JORGE GARCIA BAND
Guitarist Jorge Garcia brings all the richness and melodic soul of Latin rhythms from his birthplace of Cuba. His intense passion for his instrument is immediately visible and colorfully audible through his unique original compositions, impeccable solos and supportive, rhythmic guitar. He has performed across the globe with the renowned and impressive talents of Tony Bennett, Richie Cole, Patti Page, Andrea Bocelli, Bucky Pizzarelli, Joel Grey, Enrique Iglesias, Trini Lopez, The Drifters, and Bobby Riddell.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Eddie Blair was born into a musical family in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland on June 25, 1927. His father played cornet and violin and as the ten year old took after his father picking up the cornet. Playing with the Johnstone Silver Band gave him the musical grounding that facilitated dance band work before he joined the Royal Signals in 1945.
After demobilization in 1948 Blair attended Glasgow College of Technology, playing with jazz and dance bands in the evenings. He got his first brief taste of London, England with the Ken Mackintosh Band before returning to college. By 1951 his work with Mackintosh and Glasgow pianist George Scott Henderson, whose quintet won the runner-up 1949 Melody Maker ‘All Britain’ contest, had come to the notice of Johnny Dankworth, who invited Blair to replace the Germany-bound Deuchar.
After four years with Dankworth’s Seven and Orchestra, Eddie joined Ted Heath for 11 years, recording regularly and touring the US in 1956 but also recording with Johnny Keating, the Swinging Scots big band, Vic Lewis, Tubby Hayes, Stan Tracey and Ronnie Scott.
Along with Jimmy Deuchar and Aberdonian Bobby Pratt they formed the all-Scottish trumpet section on Hayes’ Jazz for Moderns and his absolute dependability made him a natural for session work. TV programs including The Avengers, Jimmy Rushing, Sacha Distel, blues band Savoy Brown and Mike Oldfield’s sister, Sally all figured in his performing and subsequent session recordings.
At sixty-five in 1992, he retired to concentrate on skiing and golf. Trumpeter Eddie Blair, who in the late 1940s and 1950s became absorbed into the London jazz scene and whose style influenced Deuchar and Kenny Wheeler, transitioned on Boxer Day, December 26, 2020 at age 93 in Rustington, West Sussex, England.
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ATLANTA JAZZ FESTIVAL
The Atlanta Jazz Festival takes place over the Memorial Day Weekend at Piedmont Park in Atlanta, GA. It is regarded as one of the largest free jazz festivals in the country.
Their mission is to expose and entertain a diverse audience of jazz aficionados, young jazz enthusiasts and aspiring musicians to the rich heritage and variety of Jazz as an authentic form of American music.
Admission: Free
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Wilhelm Josef Grah was born on June 24, 1928 in Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany. He led his own quintet from 1949 to 1953, then performed and recorded with Fatty George 1954-1959. I
During the 1960s he moved to Austria where he hosted a radio show in Vienna. He officially became a citizen in 1970. In the 1970s he played with the Austrian Barrelhouse Jazz Band and also led his own quintet.
Pianist and vibraphonist, who led a trio, quintet, sextet, big band and orchestra, transitioned on September 17, 1996 in Vienna.
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