blue note february 2013

F E B R U A R y 2 0 1 3 p R o g R A mW O R L D ’ S F I N E S T J A Z Z C L U B A N D R E S T A U R A N T131 W. 3RD ST. NEW yORk CITy 212. 475. 8592 WWW.BLUENOTEJAZZ.COm

2 / 2 6 - 3 / 3

FEATURINg JoHN mEDESKI, ERIC KRASNo oF SoULIVE (2/26-27) JoHN poppER oF BLUES TRAVELER (2/26-28) & JAKE CINNINgER oF UmpHREy mCgEE’S (2/28-3/1)

FEBRUARY CALENDAR

TWO SHOWS NIGHTLY:LATE NIGHT GROOVE SERIES:

SUNDAY JAZZ BRUNCH:

8 & 10:30PMFRIDAYS & SATURDAYS 12:30AM MIDnIghT12:30 & 2:30 PM

SUNDAY BRUNCHAMINA FIGAROVAFEBRUARY 10

JUILLIARD JAZZ ENSEMBLEFEBRUARY 17

ROY ASSAF NEW TRIOFEBRUARY 24

BILLY DREWES & HIS NYU ENSEMBLEMARCH 3

LATE NIGHT GROOVE SERIES

AMANDA RUZZAFEBRUARY 8

JEREMIAH HOSEAFEBRUARY 9

W. ELLINGTON FELTONFEBRUARY 15

DESSY DiLAUROFEBRUARY 16

TIM GREENFEBRUARY 22

JUICEBOXFEBRUARY 23

COLLETTEMARCH 1

VICKIE NATALEMARCH 2

GATO BARBIERIFEBRUARY 4

RON CARTER QUARTETFEBRUARY 5-10

ABIAHFEBRUARY 11

MCCOY TYNERWITH SPECIAL GUEST GARY BARTZFEBRUARY 12 & 13

RACHELLE FERRELLFEBRUARY 14-17

GATO BARBIERIFEBRUARY 18

DOUBLE FEATURE:KARRIN ALLYSON + RAUL MIDONFEBRUARY 19-24

MAYA AZUCENAFEBRUARY 25

BILL EVANS SOULGRASSWITH SPECIAL GUESTS JOHN MEDESKIERIC KRASNO (26-27) JOHN POPPER (26-28) JAKE CINNINGER (28-1)FEBRUARY 26 - MARCH 3

GATO BARBIERI

FEBRUARY 4 & 18, 8 & 10:30PM

Mystical yet fiery, passionately ro-mantic yet supremely cool – you hear those first few notes from that in-stantly recognizable tenor and know you’re in the unique musical world of Gato Barbieri. His enduring career has covered virtually the entire jazz landscape, from free jazz with trum-peter Don Cherry and avant-garde in the mid-’60s, to film scor-ing and his ultimate embrace of Latin music throughout the ’70s and ’80s. Barbieri began playing tenor saxophone with his own band in the late ’50s and moved to Rome with his Italian-born first wife Michelle in 1962, where he began col-laborating with Cherry. They recorded two albums for Blue Note: Complete Communion (1965) and Symphony for Im-provisers (1966), both of which are considered classics of free group improvisation. He also collaborated with Steve Lacy, Abdullah Ibrahim, Char-lie Haden, Stanley Clarke, Airto Moreira, and Chico O’Farrell during this period. Barbieri recorded a handful of albums on the Flying Dutch-man label in the early ’70s and then signed with the Impulse imprint, where he recorded his classic Chap-ter Series: Latin America (1973), Hasta Siempre (1973), Viva Emiliano Zapata (1974), and Alive in New York (1975). While at Impulse, he also com-posed the Grammy-winning score for the film Last Tango in Paris (1972) – an achievement he parlayed into success as a film composer, scor-ing a dozen international films over the years in Europe, South America, and the U.S. By the mid-’70s, Barb-ieri’s coarse, wailing tone began to

mellow, a change evident on his ’70s A&M recordings. However, early ’80s dates like the Live Gato … Para Los Amigos (1984) saw the saxophonist reclaim a more intense, rock-influ-enced South American sound.

After many years of limited musical activity due to the passing of his first wife Michelle (also his closest musi-

cal confidant and manager) and his own triple bypass surgery six weeks later, Barbieri returned stronger than ever with the 1997 Columbia offering Que Pasa, the fourth-highest-selling contemporary jazz album of that year. Since that reemergence, he has con-tinued to release albums including The Shadow of the Cat (2002), which won Billboard’s prestigious 2003 Lat-in Jazz Album of the Year award and garnered a Grammy nomination, and New York Meeting (2010), his latest release. n

Ron Carter is among the most origi-nal, prolific, and influential bassists in jazz. With more than 2,000 albums to his credit, he has recorded with many of the music’s greats: Tommy Flana-gan, Gil Evans, Lena Horne, Bill Ev-ans, B.B. King, Dexter Gordon, Wes Montgomery, and Bobby Timmons.

