Jazz Legends LIVE! swings into its seventeenth year on Friday, September 21, 2018 at the University of Arizona’s Crowder Hall. This collaborative concert brings jazz greats from around the world to perform in Tucson, AZ. This year, the highly anticipated event adds a dynamic partnership with the University of Arizona School of Fred Fox School of Music, to bring over 20 musicians to the Crowder Hall stage for a legendary evening of Big Band, headlined by international vocalist, Becca Stevens.
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Hosted by Don & Paula Redman, in honor of the legacy of Al Cook |
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1017 N Olive Rd., Tucson, Arizona, 85719
The UA School of Music’s recital hall is located in the College of Fine Arts complex, southeast of the intersection of Speedway Boulevard and Park Avenue. Crowder Hall seats 600.
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6pm VIP 3 COURSE DINNER + WINE
7:30pm CONCERT
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The evening will feature big band repertoire performed by the Tucson Jazz Collective (TJC), which comprises Tucson's own world-class jazz musicians. Joining TJC will be legendary vocalist Becca Stevens who will also perform some of her own original works. You won't want to miss this musically colorful and exciting special evening. |
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2018 HEADLINING VOCALIST
BECCA STEVENS
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All proceeds from the Jazz Legends Live concert go directly to support the Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance Arts Therapy programs at the Veterans Administration, and Arts Education Outreach programs. |
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CONCERT ONLY TICKETS $35-$55 Limited Availability |
VIP PATRON TICKETS
Includes a 3 course chef dinner with wine at the School of Theatre, Film and Television Tornabene Courtyard + VIP Concert Seating
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BECCA STEVENS
VOCALS
Stevens has also emerged as an in-demand collaborator, lending her vocal, compositional and instrumental skills to a stunningly diverse array of projects. Since 2004, she has served as a lead singer of Travis Sullivan’s Björkestra, fronting a genre-bending 18-piece jazz orchestra interpreting the songs of Björk on three albums and countless live performances. She has also toured, recorded and written lyrics for jazz pianist Taylor Eigsti, singing on five songs on his landmark 2010 album Daylight At Midnight. She performed at Carnegie Hall as featured singer with jazz pianist Brad Mehldau, and premiered new works and performed at Carnegie Hall and the Newport Jazz Festival in collaboration with Gretchen Parlato and Lionel Loueke.
Stevens has also toured as part of drummer/composer Eric Harland’s all-star band, written for and duetted with up-and-coming vocalist José James, and has written, recorded and/or performed live with such notable artists and players as Esperanza Spalding, Ambrose Akinmusire, Billy Childs, Dave Douglas, Gabriel Kahane, Tal Wilkenfeld and Aya Nishina – among many others.
Stevens has worked extensively as an educator, teaching private lessons and master classes on the voice and songwriting all over the world. She’s been on the faculty teaching classes in vocal performance, ensemble instruction, musicianship, and private lessons at the Manhattan School of Music and The New School, as well as various prestigious institutions in Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands. She also participates in musical education efforts in American high schools, prisons and homeless shelters.
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JEFF HASKELL
PIANO
http://haskellstudioatuofaz.com/jeffs-career-impact/
Jeffrey Haskell is a lifelong musician who began as a scat-singing boy soprano in Philadelphia. He won the first American Collegiate jazz festival along with three L.A. Emmy Awards, and arranged/conducted most of Linda Ronstadt’s only Christmas album, “A Merry Little Christmas,” and was for years her on-the-road conductor for her Nelson Riddle Show. In 2013, he won a “Jazz Hero” award from the Jazz Journalists Association of America.
His “Pastiche Americana” was performed by The Little Orchestra in Lincoln Center and his “Concerto for Jazz Band and Orchestra” debuted with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. He also conducted the world premiere of Billy Taylor’s suite for jazz trio and big band, “Fiesta In Tucson.” He recently retired as a professor of music after 38 years at the University of Arizona, although he has not retired from gigs, writing assignments, and studio dates.
In 1981, Jeff successfully laid the groundwork to have a recording studio installed within the UA School of Music. In March of 2017 in the UA Fred Fox School of Music, there was a naming ceremony for the Jeffrey Haskell Recording Studio.
Tonight features a big band resetting of an original piece Jeff wrote for trumpet ensemble, “Wooloomooloo Overserved.” The piece received its world premiere at the International Trumpet Guild, Sydney, Australia in 2010, as performed by the UA School of Music trumpet studio, Ed Reid, Professor.
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JASON CARDER
TRUMPET
Trumpeter Jason Carder grew up in Arizona and studied music at the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy and University of Miami. He tours extensively as the trumpet soloist with Yanni and teaches music at the Fred Fox School of Music at the University of Arizona as the assistant professor of trumpet. He is a founding member of Monsoon Brass and recently commissioned two works for their forthcoming CD.
Jason’s professional experience includes tours with the bands of Maria Schneider, Ray Charles, Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, Paul Anka, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Jaco Pastorius Big Band and the Original Wildcat Jass Band. He has contributed his talent to over one hundred C.D.’s including the Latin Grammy winner for best instrumental album in 2015 Mamblue by Dr. Ed Calle, Sky Blue by Maria Schneider (nominated for two Grammy Awards), Arturo Sandoval’s Rumba Palace, Americana, and the Grammy Award-winning Hot House. Jason released his debut CD Coming Home on the New Vintage record label in 2011 and has continued his collaboration with Jeff Haskell and Brice Winston by releasing his latest effort, Enough Said.
