Latest news with #jazz
New York Times
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
In Harlem, a Juneteenth Celebration Revels in the Rhythms of Jazz
The sound of horns and percussion permeated Harlem, causing neighbors to poke their heads out of windows to listen to the colorful sounds of jazz. It was Thursday night — Juneteenth — and the sun was shining after a brief downpour. The Big Band Jubilee, an annual live music celebration, had been delayed for a bit by the weather. But now it was in full swing, and musicians and dancers had taken to the streets. Ava Johnson, 62, rocked to the rhythm of the music next to her sister, Peggy Salano, and a sea of people. Before the event, Mrs. Johnson had stood in the rain under a covering for an hour, anticipating a night of jazz in a historic Manhattan neighborhood. 'This is where it all started,' Mrs. Johnson said. 'This is where our ancestors Dizzy, Louis, Ella and all of them, I'm sure, walked through this neighborhood and played their music. So it's like coming back home to be here and to celebrate our history on this day.' Marija Abney, the founder and executive director of the Soapbox Presents, the event's host, said she had established the organization in 2020 to provide Black people relief from the coronavirus pandemic and from the anger touched off by the police killing of George Floyd that year. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Washington Post
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Nero's ancient Rome and Jazz Age New York meet in `The Comet/Poppea' at Lincoln Center
NEW YORK — Nero's ancient Rome and Jazz Age New York were similar. That is the message of 'The Comet/Poppea,' an intriguing combination of Monteverdi's 1643 opera 'L'incoronazione di Poppea' and George E. Lewis' 'The Comet,' a Pulitzer Prize finalist this year. The mashup conceived by director Yuval Sharon began a five-performance run at Lincoln Center's Summer for the City on Wednesday night. First seen in Los Angeles last year, the American Modern Opera Company production unfolds on a turntable that completes a spin each 2 minutes, 8 seconds. An audience of 380 is split into sections on opposite sides of the set on stage at the David Koch Theater while the venue's 2,586 auditorium seats remain empty. 'It's an unstable ride over the course of 90 minutes, and the power of the interpretation is up to each and every spectator,' Sharon said. 'Whether you're on one side of the seating bank or the other, you're going to have a totally different experience and you may miss a really important piece of action that your imagination is going to have to fill.' In Monteverdi's final opera, created to Giovanni Francesco Busenello's libretto, Nerone exiles his wife Ottavia, leaving him free to crown Poppea empress. Lewis composed 'The Comet' to librettist Douglas Kearney's adaption of W.E.B. Du Bois' dystopian eight-page 1920 short story in which a working-class Black man, Jim (Davóne Tines), and a society white woman, Julia (Kiera Duffy), believe they are the only survivors of a comet and can join to form a prejudice-free society. Their aspirations collapse when they learn people outside New York remained alive and segregation was unconquerable. 'People can make the leap between the music they're hearing and the kinds of tensions that are inherent to modern life and the tensions that the opera presents and the text presents, particularly around the dystopian aspect of white supremacy,' Lewis said. 'White supremacy is a kind of dystopia and it's a dystopia that we continue to live with today.' Mimi Lien's two-sided set, illuminated strikingly by John Torres, is tiered with a bath at the top level on the Roman portion and a red Art Deco restaurant evoking the Rainbow Room on the other, where Jim and Julia find three dead bodies slumped. 'Jim is confronted with what it means to be the only man left alive, what it newly means to be a Black man allowed into spaces he wasn't before, but then have that dream crushed by the reality of Julia also inhabiting that space,' said Tines, a commanding presence as Jim and the smaller role of Mercury. 'The Comet/Poppea' debuted at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA last June and also was performed with a student cast in Philadelphia in November. It is part of a Run AMOC(asterisk) festival of 12 productions at Lincoln Center that include 10 New York premieres. Friday's performance can been viewed on a live stream on Lincoln Center's Facebook and YouTube channels. Sharon first discussed the project in 2018 with countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo , who sings Nerone and Julia's father, a stuffed shirt dressed like Mr. Monopoly. 'It fell apart so many times,' Constanzo said. 'First, the pandemic came, and so all of our plans we'd put together were dashed. Then we had one co-producer who was giving a lot of money and they pulled out. Then we got another co-producer to put that much money in again and they pulled out.' Sharon had met Lewis at a 2018 Columbia University conference and approached him with the idea of concentrating on Poppea's upward mobility and creating 'a secondary story to complicate and to make a mess of this idea of authoritarianism.' Sharon trimmed 'Poppea' to its essence. Lewis' music, filled with dissonance and a snippet of jazz, mixes with the Monterverdi's baroque, which Jim first hears from the restaurant jukebox. 'The conception was one in which you knew from the beginning that there are moments of overlap, there are moments of exchange, of sequentiality,' Lewis said. 'It could stand alone by itself, `The Comet,' certainly.' Lincoln Center is presenting a more ambitious offering of classical events after drawing criticisms in the first three seasons of Summer for the City that emerged from the pandemic . There are 266 scheduled events from June 11 through Aug. 9. Programs are set to include jazz, Latin music, R&B, Broadway, pop, Caribbean, dance and more.
