"From a close-up perspective," writes Stewart Oksenhorn, "it's odd that Jazz Aspen needs to pronounce its jazz bona fides. Jazz has always been a significant part of the mix on the big stage, and the June Festival has usually included a handful of small-venue shows exclusively spotlighting jazz. Jazz Aspen's multifaceted education program, which reaches from local kids picking up their first instrument to artists in the early phases of their professional careers, is entirely focused on teaching the language of jazz. Horowitz notes that $5 million has been spent on the educational component: 'It's the quieter part of what we do. But it is the core mission of the organization,' he said. And Jazz Aspen has presented the top shelf of jazz artists, including Cassandra Wilson, Joshua Redman, Tony Bennett and John Scofield. Diana Krall and Wynton Marsalis have made multiple appearances. McBride, a 38-year-old who has been considered the top bassist of his generation for 15 years, has brought a variety of projects to Aspen, from electric fusion bands to a bass duo with classical-bluegrass pioneer Edgar Meyer. Keyboardist Herbie Hancock, who preceded McBride as distinguished artist in residence, took on a similar role, playing Jazz Aspen in a piano trio, in a duo with saxophonist Wayne Shorter, in a tribute to Miles Davis and John Coltrane, and with his pioneering jazz-funk band, the Headhunters."
"Considering the staggering volume of his recorded output over the past 40 years, it is no overstatement to call Chick Corea one of the most prolific composers of the second half of the 20th century. From avant-garde to bebop, from children's songs to straight-ahead, from hard-hitting fusion to heady forays into classical, Chick has touched an astonishing number of musical bases in his illustrious career while maintaining a standard of excellence that is simply uncanny. His career resume teems with accolades, including more than 50 Grammy nominations and 14 Grammy Awards."
"An Aspen police officer who allegedly used her influence to gain access to the Jazz Aspen Snowmass concert series last fall for herself and members of her family is no longer a member of the department."
Posts filed under 'Jazz'
This week marks the anniversary of the Six Day War when on June 5, 1967 Israel attacked Egypt, Jordan, and Syria and gained control of the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. Israel and Egypt eventually signed a land for peace deal in which Israel relinquished the Sinai Peninsula, but the remaining territories are still occupied by Israel to this day, despite many promises to return the land to its rightful owners.
Continue Reading June 4th, 2009
Big Russ is known for saying "What a country"...here in Aspen it is "What a lifestyle"! Last night I met a friend at Brunelleschis in Aspen. I haven't been to the place since winter and this summer Brunelleschis has open aired the place by getting rid of the windows and offering patio seating. The place was packed last night with locals and tourists alike. It was a fun crowd and the staff was quite entertaining. After explaining to our waiter that I could not take a second glass of merlot as we had three concerts to attend last night he came back with an espresso martini and stated "If you don't like it I will drink it"...well for a non-martini drinker it was wonderful!! It tasted like chocolate milk and kept me awake till 2 a.m.
Continue Reading June 21st, 2008
So here’s the betrayal: you might not be old enough to know this, but when CDs replaced LPs, we were told by the electronics industry that they were virtually indestructible—that they would last forever.
So what did we do? We bought all of our old favorite records in CD, and most of the time that worked out. (Though where, oh where, did John McLaughlin’s guitar solo go in “Inner Mounting Flame” by the Mahavishnu Orchestra? That one’s a crime against humanity.) Some audiophiles grumbled the loss of this or that in the re-telling, but most of us could not have told the difference if a stun gun was to our head. Most people eventually dumped their record collections.
Continue Reading November 25th, 2007
New Orleans native Marsalis will lead the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and be joined by Ghanaian drummers Odadaa! in the triumphant Congo Square. This event marks a major collaboration between two local arts presenters: Aspen Music Festival and School and Jazz Aspen Snowmass.
Continue Reading June 26th, 2007
After 17 years of hard work, local hospitality and a variety of rock, blues, R&B and even some jazz, Jazz Aspen Snowmass (JAS) is quickly becoming one of the foremost music festivals in the country. This year’s summer lineup will indulge critically acclaimed musicians throughout the country starting today June 21 until the 24th, with a weekend long series at Rio Grande Park.
With half a dozen novelty artists in town to kick-off the summer season including; Herbie Hancock, Madeleine Peyroux, Earth Wind & Fire, Steve Windwood and Angelique Kidjo and The Black Crowes with Marcus Miller, the JAS Festival will surely live up to its hearsay this summer of being one of the most diverse seasons of quality music in Aspen since its inception in 1991.
Continue Reading June 21st, 2007
It all happened, more or less, within a year: Hancock went from the way-way-out tribal madness of "Mwandishi" to the blockbuster funkadelic success of "Headhunters." And here's the amazing thing: they were both out of sight, the monster at his most masterful, and my guess is tonight when he plays under the tent in Rio Grande Park at the Jazz Aspen Snowmass June hoedown that we will hear smidges of both.
Continue Reading June 21st, 2007
by Wendy Smith
The Aspen Club & Spa graciously hosts a gourmet feast with live music every Tuesday evening from 5-8 p.m. on the sun deck at The Aspen Club! Relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings, fabulous food, terrific company and popular music by Big Daddy Lee & The Kingbees! The cost is $25 for dinner and a drink. Proceeds benefit a different non-profit every event. Call for free shuttle service 925-8900. SEE YOU THERE!
June 17th, 2007
From an already legendary performance by Ziggy Marley on Fanny Hill last weekend to the upcoming Jazz Aspen Snowmass festival and a “Summer of Free Music” on the horizon: the talent in Snowmass’ is taking it up a notch and vibrating throughout the rest of the valley.
The Saturday night performance that featured ‘Ziggy’ attracted over 5,000 visitors to Snowmass- a number that far outshined last years Jonny Lang performance during the Brew Fest.
Continue Reading June 12th, 2007
ASPEN, COLORADO (Post Time News)—A combo platter of five leading nonprofits here have cooked up a celebration of the art of Africa in Aspen in summer 2007.
Aspen explores Africa during the last week of June in stories, music, ideas, and film via the Aspen Writers’ Foundation, Aspen Music Festival and School, Aspen Institute, Jazz Aspen Snowmass, and Aspen Film.
Continue Reading March 29th, 2007
ASPEN, COLORADO (Post Time News)—The journey of the Jazz Aspen Snowmass (JAS) from jazz all the way to pop is now all but complete.
The jazz in the title of the latest version of the June Rio Grande Park festival and the Labor Day version in the Town of Snowmass Village is represented almost entirely in the presence of Herbie Hancock, an undisputed giant whose career represents the same movement from cool buttoned-down jazz to the mass market of pop. But Hancock, JAS’s distinguished artist-in-residence, will have to look long and hard to find other musicians with his historical provenance.
Instead, JAS president and executive producer Jim Horowitz has turned to sure-fire star power sure to put fannies on the Snowmass turf—namely, the Allman Brothers Band. The Allmans will play the festival; and so will Government Mule, with Allmans guitarist Warren Haynes; and the Derek Trucks Band led by the nephew of an original member and the current slide guitarist in the Allman Brothers Band. Even Susan Tedeschi, the wife of Derek Trucks, will also be performing.
Continue Reading March 23rd, 2007
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