 he remained as a double bass teacher.
Forming a jazz quartet in 1963 Pege quickly gained international recognition and in 1964 saw him being named festival Virtuoso at a concert in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Reforming his jazz group in 1970 he appeared at the Montreux Jazz Festival where he was named Europe’s Best Soloist.
Between 1975 and 1978 he lived in Berlin, Germany playing bop and free jazz, but later returned home to teach. Aladar recorded with Walter Norris, and played concerts with Herbie Hancock, Art Farmer, Dexter Gordon and Mingus Dynasty. Sue Mingus, the widow of Charles Mingus, gave him one of her late husband’s instruments.
Double bassist Aladar Pege, who was called the Paganini of the bass, died at age 67 on September 23, 2006 in Budapest.
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RON CARTER FEATURING BILL FRISELL
Ron Carter is among the most original, prolific and influential bassists in jazz with more than 2,000 albums to his credit. Beginning his career in the 1960s with Jaki Byard and Eric Dolphy, Cannonball Adderley, and a five year stint with the Miles Davis’ Quintet, Ron also performed and recorded with notables including Bill Evans, B.B. King, and Dexter Gordon. Ron Carter’s various ensembles, big band to trio, feature a who’s who of the finest players on the NYC scene with, “an absolute commitment to musical sublimity [that] exudes refined elegance and sonic power.” (amazon.com)
Bill Frisell’s career as a guitarist and composer has spanned more than 40 years and many celebrated recordings, whose catalog has been cited by Downbeat as “the best recorded output of the decade.”
Tickets: $45.76 ~ $61.21
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