Associated Press
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Nero's ancient Rome and Jazz Age New York meet in `The Comet/Poppea' at Lincoln Center
NEW YORK (AP) — Nero's ancient Rome and Jazz Age New York were similar. That is the message of 'The Comet/Poppea,' an intriguing combination of Monteverdi's 1643 opera 'L'incoronazione di Poppea' and George E. Lewis' 'The Comet,' a Pulitzer Prize finalist this year. The mashup conceived by director Yuval Sharon began a five-performance run at Lincoln Center's Summer for the City on Wednesday night. First seen in Los Angeles last year, the American Modern Opera Company production unfolds on a turntable that completes a spin each 2 minutes, 8 seconds. An audience of 380 is split into sections on opposite sides of the set on stage at the David Koch Theater while the venue's 2,586 auditorium seats remain empty. 'It's an unstable ride over the course of 90 minutes, and the power of the interpretation is up to each and every spectator,' Sharon said. 'Whether you're on one side of the seating bank or the other, you're going to have a totally different experience and you may miss a really important piece of action that your imagination is going to have to fill.' In Monteverdi's final opera, created to Giovanni Francesco Busenello's libretto, Nerone exiles his wife Ottavia, leaving him free to crown Poppea empress. Lewis composed 'The Comet' to librettist Douglas Kearney's adaption of W.E.B. Du Bois' dystopian eight-page 1920 short story in which a working-class Black man, Jim (Davóne Tines), and a society white woman, Julia (Kiera Duffy), believe they are the only survivors of a comet and can join to form a prejudice-free society. Their aspirations collapse when they learn people outside New York remained alive and segregation was unconquerable. 'People can make the leap between the music they're hearing and the kinds of tensions that are inherent to modern life and the tensions that the opera presents and the text presents, particularly around the dystopian aspect of white supremacy,' Lewis said. 'White supremacy is a kind of dystopia and it's a dystopia that we continue to live with today.' Different styles for different eras Mimi Lien's two-sided set, illuminated strikingly by John Torres, is tiered with a bath at the top level on the Roman portion and a red Art Deco restaurant evoking the Rainbow Room on the other, where Jim and Julia find three dead bodies slumped. 'Jim is confronted with what it means to be the only man left alive, what it newly means to be a Black man allowed into spaces he wasn't before, but then have that dream crushed by the reality of Julia also inhabiting that space,' said Tines, a commanding presence as Jim and the smaller role of Mercury. 'The Comet/Poppea' debuted at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA last June and also was performed with a student cast in Philadelphia in November. It is part of a Run AMOC(asterisk) festival of 12 productions at Lincoln Center that include 10 New York premieres. Friday's performance can been viewed on a live stream on Lincoln Center's Facebook and YouTube channels. Planning, writing and funding took years Sharon first discussed the project in 2018 with countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, who sings Nerone and Julia's father, a stuffed shirt dressed like Mr. Monopoly. 'It fell apart so many times,' Constanzo said. 'First, the pandemic came, and so all of our plans we'd put together were dashed. Then we had one co-producer who was giving a lot of money and they pulled out. Then we got another co-producer to put that much money in again and they pulled out.' Sharon had met Lewis at a 2018 Columbia University conference and approached him with the idea of concentrating on Poppea's upward mobility and creating 'a secondary story to complicate and to make a mess of this idea of authoritarianism.' Sharon trimmed 'Poppea' to its essence. Lewis' music, filled with dissonance and a snippet of jazz, mixes with the Monterverdi's baroque, which Jim first hears from the restaurant jukebox. 'The conception was one in which you knew from the beginning that there are moments of overlap, there are moments of exchange, of sequentiality,' Lewis said. 'It could stand alone by itself, `The Comet,' certainly.' Lincoln Center is presenting a more ambitious offering of classical events after drawing criticisms in the first three seasons of Summer for the City that emerged from the pandemic. There are 266 scheduled events from June 11 through Aug. 9. Programs are set to include jazz, Latin music, R&B, Broadway, pop, Caribbean, dance and more.