In the early 1960s, Carter performed throughout the United States in con-cert halls and nightclubs with Jaki Byard and Eric Dolphy. He later toured Europe with Cannonball Ad-derley. From 1963 to 1968, he was a member of the classic and acclaimed Miles Davis Quintet. He has been named Outstanding Bassist of the Decade by the Detroit News, Jazz Bassist of the Year by DownBeat magazine, and Most Valuable Player by the National Academy of Record-ing Arts and Sciences.

Carter holds degrees from the East-man School and the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. He has also received two honorary doc-torates and was the 2002 recipient of the prestigious Hutchinson Award from the Eastman School at the Uni-versity of Rochester. Most recently, he was honored by the French Min-ister of Culture with France’s premier

cultural award, the medallion and title of Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters, given to those who have distinguished themselves in the domain of artistic or literary creation.

In 1993, Carter earned a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Group, and he followed up with an-other win in 1998 for “Sheet Blues,” an instrumental composition from the film ‘Round Midnight. In addi-tion to scoring and arranging music for many films, he has also shared his expertise in the series of books, among which are Building Jazz Bass Lines and The Music of Ron Carter; the latter contains 130 of his pub-lished and recorded compositions.

Carter has lectured, conducted, and performed at clinics and master classes, instructing jazz ensembles and teaching the business of music at numerous universities. He was Ar-tistic Director of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Studies while it was located in Boston and, after 18 years on the faculty of the Music Depart-ment of The City College of New York, he is now Distinguished Professor Emeritus although, as a performer, he remains as active as ever.n

RON CARTER QUARTET

FEBRUARY 5 - 10, 8 & 10:30PM

GATO BARBIERI

Amanda Ruzza hails from São Paulo, Brazil. She discovered her muse at an early age - perhaps the result of her Chilean mother who loved opera, and her Italian father whose passion was rock n’ roll. Growing up in a house hum-ming with music, Amanda began play-ing bass early, and was playing profes-sional performance engagements by age 13. Eventually, in Brazil, she worked with distinguished Brazilian produc-ers and arrangers, including Grammy Award-winner Moogie Canazio, Mae-stro Jobam and Sony Music Japan’s Osny Mello. Besides being a musician fluent in an array of styles, Ruzza is flu-

AMANDA RUZZA

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 812:30AM $10

L at e N i g h t g r o o v e S e r i e S

ent in several languages as well - Por-tuguese, Spanish, Italian, and English. In developing her musical skills, she is able to cross all cultural boundaries. n

Few young bassists can claim creden-tials as extensive and diverse as Jer-emiah Hosea. After making his profes-sional debut recording and performing with life-long friend and musical mentor Olu, Jeremiah went on to found the art-ist/activist collective earthdriver. Since the inception of the project, Jeremiah has toured with Grammy-nominated blues/jazz legend James Blood Ulmer, Gigi, Karsh Kale, Moon Boot Lover, and Lily Haydn to name only a few. Jeremi-ah’s approach to sound and his adroit technique paired with his commitment to the ethos of love and political change for society coalesce to make him a sin-gular force to be reckoned with. n

JeReMiAh hoseA

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 912:30AM $10

HALF NOTE RECORDS NEW RELEASE

RANDY BRECKERWiTH THE DANiSH RADiO BiG BAND

THE JAZZ BALLAD SONG BOOKTrumpeter Randy Brecker, an emeritus statesman whose life in music spans six decades, forges a ca-reer record, exploring the contours of jazz’s Great American Songbook in collaboration with the DR Big Band and the Danish National Chamber Orchestra. With lushly conceived charts penned by jazz’s pre-mier arrangers, including Grammy winner Vince Mendoza, THE JAZZ BALLAD SONG BOOK is both cin-ematic and intimate, reflecting perfectly the scope of Brecker’s contribution to popular music. Evergreens include “Cry Me a River,” “All or Nothing at All,” “Someday My Prince Will Come” and “Skylark.”

AVAILABLE UPSTAIRS IN THE BLUE NOTE GIFT SHOP!

Composer and pianist Amina Figa-rova’s 12th album, titled Twelve - her debut release on the renowned inde-pendent German label In + Out - cel-ebrates jazz as an international music and New York City as a locale where jazz gypsies may feel most at home. Twelve is suffused with the heightened expectations, sense of adventure and fresh perceptions, as well as the con-fidence, creative energies and nuanced fulfillment that artists gain from being in the right place at the right time.