He can also be seen on several Yanni DVD’s Yanni Voices Live from the forum in Acapulco, Live at El Morro, World Without Borders and Dream Concert, Live at the Pyramids in Egypt.
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BRICE WINSTON
SAXOPHONE
Saxophonist and composer Brice Winston is a native of Tucson, AZ, but cut his teeth learning jazz in the city where jazz was created - New Orleans. For more than 16 years he lived in New Orleans performing with countless local musicians and several world-class figures including such notables as Brian Blade, Ellis Marsalis and Nicholas Payton. After touring with Nicholas Payton’s band for a year, an acquaintance with band leader and composer Terence Blanchard developed into a close musical relationship that continues to this day. Brice has been touring with Blanchard for over fifteen years, an association affording him the opportunity to perform all over the world with some of the greatest musicians alive including Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves, Lionel Loueke and Dave Holland. Brice has recorded 7 CD’s with Blanchard including the Grammy Award winning CD, A Tale of God’s Will - A Requiem For Katrina as well as more than 15 movie scores for film director Spike Lee among other directors. After returning to Tucson in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Brice found himself becoming increasingly involved in jazz education.
After teaching briefly for the Tucson Jazz Society’s educational program Tucson JazzWerx, Brice joined forces with bassist Scott Black and trombonist Doug Tidaback in 2008 to form the Tucson Jazz Institute (TJI). TJI has since gone on to win top awards at festivals and competitions all over the United States, becoming a model of jazz education for the world. September 19, 2014 marked the release of Brice’s sophomore recording, Child’s Play, recorded in Brooklyn, New York with some of the most cutting edge and in-demand musicians on the jazz scene today, with Mike Moreno on guitar, David Virelles on piano, Joe Sanders on bass and Marcus Gilmore on drums. Brice continues to this day to perform in jazz clubs, concert halls and jazz festivals all over the world.
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ANGELO VERSACE
PIANO
Jazz pianist Angelo Versace, a native of Indiana, Pennsylvania, has been the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Arizona since 2014. He attended William Paterson University from 2004-2008, studying with Mulgrew Miller, a seminal figure in jazz and a man whom Versace cites as being a main musical influence. He subsequently earned his Master's of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the University of Miami, studying jazz piano, jazz pedagogy, composition, and arranging.
Versace has performed on twelve studio albums: two as a leader and ten as a sideman, including Jazz Hymns with guitarist Jerry Hahn and Kristian 3.0 with Take-6 vocalist, Khristian Dentley. He has also had the privilege of working as a sideman with several internationally recognized artists: Lewis Nash, Warren Wolf, Marcus Printup, Brice Winston, Joe Saylor, Troy Roberts, Dave Stryker, Roxy Coss, and Chuck Israels.
He has had the privilege of working as a sideman with several internationally recognized artists: Khristian Dentey, Lewis Nash Warren Wolf, Marcus Printup, Brice Winston, Joe Saylor, Troy Roberts, Dave Stryker, Roxy Coss, and Chuck Israels.
Versace has been contracted as a performer, teacher, composer, arranger, producer, music director, and an engraver. From 2009-2013 Versace held the piano chair in the Mancini Institute Orchestra, a "multi-genre 'cross-over' orchestra" under the direction of Terence Blanchard. He currently tours extensively with Khristian Dentley, and is preparing for two upcoming record releases. The first is a collaboration with Mr. Dentley entitled Easy Simple Life. The second will be the release of his first record as a leader, My Refrain, and will feature Brice Winston.
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ROB BOONE
TRUMPET
Rob is currently on the faculty at Pima Community College where he teaches trombone and jazz piano. He is active in the Tucson area in a wide variety of musical situations as trombonist, pianist, producer, composer, arranger, conductor, and copyist. Rob has worked with the Tucson Symphony, Tucson Pops Orchestra, Moody Blues, Ray Charles, Frankie Valli, Johnny Mathis, Sammy Davis Jr., Rich Little, Bernadette Peters, Pat Boone, Ice Capades and the Ringling Bros. Circus.
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TUCSON JAZZ COLLECTIVE
The Tucson Jazz Collective (TJC), formerly Park Avenue Jazz Orchestra, is a newly formed, Tucson-based, professional jazz ensemble. The group comprises local and transplant musicians representing the best Tucson has to offer.
TJC aims to promote its agenda of world-class quality music through a series of performances and concerts in and around southern Arizona, and will mark its first year of existence with a recording at the Jeff Haskell Recording Studio at the University of Arizona in August.
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Jazz Legends Live has brought world-known musicians from around the country to Tucson for more than a decade. The Legends have performed with the best of names in jazz, including Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and Tony Bennett. This unforgettable benefit concert entertains audiences with spontaneity and the intimacy of jazz music was meant to invoke.
Each year, a new ensemble of Jazz Legends, individually famous for their unique work, comes to Tucson for a charity benefit concert, to give audiences an unforgettable performance.
Hosts Don and Paula Redman & Al and Marilyn Cook began the Jazz Legends concert series in their backyard 13 years ago as a fundraiser for the Arts Council. The popular jazz concert has attracted larger audiences each year.
All the monies raised from this spectacular event will go directly back to local schools to support dwindling music and art programs.
"The first party was in our home," Al Cook said. The star was famous Hollywood jazz clarinetist, Abe Most. "It attracted 40 people, and it was rained out." Despite the weather, the show went on inside Cook's home and was a huge success, introducing the annual series of jazz concerts that have followed.
In 2016, we lost our dear friend, Board of Director, and dynamic Lover of Jazz, Al Cook. We dedicate this event to the memory of Al Cook, and his invaluable commitment to the arts.
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