Band nominated for Jazz Journalist Award ”Large Ensemble of the Year..” Ceremony June 11 at City Winery.
Gunther Schuller conducts the Mingus Orchestra at St. Bartholomew's Church. Photo: Shannon Manning, Let My Children Hear Music, Inc.
This project has been made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts as part of
American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius.
Artist fans can get $10 off general admission tickets
by buying on-line with promo code MINGUS by Friday, April 15.
FOR DISCOUNT DETAILS VISIT:
http://www.newportjazzfest.net/index.php?pID=33031&AR=188
APRIL 22, 2011 at 8pm Eastern
This project has been made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts as part of
American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius.
Mingus Orchestra at St. Bartholomew’s Church last year
Sun, Feb. 13 2011
JAZZ WORKSHOP, INC. LET MY CHILDREN HEAR MUSIC, INC.
(The Charles Mingus Institute)
484 West 43rd Street, 43-S, New York, NY 10036
http://www.mingusmingusmingus.com
Contact: Sue Mingus (212) 736-4749
Mingus Big Band Wins Grammy!
NEW YORK, February 15, 2011—On Sunday, February 13, 2011, the 53rd Annual GRAMMY® Awards honored Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard as the “Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.”
Co-produced by Sue Mingus and Seth Abramson, Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standardmarks the 10th Mingus Big Band recording, seven of which have been nominated for Grammys. It is the first win for Mingus music, though legendary jazz composer Charles Mingus (1922-1979) himself received a Grammy for the liner notes on his album Let My Children Hear Music and a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997, and in 1999 the album Mingus Dynasty (1959) was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame.
This concert celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of seminal 1959 albums Mingus Dynasty,Mingus Ah Um, and Blues & Politics, and was originally broadcast live on Toast Of The Nation from NPR Music, produced by Mark Schramm, Thurston Briscoe and Becca Pulliam for WBGO under the musical direction of Sue Mingus.
Saturday, February 19, 2011, this same team will record the Mingus Orchestra live at St. Bartholomew’s Church for later broadcast on WBGO. The concert will feature several Mingus compositions conducted by Gunther Schuller with special guest harpist Edmar Castaneda. This concert is produced by Let My Children Hear Music (The Charles Mingus Institute) and made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts as part of American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius.
The Mingus Big Band also performs live in concert at Jazz Standard this week from Friday, Feb 18 – Sunday, Feb 20, designed to correspond with the 2011 Charles Mingus High School Competition at Manhattan School of Music.
For more CD info, visit http://mingusmingusmingus.com/MingusBands/liveatstandard.html
For a full calendar of weekend events: Mingus Orchestra at St. Bartholomew’s Church, Mingus High School Competition at Manhattan School of Music, and Mingus Big Band at Jazz Standard please visit http://mingusmingusmingus.com/JazzEducation/hscompschedule.html
A summary of 2011 Mingus High School Competition News and links:
| Mingus High School Competition Winners Press Release |
| Mon, Feb. 28 2011 |
| Congratulations to all participants!!! |
| Jazz Times: Let My Children Play Mingus – 3rd Annual Charles Mingus High School Competition and Festival |
| Sat, Feb. 12 2011 |
| By Jason Rabin “For the Manhattan School of Music, February means Mingus, Mingus, Mingus! In partnership with Let My Children Hear Music/The Charles Mingus Institute, the school is hosting its 3rd annual Charles Mingus High School Competition and Festival, February 18-21.” |
| MINGUS BIG BAND WINS GRAMMY! Mingus High School Competition Results |
| Sun, Feb. 13 2011 |
|
JAZZ WORKSHOP, INC. (The 484
Mingus Big Band Wins Grammy! NEW YORK, February 15, 2011—On Sunday, February 13, 2011,
Co-produced by Sue Mingus and Seth Abramson, Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard This concert celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of seminal Saturday, February 19, 2011, this same team will record the The Mingus Big Band also performs live in concert at Jazz For more CD info, visit http://mingusmingusmingus.com/MingusBands/liveatstandard.html For a full calendar of weekend events: Mingus Orchestra at