Amina’s pieces strike a perfect tone, employing genuinely beautiful harmo-nizations, to capture fleeting thoughts

AMiNA FiGARoVA TRioSUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1012:30 & 2:30PM$29.50 includes music, brunch & 1 drink

SUNDAY BRUNCH SERIES

that accompany those precious mo-ments when the puzzling jostle of daily existence comes into unexpected but deeply satisfying sync. n

ABIAH spent his childhood with his single mother, an accomplished mu-sician who accompanied the late operatic Baritone William Warfield in earlier years. She introduced him to the singers who would become ABIAH’s influences: Sarah Vaughn, Anita Baker and later Nina Simone. “They were great singers and song interpreters,” he says. “They were text painters and I believe that’s a lost art.” ABIAH honed his skills through the years as a background singer for artists George Michael, Chuck Mangione, Amel Larrieux and Yolanda Adams while cutting his chops in opera as a voice major in college. By the time his debut album was released in 2006, ABI-AH already knew exactly what he brought to the table — a warm, engaging voice and unassailable taste in music. His debut album was an underground smash. His video Love For a While, a duet with Shanice Wilson became a hit on VH1 Soul and BET J. Life As A Ballad, Abiah’s sophomore studio album, contains a depth of feeling that will delight long-time fans and impress those new to his music. “To me, what’s different about this music is that it has a certain imme-diacy,” ABIAH says. “We wanted it to be authentic and tell the story of how one finds beauty when life seems its darkest.” To help him capture the songs’ in-timacy, ABIAH turned to Blue Note recording artist Robert Glasper, who happens to be his cousin, guitar-ist/arranger Marvin Sewell, his long time collaborator, and co-producers Keith Witty and Ulysses Owens, Jr. “We definitely have a great chem-istry in the studio which is why we

were able to record the entire album in one day. Talk about a quick turn around,” ABIAH says with a laugh. “Robert added such beautiful fabric

to the music. Marvin was overflow-ing with genius and Keith helped me to find all the ‘right’ things like a mad scientist.” “There is nothing like feeling and seeing the atmosphere change in a room,” he says. “It’s so important to be in touch with your audience. They come to hear music but leave with their lives changed because of the music. That is my job and calling.” n

ABIAH

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 8 & 10:30PM

Jazz pianist McCoy Tyner is widely considered one of the finest and most influential pianists in jazz history. His signature booming left-hand and fleeting right created a unique sound that can be heard on his recordings as a sideman with the John Coltrane Quartet in the 1960s and on his 80-plus albums as a leader. Tyner’s most recent project for McCoy Tyner Mu-sic/Half Note Records is his first solo effort in almost a decade titled Solo: Live From San Francisco. The release is the third for his label and features eleven solo vignettes recorded at the Herbst Theater in 2007.

Tyner’s blues based piano style, re-plete with sophisticated chords and an explosively percussive left hand has transcended conventional styles to become one of the most identifi-able sounds in improvised music. His harmonic contributions and dramatic rhythmic devices form the vocabulary of a majority of jazz pianists.

Born in 1938 in Philadelphia, he be-came a part of the fertile jazz and R&B scene of the early ‘50s. His parents imbued him with a love for music from an early age. His mother encouraged him to explore his musical interests through formal training.

At 17 he began a career-changing re-lationship with Miles Davis’ sideman saxophonist John Coltrane. After Col-trane left Davis’ band, Tyner joined Coltrane for the classic album My Fa-vorite Things (1960), and remained at the core of what became one of the most seminal groups in jazz history, The John Coltrane Quartet. The band, which also included drummer Elvin Jones and bassist Jimmy Garrison, had an extraordinary chemistry, fos-tered in part by Tyner’s almost familial relationship with Coltrane.

Tyner has always expanded his vision of the musical landscape and incor-porated new elements, whether from distant continents or diverse musi-cal influences. More recently he has arranged for big bands, employed string arrangements, and even rein-terpreted popular music. Today, Tyner has released nearly 80 albums under his name, earned four Grammys and was awarded Jazz Master from the National Endowment for the Arts in 2002. He continues to leave his mark on generations of improvisers, and yet remains a disarmingly modest and spiritually directed man. n

MCCOY TYNERWITH SPECIAL GUEST GARY BARTZFEBRUARY 12-13, 8 & 10:30PM

Rachelle Ferrell, known all over the world as one of jazz’s finest vocal-ists, makes a rare club appearance at the Blue Note for four nights in March.

Rachelle Ferrell has arrived on the contemporary jazz scene, but her visibility on the pop/urban contem-porary scene has boosted her audi-ence’s interest in her jazz recordings. She got started singing in the second grade at age six. This no doubt con-tributed to the eventual development of her startling six-and-change oc-tave range.

Rachelle decided early on, after clas-sical training on violin, that she want-ed to try to make her mark musically

as an instrumentalist and songwriter. In her mid-teens, her father bought her a piano with the provision that she learn to play to a professional level. Within six months, Rachelle

Ferrell had secured her first pro-fessional gig as a pianist/singer. Ferrell’s debut, First Instrument, was released in 1990 in Japan only. Recorded with bassist Ty-rone Brown, pianist Eddie Green and drummer Doug Nally, an all-star cast of accompanists also leave their mark on her record. They include trumpeter Terrence Blanchard, pianists Gil Goldstein and Michel Petrucciani, bassists Kenny Davis and Stanley Clarke, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter and keyboardist Pete Levin.