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Dave Fleschner Releases Deep Cuts Vinyl, A Rich Exploration of Soul Jazz Roots and Innovation
06/18/2025, Portland, Oregon // PRODIGY: Feature Story // Performer, composer, and producer Dave Fleschner has officially released Deep Cuts, a limited-edition vinyl that revisits and expands upon his trio's earlier CD, Creepin' Up. This release signifies his long-awaited debut on vinyl, a format that perfectly complements his analog sensibilities and reverence for the improvisational roots of jazz. 'This album is a love letter to the lineage of soul jazz and the energy of improvisation,' says Fleschner. 'I've poured so much of my journey into this release. It shows what can happen when musical friendships are allowed to grow, creativity is nurtured over time, and tradition meets innovation. I can't wait for people to drop the needle on this one and hear what I've been building.' Deep Cuts is spread across four sides of two records. The first three sides feature a collection of Fleschner's original compositions, highlighting his understanding of groove-based improvisation and melodic development. These tracks range in tone from funky and soulful to contemplative and experimental. Side Four takes a different direction. It pays homage to jazz's rich tradition, including iconic compositions originally penned by legends of the genre. Deep Cuts is a blend of blues, funk, gospel, and swing that reflects the rawness of street-level grooves and the intellectual rigor of jazz improvisation. Blues Cruise. Fans will find a QR code that unlocks a hidden page on Fleschner's website inside the vinyl's sleeve. There, they can access a digital trove of additional music, including selections from previous trio albums, live performances, and recordings from his collaborations with other organ trios. Sheet music charts, archival posters, and other memorabilia are also included. 'I've always wanted to create a collector's experience that bridges the tactile charm of vinyl and the accessibility of digital content because I aim to expand the listening experience into a deeper encounter with my art,' Fleschner states. Fleschner has always been known for his versatility, authenticity, and commitment to American roots traditions. A seasoned keyboardist, composer, and arranger, he has spent decades performing globally and contributing to an astonishing range of musical projects. Fleschner's professional background, which includes everything from composing for musical theater to leading touring bands, allows him to breathe new life into every project. Besides being a prolific recording artist, Fleschner is also a passionate advocate for live music. He thrives in the atmosphere of a live audience, whether leading an ensemble, accompanying vocalists, or headlining a music fest. His belief that music connects people on a primal level is reflected in the emotional reactions he witnesses night after night, those quiet moments of collective catharsis that only live performances can deliver. This passion continues to fuel a busy schedule of upcoming events. Fleschner is active in the live music scene, collaborating with United by Music America, as well as various ensembles and youth programs, while serving as a mentor and leader in his local music community. His work includes educational outreach, festival appearances, and performance series that spotlight emerging and established musicians. While Deep Cuts is Fleschner's latest project, fans who follow Fleschner will experience a mix of intimate sets, festival stages, and collaborative projects that demonstrate his ongoing commitment to musical excellence and community engagement. Media Contact Name: Dave Fleschner Email: [email protected] Source published by Submit Press Release >> Dave Fleschner Releases Deep Cuts Vinyl, A Rich Exploration of Soul Jazz Roots and Innovation
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
From the Greek mountains to Manhattan: folk music icon Petroloukas Chalkias honored after death
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece is honoring the late clarinetist Petroloukas Chalkias, whose hypnotic, note-bending performances over the course of more than 70 years made him a hero of mountain folk music. Chalkias, who died at 90 over the weekend, lay in state Wednesday at the Athens Cathedral — a rare honor typically reserved for prime ministers and religious leaders. As pallbearers emerged through the doors in a chapel next to the cathedral, carrying the coffin, silence descended. Mourners then clapped and shouted 'immortal' as musicians played folk tunes. It was a solemn prelude to his funeral which will take place in the rugged highlands of Epirus, in northwest Greece, where he first took up the clarinet as a boy of 11. Greek President Constantine Tassoulas earlier this week described Chalkias as a 'legendary figure.' Epirus' folk music, slowly unfolding and often centered around the clarinet, is steeped in improvisation, with its wanderings inviting comparisons to rural blues and jazz. It's one of the reasons that, while not so distinguished as a recording artist, Chalkias' live performances made him a household name for Greeks young and old alike. His style evolved after settling in New York as a young man, joining a wave of musicians who emigrated along with other Greeks to escape the hardship of postwar poverty. Chalkias found an unlikely second stage: dimly-lit clubs filled with Greek emigres and curious outsiders. Among those drawn to his performances were jazz legends Benny Goodman and Louis Armstrong. Musicians paying their respects on Wednesday praised Chalkias for his generosity with his time in helping fellow artists. 'I was a young woman when I started out and I was incredibly lucky to have him support me,' folk singer Giota Griva said. 'His influence was immense. He was an artist who will never leave us.' Born Petros Loukas Chalkias, the musician was the son and grandson of clarinet players. He was raised with the region's rich tradition of live music — an essential part of village festivals, celebrations, and mourning rituals. Discouraged at first by a family wary of the musician's path, the young Chalkias fashioned his own makeshift clarinet from a hollow reed, carving its finger holes. By his early teens, his playing — raw and instinctive, but undeniably gifted — was good enough to earn him a spot on national radio. Chalkias spent nearly 20 years in the US and raised a family there, but said he always intended to return to Greece. He did so in 1979, performing live across the country and reconnecting with Delvinaki, the red-roofed mountain village of his birth near Greece's border with Albania. Delvinaki bore deep scars from the devastations of World War II and the civil war that followed. Chalkias, like many of his generation, grew up with interrupted schooling and little formal training. His music was learned by ear and memory, and never performed using sheet music. 'In the hearts of all Greeks, he stands as the foremost ambassador of our folk song tradition,' President Tassoulas, also from Epirus, said in a statement. 'Though Petros Loukas Chalkias has departed this life, his voice has not fallen silent –- nor will it ever.' Chalkias died in Athens. His family did not announce the cause of his death. His funeral will be held at the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Delvinaki on Thursday. He is survived by a son and a daughter.