|
| Medfield Press: Medfield High Jazz Band selected for prestigious competition |
| Wed, Feb. 9 2011 |
| “It’s going to be a huge experience,” said Medfield junior Luke Rosenfeld, who plays piano in the jazz band. “Playing with the Mingus Big Band is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s not something you can just do every day.”…“The seniors were especially overjoyed because it’s their last year and some of them had been selected as part of the Essentially Ellington [high school jazz band] competition when they were freshmen,” he said. “The Mingus competition is very similar…and they got to play with [trumpeter] Wynton Marsalis and other phenomenal artists. We’ve been practicing Charles Mingus’s music for a few months now; we are very excited.”During the master clinics, a member of the Mingus Big Band will work individually with students.“Being taught by them is going to be huge,” said Rosenfeld, who has been playing piano for 10 years….“The students have really grown to love Mingus’s music and have become passionate about it,” said Olsen. “It’s such a unique experience for these students to hang out and interact with these famous musicians in New York City and get to meet other inspired high-level musicians from around the country.” |
| Dakota Combo Selected for Charles Mingus High School Competition |
| Tue, Feb. 1 2011 |
| Adam Linz, Combo director and a staunch advocate for the music of Charles Mingus, couldn’t be happier. “The Mingus High School Competition is one of the most high profile jazz gatherings in the world…The music of Mingus somehow taps into the youth of America. I think it is the emphasis on energy and the band concept that draw young people to his music. It requires that you step up and be heard and not hide in a section. It also promotes individuality among the people that tackle it. The meek need not apply. So we are very excited to go to NYC and meet other young people from around the country that share our love for this man and his music! We are also excited to show everyone our commitment to Mingus in the lives of young people.” Notes MacPhail President/Chief Operating Officer Paul Babcock, “This is a terrific opportunity for the students in the Dakota Combo. They have great passion and enthusiasm for playing jazz and especially have developed a great love for playing the music of Charles Mingus. It’s an honor have the Dakota Combo perform at the Mingus competition and be selected among the excellent high school jazz groups from across the country.””I’m absolutely thrilled,” said saxophonist Danny Hupp. “To be thrown into an environment where everyone has the same passion as you is exciting, but also somewhat terrifying. I honestly cannot wait.”Adds pianist Quentin Tschofen, “I’m really looking forward to the competition and workshops. What’s particularly exciting is the opportunity to play jazz in New York among a lot of people who really love the art form…And now we need to rehearse!” |
| 2011 Charles Mingus High School Competition Finalists Announced |
| Wed, Jan. 5 2011 |
| 2011 MINGUS HIGH SCHOOL COMPETITION FINALISTS The finalists (in alphabetical order by school) are:BIG BAND CATEGORY Lexington High School Jazz Ensemble, Lexington, MA. Band Director: Ken Gable Jazz Ensemble I, Medfield High School, Medfield, MA. Band Director: Douglas Olsen Two O’Clock Jazz Band, Wellesley High School, Wellesley, MA. Band Director: Steven ScottBIG BAND CATEGORY-Specialized Schools and Programs Jazz Elite, White Plains, NY. Band Director: Iantheia Calhoun Jazz House Big Band, Jazz House Kids, Montclair, NJ. Band Director: Julius Tolentino York College Blue Notes, New York, NY. Band Director: Tom ZlabingerCOMBO CATEGORY Lexington High School Jazz Combo, Lexington, MA. Band Director: Ken Gable Conceptual Sextet, Rio Americano High School, Sacramento, CA. Band Director: Max Kiesner Rivers Select 1 Combo, The Rivers School, Weston, MA. Band Director: Philippe CrettienCOMBO CATEGORY-Specialized Schools and Program Jazz Ensemble 4, Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, Hartford, CT. Band Director: Kris Allen Dakota Combo, MacPhail Center for Music, Minneapolis, MN. Band Director: Adam Linz MSM Precollege Combo, Manhattan School of Music, New York, NY. Band Director: Jeremy ManasiaComplete Press Release |