Ferrell was signed to a unique two-label contract, recording pop and urban contemporary for Capitol Records and jazz music for Blue Note Records. For four consecu-tive years in the early ‘90’s, Rach-elle Ferrell put in festival stopping performances at the Montreaux Jazz Festival.

Her prolific songwriting abilities and ability to accompany herself on piano seem only to further her natural talent as a vocalist. “Some people sing songs like they wear clothing, they put it on and take it off,” she explains in the biographi-

cal notes accompanying “First In-strument.”

“But when one performs four sets a night, six nights a week, that expe-rience affords you the opportunity to present the song from the inside out, to express its essence. In this way, a singer expresses the song in the spirit in which it was written, the songwriter then translates emo-tion into words, the singer’s job is to translate the words back into emo-tion.” n

RACHELLE FERRELL

FEBRUARY 14-17, 8 & 10:30PM



DessY DiLAURoSATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1612:30 AM $10

W. Ellington Felton, the son of jazz pia-nist Hilton Felton Jr., is a singer/ poet/ actor/emcee. Having performed on the Lollapalooza tour and at the Apollo Theater as a teenager, Ellington has shared the stage with Eric Roberson, Raheem Devaughn and Me’shell Nde-gocello . He quickly gained a follow-ing on Washingtons poetry circuit with his confessional lyrics, quirky pitch, and spontaneous style. When he’s not making music, Ellington commands the spotlight as a classically trained actor. He starred in the critically ac-claimed hip-hop play Rhyme Deferred,

performed at the Kennedy Center, the National Black Theater Festival, and the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. n


W. eLLiNGToN FeLToNFRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15 12:30 AM $10

Dessy DiLauro delivers a unique fla-vor of original music she describes as “Feathered Fro-hawk Futuristic Art Deco-Centric Harlem Renaissance Hep Music,” with an up-tempo live show in-corporating classic elements from the speakeasy era.

DiLauro is fast becoming one of Blue Note’s favorite performers with her power-house voice, along with her stel-lar band and horn section led by her musical director Ric’key Pageot (Ma-donna, Cirque du Soleil, Jill Scott). Miss Di Lauro evokes the essence of Cab Calloway by blending ragtime music with today’s contemporary R&B music. Although she is a seasoned recording artist with multi-platinum selling album


features, she is releasing her first full-length album of her original music en-titled, This Is…Neo-Ragtime, this Feb-ruary – Black History Month. n


The Juilliard music division, renowned the world over for the quality of its performance education and its many celebrated alumni musicians, dancers, and actors, offers bachelor and master of music degrees in jazz, as well as an Artist Diploma via the pre-professional Juilliard Institute for Jazz Studies, a col-laboration between Juilliard and Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Altogether, Juilliard’s program features a curriculum designed to maximize pro-fessional opportunities, onstage and academically, with equal opportunity

JUiLLiARD JAZZ BRUNChSUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1712:30 & 2:30PM$29.50 includes music, brunch & 1 drink


for performance and tailored studio and coursework. The talented young musi-cians from across the country who are accepted by Juilliard Jazz are taught by some of today’s most active, innovative, and respected jazz musicians. n

For their second Half Note issue, the power trio of DONALD HARRISON, RON CARTER and BILLY COBHAM declare themselves spokesmen for a kind of exploratory improvisation and interplay known only to seasoned jazz profes-sionals. Staunch individualists all, they come together with a united voice of alto, bass and drums - at once steeped in jazz’s richly variegated traditions yet forward-thinking in the cause of new creative expression.

HALF NOTE RECORDS NEW RELEASEDONALD HARRISONRON CARTERBILLY COBHAM


THIS IS JAZZ

FOLLOW US @HLBALLROOM - LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

For their second Half Note issue, the power trio of DONALD HARRISON, RON CARTER and BILLY COBHAM declare themselves spokesmen for a kind of exploratory improvisation and interplay known only to seasoned jazz profes-sionals. Staunch individualists all, they come together with a united voice of alto, bass and drums - at once steeped in jazz’s richly variegated traditions yet forward-thinking in the cause of new creative expression.

