AHMED ABDULLAH

The trumpeter performed in New York’s loft scene with various groups including the Melodic Art-Tet (Charles Brackeen, Roger Blank and Ronnie Boykins, later William Parker). Ahmed Abdullah formed his own band in 1972, and joined the Sun Ra Arkestra in 1975, working there on and off until 1993, when Sun Ra died. He stayed on with the Arkestra after Sun Ra’s demise working under the leadership of John Gilmore and then Marshall Allen. During his time with the Arkestra, Abdullah participated in more than 25 recordings and traveled extensively with Sun Ra. After leaving the Arkestra, Abdullah wrote memoirs of his time with that organization. In 2002, Ahmed began teaching a course on the Music and Philosophy of Sun Ra at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music.

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VANESSA RUBIN

Revered as both a torchbearer and a storyteller, jazz vocalist Vanessa Rubin possesses a voice hailed for crystalline clarity, hearth-like warmth and playful lioness sass. The Cleveland native brings a wealth of diverse influences to her vocal performance from both the Trinidadian/Caribbean roots of her mother and traditional jazz by way of her Louisiana-born father. Additional homespun influences include the melodic bell tone clarity of a young Capital Records recording artist, Nancy Wilson, the fire of Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, the sweet sounds of trumpeter Blue Mitchell as well as her love of the Motown Sound…especially girl groups like the Supremes.

Rubin’s passion for rich musical stories are evidenced throughout her eight albums thus far plus numerous guest appearances. Highlights include the evocative “Voyager II” from the pen of Teri Thornton, “Inside a Silent Tear” written by Blossom Dearie, a refashioned waltz version of John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” lyricized by New York Voices and an arrangement of “Superwoman” by Stevie Wonder insipired by the Ahmad Jamal recording of “Poinciana”. So while she has one foot planted in tradition – sticking close to timeless melodies and exquisite vocal forms – Rubin waxes adventurous, embracing stories lesser told while employing lessons of acclaimed storytellers in song such as Carmen McRae, Shirley Horn and Freddy Cole.

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JIMMY OWENS

Trumpeter Jimmy Owens is also a composer, arranger, lecturer, and educator. Over the course of his on-going sixty year career he has played with  Sir Roland Hanna, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham, Benny Golson, Hubert Laws, and Tom McIntosh, Frank Wess, Seldon Powell, Barry Galbraith, Bob Cranshaw, Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, Charles Mingus, Hank Crawford, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, and Herbie Mann, among many others. Since 1969, he has led his own group, Jimmy Owens Plus.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Jon Hassell was born March 22, 1937 in Memphis, Tennessee and received his master’s degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. During this time he became involved in European serial music, especially the work of Karlheinz Stockhausen. After finishing Eastman he enrolled in the Cologne Course for New Music where he met avant-guardists Irmin Schmidt and Holger Czukay.

Returning to the States in 1967 he met Terry Riley in Buffalo, New York, and performed on the first recording of Riley’s seminal work In C in 1968. He pursued his Ph.D. in musicology in Buffalo and performed in La Monte Young’s Theatre of Eternal Music in New York City, contributing to the 1974 LP Dream House 78′ 17″.

Back in Buffalo in the early Seventies, Hassell was introduced to the music of Indian Pandit Pran Nath, His work with Nath awoke his appetite for traditional music of the world. He collaborated with Brian Eno, worked with David Sylvian, Peter Gabriel, contributed to Tears For Fears album The Seeds of Love, and composed for film and television.

Trumpeter Jon Hassell, who coined the term Fourth World, utilized circular breathing and electronic processing, died from natural causes on June 26, 2021, at the age of 84.

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KEYON HARROLD PRESENTS FOREVERLAND

Known as the “mugician,” trumpeter/vocalist Keyon Harrold is a triple threat: unimpeachable trumpet virtuoso, soul stirring singer, and deep appreciator of many musical genres. This recipe leads to a musical synthesis that only he can concoct and makes him a trailblazer in 21st-century music.

Harrold’s career is a spectrum of greatness, from touring and recording with Jay-z and Cirque Du Soleil to being signed by legendary Rapper Nas (Mass Appeal) and writing the theme song for The Queen Latifah Show. Keyon is a frequent collaborator with YEBBA, Robert Glasper, Maxwell, Common, PJ Morton, and Gregory Porter. Harrold is a first-call artist with feature credits with Keith Richards, Black Pumas, Mac Miller (Stay), and Nas (The Jarreau of Rap) and Harrold’s latest collaboration with UK crooner Samm Henshaw ( Still Broke). He is also the new Artistic Advisor for Jazz St.Louis. Finally, he is an activist for social justice and equality.

One show – No Intermission. Tickets can be reserved up to 2:00 p.m. on the day of the show; remaining tickets available at door at show time. for a rare opportunity to hear these two jazz titans share the stage. After a captivating Jazz Bakery performance in 2018, we knew it would only be a matter of time until these two met again.

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