HALF NOTE RECORDS NEW RELEASEDONALD HARRISONRON CARTERBILLY COBHAM


THIS IS JAZZ

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DIRTY VERSION OF OUR LOGO - USE IF POSSIBLE

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black logo on white background

white logo on black background

“A Love SurreAL” CD reLeASe eventProDuCeD By JiLL newmAn ProDuCtionS

tueSDAy, FeBruAry 12, 2013

BILAL

weDneSDAy, FeBruAry 13, 2013

pATRIzIo BUANNE

SpEND AN INTImATE, Up CLoSE AND pERSoNAL pRE-VALENTINES EVENINg wITH

Jimmy LLoyD w/ wiLL De ZengotitA & emiLy murethe vAnity BeLLeS

tueSDAy, mArCh 5, 2013

pETER CINCoTTI

Karrin Allyson moves with ease and authority from the Great American Songbook of Gershwin and Porter to the Great American Jazz Songbook of Duke and Thelonious and Miles and Dizzy, jet-setting to Rio and Par-is and swinging back home to pick up Bonnie Raitt and Joni Mitchell

and Jimmy Webb. A multiple Gram-my nominee, Karrin Allyson lives in New York City, following a childhood in the Midwest, schooling in the Bay Area, a degree in classical piano performance and important stints in Minneapolis and Kansas City, where she began her recording career with Concord Jazz. Karrin currently spends two days out of three on tour, playing the major jazz festivals, concert venues and clubs of the U.S. and making repeated tours overseas — to Brazil, Japan, Australia and the great cities of Europe.

“A free man beyond any category” (Huffington Post) best describes the unique musician that is blind singer, songwriter, guitarist Raul Midón.

His singular timeless soul pop jazz sound garnered him a standing ova-

tion during his television debut on Letterman and an open invitation back to Leno following his ap-pearances there. This talented, mesmerizing genre-defying artist has travelled the globe from India to Indiana spreading the message that you can do it, you can be yourself and be recognized and be bold.

With three major label re-cords under his belt and countless appearances both on television world-wide and on other artist’s records, he is a pro and more a part of the musical landscape than you might realize.

His musical collaborations have also been broad and varied from a duet with Ja-son Mraz to a live record-

ing with bass legend and producer Marcus Miller to playing The Budakan with Roberta Flack. People Magazine calls him an “eclectic adventurist” and the New York Times an “unre-constructed hippy.” Guitar magazine describes him as “One of those rare musical forces that reminds us how strong and deep the connection be-tween man and music can sometimes be.” Midón will delight you with his wit, his musical virtuosity all a result of his dedication to being the best he can be. n

DOUBLE FEATURE KARRIN ALLYSON & RAUL MIDóNFEBRUARY 19-24, 8 & 10:30PM


BOTH ARTISTS WILL PLAY AT EACH CONCERT

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Tim was inspired to pursue music by a fam-ily of musicians at the young age of 10. While attending high school at the Bal-timore School for the Arts, he was se-lected to be one of the 25 members of the Grammy High School All-Star band that performed at the Grammy Award ceremony in Los Angeles, California. Green then received his Bachelor of Mu-sic degree from the Manhattan School of Music in 2004. During that period, he honed his skills performing at jazz clubs around New York and around the coun-try.. In May 2007, Green graduated from

TiM GReeN CD ReLeAse shoW

the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz at the University of Southern California with a masters degree in Jazz Studies. n


FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2212:30 AM $10

The brainchild of saxophonist and com-poser Nick Myers, JuiceBox started spreading groovy, funky music around New York City in 2009. Originally featur-ing a rotating cast of some of the best young musicians in the city, the group solidified around singer Lisa Ramey and her sultry, soulful voice. With this new inspiration and energy, the group began killing late night sets in New York City downtown clubs and house parties. JuiceBox is always thrilling audiences with deep grooves, hard hitting solos and a never ending box of surprises. With the wailing sounds of the Ham-mond organ, funky guitar, a powerful horn section and the sensuous vocals of Ramey, they create an irresistible sound that is reminiscent of the 1960’s and 70’s. n

JUiCeBoXSATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2312:30 AM $10


KENNY WERNERWiTH THE BRUSSELS JAZZ ORCHESTRA iNSTiTUTE OF HiGHER LEARNiNG

Long regarded as one of Europe’s premier big bands - a group that “manifests love,” ac-cording to Grammy-winning arranger Maria Schneider - The Brussels Jazz Orchestra has joined hands with Kenny Werner to create a winning tableau vivant of spirited writing and performance. The Institute of Higher Learn-ing features a sumptuous 3-part suite, “Can-tabile,” that reinforces in a singular way Wer-ner’s place among forward-thinking jazzmen. Textural, rhythmic, evincing cascading swirls of color, it was inspired by and dedicated to Bob Brookmeyer. Led by reedman and group founder Frank Vaganee, the BJO offers a per-fect canvas for Werner’s painterly approach to composition and arranging.



Breaking into the music scene only a few years ago, pianist Roy Assaf has al-ready toured with the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band and performed with doz-ens of notable artists, including Randy Brecker, Roy Hargrove, James Moody, Lewis Nash, T.S. Monk, Barry Harris, Dr. Billy Taylor, Steve Davis, Ron Carter, and Trilok Gurtu. A native of Israel and graduate of the Berklee College of Mu-sic and Manhattan School of Music, he has won numerous DownBeat Student

RoY AssAF NeW TRioSUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2412:30 & 2:30PM$29.50 includes music, brunch & 1 drink


Awards and has led his own projects in performances at international festivals and on national Israeli television and ra-dio programs n

Maya Azucena inhabits a musi-cal world of her own creation. Her progressive yet accessible style is shaped by an expansive vision that unites genres – uniting hip hop, soul, jazz, reggae, electronica and pop. Like Lauryn Hill, Corinne Bailey Rae, or Gnarls Barkley, she embodies a singular and finely honed artistry through a combination of profound lyrics, soaring melodies, and irresist-ible rhythms. Her most recent record, Cry Love, is the artistic statement that Maya Azucena has sought to make since day one. The Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter’s impressive versatility unfolds over ten original composi-tions plus a dramatic interpretation of “Little Ghetto Boy.” Executive-pro-duced with her longtime collabora-tor Christian Ver Halen, and released on her new imprint label, Azucena Songs, Cry Love represents a power-ful journey that distills the universal themes of love, survival, and hope. Maya Azucena emerged as a pres-ence on the landscape of popular music following her self-released de-but Maya Who?! and the critically ac-claimed Junkyard Jewel. Billboard, The Village Voice and The Washington Post have all heralded her mesmer-izing performances in the U.S. while her music’s been featured on HBO (The Wire), NBC (30 Rock), and in ads for Verizon Wireless and Ford Motors. Her work with Stephen Marley netted a “Best Reggae Album” GRAMMY and her vocal contributions to an al-bum by Croatian superstar Gibonni garnered two Porin Awards (the top music award in Croatia). Threaded throughout Cry Love is Maya Azucena’s belief that music is a tool for healing and activism. Par-

allel to her recordings, she’s supported a number of chari-table initiatives. She performed at the “Save Darfur Rally” in Washing-ton DC, where she appeared among politicians and celebrities such as President Barack Obama and George Clooney. She co-founded MDGFive.com with Emmy-winning director Lisa Russell. Their multimedia website for maternal health awareness prompted an invitation from Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for Maya to perform at the United Nation’s 2010 MDG Sum-mit. Maya also received a Proclama-tion from the House of Representa-tives and recently won The Network Journal’s prestigious “Top 40 Under 40” Award in recognition of her tire-less community work and strong business acumen. n

MAYA AZUCENAMONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 8 & 10:30PM

L at e N i g h t g r o o v e S e r i e SL at e N i g h t g r o o v e S e r i e S

BILL EVANS SOULGRASS

FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 3

Grammy-winning saxophonist Bill Evans first joined Miles Davis’s group in 1980 at the age of 22. He went on

to record six records and tour the world with Davis numerous times over a four-year period. He then toured and recorded three CDs with John McLaughlin and the Mahav-ishnu Orchestra and later played with Herbie Hancock, Lee Ritenour, Dave

Grusin, Steps Ahead, and Mick Jag-ger, among others, garnering a few Grammy Awards along the way.

Since 1990, Evans has been touring almost exclusively with his own band, playing well over 100 concerts worldwide per year. He has recorded 19 solo albums including his lat-est, Dragonfly (2011), receiv-ing two Grammy nominations in the process. Throughout his more than 20-year career as a solo artist, he has explored a variety of musical settings that go well beyond the confines of traditional jazz, including rock, hip-hop, jam, fusion, reggae, Brazilian, and slamming funk. He recently stepped into more adventurous territory with his 2006 Grammy-nominated re-lease Soulgrass, blending jazz, funk, and bluegrass into a seamless and wholly unique hybrid of quintessentially American styles.

His follow-up to that widely acclaimed project found him pushing the envelope a little further in the hybrid direction on 2008’s The Other Side of Something. “It’s an extension of Soulgrass...so it seemed like a very natural thing for me to do.” Evans returned to the stu-dio to produce and record the third Soulgrass album Dragon-fly, his latest effort, in 2011. Of the record, Evans says: “This

CD is a melting pot of styles that work very well together. I have been working with banjo together with the guitar for over six years and, at this point, we have created our own sound n

FEATURING JOHN MEDESKI, ERIC KRASNO OF SOULIVE (2/26-27) JOHN POPPER OF BLUES TRAVELER (2/26-28) & JAKE CINNINGER OF UMPHREy’S McGEE (2/28-3/1)


Bold, free and uncompromising; Collette represents a new breed of independent artistry. In 2008, Collette released her heartfelt debut Experience Collette to critical acclaim. Soon, she was open-ing for such national artists as Chrisette Michelle, Talib Kweli, Eric Roberson, Rachelle Ferrell and Noel Gourdin. Four years later, Juneteenth Revolution de-livers an evolved sound produced by new talents like Okayplayer artist Danny Swain, Terry “20” Poindexter (Raheem DeVaughn, Jazmine Sullivan) and Aaron Hardin (Ebrahim, Kenny Wesley) among others. Incorporating elements of pop, hip hop, and contemporary R&B, Col-

lette provides an eclectic but accessible collection of soulful jams. Juneteenth Revolution announces a personal, spiri-tual, and emotional liberation – set to the beat of a joyfully quirky drum. n

CoLLeTTeFRIDAY, MARCH 112:30 AM $10


A rare artist of her generation, Vickie Natale’s music combines soul, pop, and R&B. Inspired by Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Whitney Houston, and Stevie Wonder, she was crowned the CBS’s Star Search Grand Champion in 2004. Immediately after her win on Star Search, Natale was signed to a development deal with Sony Records and recorded five songs with the label. In 2004 she released the digital single “Like No Other” on A&M Records. In May of 2004, Natale made her Carnegie Hall debut with the New York Pops Or-chestra. She has also opened for such

acts as Reba McEntire, Deborah Cox, and Ashford & Simpson, and she toured China, Japan, and the U.S. n

ViCKie NATALeSATURDAY, MARCH 212:30AM $10

BILL EVANS SOULGRASS

Striking, bold, organic, and beautiful. Those words describe Maya Azucena’s voice, her music, and her message. On CRY LOVE her impressive talent unfolds over eleven tracks. An anthem for justice, the title track constitutes the album’s core concept. Her desire to in-spire and empower listeners saturates the edgy groove of “Warriors” and the sanguine sway of “Near”. “The Half” is a harrowing take propelled by rock icon Vernon Reid. She invited reggae leg-end and Billboard #1 artist iNi Kamoze aboard on “My Back’s Not Up Against The Wall” while the glistening, acoustic qualities of “Belong To The Sun” furnish another standout cut. The songs are all unified by a remarkable depth and stunning musicality.



Saxophonist Billy Drewes has been fea-tured on over 150 CDs. He has worked with Joe Lovano, Bill Frisell, Paul Mo-tian, Tony Bennett, John Scofield, Lio-nel Hampton, Eddie Palmieri, and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra.

Kenny Werner is a world-class pianist and composer. A Guggenheim Fellow-ship Award winner, he has performed extensively with his own groups, the Mel Lewis Orchestra, legendary har-monica player Toots Thielemans, Broadway legend Betty Buckley, and sax superstar Joe Lovano. In 2007,

BiLLY DReWes & KeNNY WeRNeR NYU eNseMBLeSUNDAY, MARCH 312:30 & 2:30PM$29.50 includes music, brunch & 1 drink


Kenny Werner released his first album for Blue Note Records. Lawn Chair Society, featuring Chris Potter, Dave Douglas, Scott Colley, and Brian Blade, received critical acclaim for its fusion of electro and acoustic elements. n

UPSTAIRS AT THE

W H E r E J A Z Z L E G E N D S M E E T

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THE BLuE NOTE GiFT SHOp

DiZZy GiLLESpiE BiG BAND I’m BeBoppIn’ Too

ELViN JONESTHE TruTH

LEE KONiTZENfANTS TErriBLES

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VISIT US UPSTAIRS TO MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR FUTURE SHOWS, A WIDE SELECTION OF SOUVENIRS AND COLLECTIBLES, REPRESENTING THE

UPSTAIRS AT THE

MANHATTANRedemption rye whiskey,Carpano Antico sweet vermouth

NEGRONIBombay Saphire, Campari,Carpano Antico sweet vermouth

VESPERTanqueray gin, Chopin Vodka, and Lillet with a lemon twist

FRENCH MARTINIGrey Goose vodka, Chambord& pineapple juice

HENNESSY SIDECARHennessy Cognac with GrandMarnier and fresh lemon juice

BLUE NOTE MARTINIcitrus vodka, blue curocao, lime juice

“MANTECA” MARTINIBrinley Gold coconut rum, coconut-cream & pineapple juice

ITALIAN CHOCOLATE MARTINIMeletti Chocolate Liquer Stolivanilla vodka

APPLE MARTINIKetel One & apple schnapps

COSMOPOLITANCitrus Vodka, Triple Sec,cranberry & lime juice

METROPOLITANAbsolut Kurant with Triple Sec,cranberry & lime juice

MARGARITA MARTINISauza Conmemorativo tequila, agave, fresh lime & splash orange juice

MARTINIS $13

ELDERFLOWER FIZZBeefeater, elderflowerliqueur, fresh lemon

RUBY RYERedemption rye whiskey, grapefruit juice, Chambord

CAIPIRINHAMuddled limes, sugar andBeija Brazilian cachaca

BELLINIProsecco & white peach puree

PCPUNCHGrey Goose pear vodka, Brinleycoconut rum, pineapple juice

MAI TAIBacardi light rum, Meyers darkrum, almond liqueur, Triple Sec,Pineapple juice, splash sour mix

BRANDY ALEXANDERBrandy, crème de cacao & cream

CUBA LIBREBlackwell rum, Coke & freshly muddled lime

TOASTED ALMONDAmaretto, coffee liqueur & cream

MIXED DRINKS $12

IRISH COFFEEIrish whiskey & coffee

NUTTY IRISHMANBailey’s Irish Cream, Frangelico & coffee

BRAVE BULLTequila, Kahlua & coffee

SWISS COFFEEPeppermint Schnapps, crème de cacao & coffee

SPANISH COFFEETia Maria & coffee

MOCA ALMONDMeletti chocolate liqueramaretto, coffee

WARM DRINKS $10

IMPORTED - $8Sapporo, Amstel Light,Corona, Heineken, Guinness,Stella Artois, Bass Ale

DOMESTIC - $8Brooklyn Lager, Budweiser,Bud Light

BELGIAN-STYLE ALE - $14Brother Thelonious Abbey Ale (750 ml)

NON-ALCOHOLIC - $6Buckler

REPUBLIC OF TEA ICED TEAS - $7Pomegranate Green Iced TeaRepublic Darjeeling Black Iced TeaGinger Peach Decaf Black Iced Tea

BEER AND TEAS

BLUE NOTE DRINK MENU

SEASONAL FRUIT & SORBET 12 add Limoncello Meletti 10 NEW YORK CHEESECAKE 10 add Tia Maria 11 RED VELVET CAKE 10 add Baileys 10 TIRAMISU 10 add Grand Marnier 12CINNAMON APPLE STRUDEL 9 add Amaretto Lazzaroni 10 WARM LEMON TARTE 9 add Drambuie 10 CHOCOLATE & VANILLA TARTUFO 10 add Frangelico 10 FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE 10 add Dow’s 20-year 14 ICE CREAM 9 add Kahlua 10 SORBET OF THE DAY 8 add Prosecco 10

DESSERTS & PAIRINGS

Sherry, Dry Sack 10Sherry, Harvey’s Bristol Cream 10Taylor Fladgate Tawny 15Cab Franc Icewine, Inniskillin 20/125

DESSERT WINES

BOURBON / RYERedemption Rye 12Basil Hayden 14Booker’s 14 Knob Creek 14Woodford Reserve 15 Whistle Pig 16

Courvoisier 12Hennessy VS 12Hennessy XO 36Remy Martin VSOP 18Remy Martin XO 36Martell VS 12Martell Cordon Bleu VSOP 25Paul Beau XO 25Poli Grappa Moscato 15

BRANDY & COGNACGlenlivet 12 year 12 Glenfiddich 12 year 12Macallan 12 year 14Talisker 10 year 12 Glenmorangie 13 Oban 14 year 14 Dahlwinnie 15 year 15Lagavulin 16 year 16Mackillop’s 1989 Scapa 34Deanston 30 year 40 Scott’s 1967 Glenlivet 58

SINGLE MALT SCOTCH

LIQUEURSAmaretto Lazzaroni 10Aperol 10Baileys Irish Cream 10B & B 11Campari 10Chambord 10Cointreau 11Drambuie 10Dubbonet 10Fernet Branca 10Frangelico 10Grand Marnier 12Kahlua 10Lillet 10Limoncello Meletti 10Nocino Walnut Liqueur 10Pernod 10Poli Miele Honey Liqueur 12Sambuca Meletti 10Tia Maria 11

DIGESTIFS

Chivas 12Dewars 11J & B 11Johnny Walker Red 11Johnny Walker Black 12Johnny Walker Blue 38

SCOTCH BLENDS

RUMBeija Cachaca 11Bacardi Silver 11Bacardi Gold 11Brinley Gold Coconut 11Captain Morgan’s 11Meyer’s 12Mount Gay 12El Dorado 15-year 15Pyrat XO 15

UPCOMING AT THE BLUE NOTE3/5 - 10 THE JAZZ CRUSADERS

3/19 - 20 ROBBEN FORD

3/12 - 17AFRO-CUBAN ALL STARS

3/21 - 24 STANLEY CLARKE & GEORGE DUKE

4/2 - 7 DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER, CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE & MORE! MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL ON TOUR

3/26 - 31 DOUBLE FEATURE:KYLE EASTWOOD & LARRY CORYELL

FEATURING JOE SAMPLE, WAYNE HENDERSON, & WILTON FELDER

FEATURING MEMBERS OF THE BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB

3/18 ACOUSTIC ALCHEMY4/9-14 AL DIMEOLA & GONZALO RUBALCABA DUO4/16-21 HIROMI TRIO PROJECT FEATURING ANTHONY JACKSON & SIMON PHILLIPS4/22-25 MACEO PARKER4/26-28 ARTURO SANDOVAL4/30-5/5 MICHEL CAMILO5/6 NYU JAZZ ORCHESTRA5/7-12 TAKE 65/21-23 BRIAN MCKNIGHT & THE DUKE ELLINGTON ORCHESTRA5/24-26 THE DUKE ELLINGTON ORCHESTRA

MAKE RESERVATIONS UPSTAIRS IN THE GIFT SHOP

blue note february 2013

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