| NPR to rebroadcast Mingus Big Band from the Jazz Standard. |
| Thu, Dec. 23 2010 |
| NPR is rebroadcasting the Mingus Big Band from the Jazz Standard – the Grammy-nominated music – as the first JazzSet of 2011. JazzSet airs on more than 100 stations nationwide and in Europe as well. Listeners should check with their stations for date and time of the broadcast(s).On WBGO and wbgo.org, JazzSet featuring the MBB airs on Sun, Jan 2, at 6pm and on Wed, Jan 5, at 6:30pm.Michael Bourne is the MC and the Grammy-nominated host is Dee Dee Bridgewater.The CD and mp3 downloads of the album go here: http://mingusmingusmingus.com/MingusBands/liveatstandard.html |
| Happy Holidays! |
| Thu, Dec. 23 2010 |
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| Mingus NEA concerts at MacPhail Center for Music |
| Wed, Nov. 24 2010 |
| “Three NEA grants (American Masterpieces) for chamber music in 2010-2011 support projects devoted to the works of Charles Mingus, including the four-concert series at the MacPhail Center for Music. Presented as part of its annual Jazz Thursdays program, “Meditations and Revelations” is the brainchild of bassist/MacPhail jazz coordinator Adam Linz, a longtime devotee of the “one-man avant garde,” to quote John McDonough in his article about the MacPhail grant in this month’s issue of Chamber Music magazine. In explaining the rationale for presenting the music of Mingus live, Linz told McDonough, “It’s the ability to find spontaneity in music that’s fifty years old [and to] take it somewhere it hasn’t been. That’s the spirit of Mingus… You have a band that rehearses without charts and adds to the performance…we want to keep that spirit that it may all fall apart….”article and photos by Andrea Canter |
| WSJ: “Mingus” at Anthology series. |
| Thu, Nov. 4 2010 |
| Pedro Costa SelectsAnthology Film Archives 32 Second Ave., (212) 505-5181 Through Nov. 16View Full Image MOVIE2 Pedro CostaJeanne Balibar in Pedro Costa’s ‘Ne change rien.’ MOVIE2 MOVIE2A rock star to cinematic aesthetes, Pedro Costa is more punk than Dutch provocateur Lars von Trier. With seemingly no more than a digital camera, some natural light and a subject (for instance, the Lisbon slum and its loquacious denizens in his celebrated Fontainhas Trilogy) the Portuguese filmmaker achieves something fascinating, hypnotic and mysterious—and, in its fearless chiaroscuro, an austere yet rapturous beauty. For two weeks, Mr. Costa will present his most recent film, “Ne change rein,” a performance documentary starring French actress and singer Jeanne Balibar, alongside some of his favorite movies. He’s included some elusive choices, such as Jean Eustache’s obscured documentary debut “Numero Zero,” Jean-Luc Godard’s comic “Keep Your Right Up,” Thomas Reichman’s raw and bitter “Mingus: Charlie Mingus 1968.” Mr. Costa will discuss his films Friday evening, and will introduce various screenings throughout the series. |
| Jazz Times: Junko Onishi plays Mingus; “Meditations for a Pair of Wire Cutters” |
| Thu, Nov. 4 2010 |
| You can listen to a clip on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Baroque/dp/B0043CO7PA/ref=tmm_other_title_0 |
| Appalachian’s Jazz Ensemble II performs Nov. 9 |
| Thu, Nov. 4 2010 |
| Appalachian’s Jazz Ensemble II performs Nov. 9BOONE—Charles Mingus, Mark Taylor and Chris Culver are among the jazz composers whose work will be performed Nov. 9 by Appalachian State University’s Jazz Ensemble II.The program begins at 8 p.m. in Broyhill Music Center’s Rosen Concert Hall. Admission is free.Rod Berry, an instructor in the Hayes School of Music, directs the ensemble in performances of Lennie Niehaus’ “Absolutely Awesome,” Chris Culver’s “Mongo Mood,” Mark Taylor’s “Bebop ‘N’ Georgia” and “Not Yet Over the Hill,” Charles Mingus’ “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” and Mike Carubia’s “Buffalo Wings.” |
| Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard is up for a Grammy nomination! |
| Thu, Oct. 21 2010 |
| Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard is up for a Grammy nomination at http://www.grammy365.comIf you are a voting member, please consider: Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz StandardSolo: Kenny Rampton on “Cryin’ Blues”Arrangement: Sy Johnson for “New Now Know How”You’ll find them under Jazz of course.If you haven’t heard it yet: http://mingusmingusmingus.com/MingusBands/liveatstandard.htmlYou can also download a free mp3 of “Cryin’ Blues” featuring Kenny Rampton on trumpet. “Every tune a classic, every player a master, “Crisp and crackling with life….the Mingus songbook
with fresh arrangements and top-notch musicianship.” -All About Jazz-New York
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| Mingus Awareness Project: Return to Richmond, VA |
| Wed, Oct. 20 2010 |
| Mingus Awareness Project features Adam Larrabee Plays Money Jungle and Mingus Awareness Project Big Band directed by Doug Richards and will take place on Sunday, October 24, 2010, 7pm, at Richmond CenterStage’s Rhythm Hall.Another article. |
| Anniversary of Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus |
| Wed, Oct. 20 2010 |
| Charles Mingus Presents Charles MingusRecorded October 19, 1960 at Nola Penthouse Sound Studios, New York City |
| Jazz Times: Review of Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard |
| Wed, Oct. 6 2010 |
| Lucid Culture review of Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard |
| Wed, Oct. 6 2010 |
| Buddy Collette’s Los Angeles: LA Times. |
| Thu, Sep. 23 2010 |
| “In 1999, the late jazzman reflected on his early musical career, Central Avenue, Charles Mingus and the fusion of the segregated musicians’ unions.”RIP, Buddy Collette. |
| Charles Mingus Revenge! Now available digitally |
| Thu, Sep. 9 2010 |
| Revenge! The Legendary Paris Concert Eric Dolphy (alto saxophone, bass clarinet and flute), Johnny Coles (trumpet on So Long Eric), Clifford Jordan (tenor saxophone), Jaki Byard (piano), and Dannie Richmond (drums), Charles Mingus (bass)
• So Long Eric (28:50) • Parkeriana (24:13)
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| Guadian.co.uk Review: 50 great moments in jazz: Charles Mingus’s The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady |
| Tue, Sep. 7 2010 |
| 50 great moments in jazz: Charles Mingus’s The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady: It’s almost impossible to choose just one great moment from the legacy of this pioneering bassist and compositional genius…. |
| Pop Matters reviews Live at Jazz Standard |
| Fri, Aug. 6 2010 |
| Sue Mingus and the Mingus Big Band: Letting Our Children Hear Music By Sean Murphy |
| Mingus bands in residency at Flynn Center |
| Mon, Jul. 19 2010 |
| Four-day residency with three bands. Highlight: Oct. 16, 2010, the Mingus Repertory Ensembles — the Mingus Big Band, Mingus Dynasty and Mingus Orchestra — perform the music of jazz legend Charles Mingus, with choreography by Danny Buraczeski. |
| http://www.washingtonsquarenyc.org/wordpress/archives/246 |
| Mon, Jul. 19 2010 |
| WASHINGTON SQUARE MUSIC FESTIVAL ENDS 50th PARK SEASON WITH THE CHARLES MINGUS ORCHESTRA, A FREE JAZZ CONCERTOn Tuesday, July 27 at 8 pm in Washington Square,the Charles Mingus Orchestra closes the Washington Square Music Festival’s 52nd season by performing works by the late Charles Mingus. The concert is free and celebrates a great American composer, who left his legacy in the worlds of both jazz and the civil rights struggle.Seating is on a first-come, first served basis in front of the Holley Statue, in the northwest quadrant of the Square. The Festival is under the auspices of the Washington Square Association, Inc. Rainspace is St. Joseph’s Church, 371 Sixth Avenue. Festival info: 212-252-3621 www.washingtonsquaremusicfestival.org |
| New CD reviewed on Straight No Chaser |
| Tue, Jun. 29 2010 |
| CD reviewed in July issue of All About Jazz-New York |
| Tue, Jun. 29 2010 |
| “Crisp and crackling with life….the Mingus songbook with fresh arrangements and top-notch musicianship.” CD reviewed in July issue of All About Jazz-New York. |
| Fight ALS (tonight at Jazz Showcase in Chicago) by remembering Charles Mingus |
| Wed, Jun. 23 2010 |
| Jazz Journalists Assn honors Sue Mingus |
| Wed, Jun. 16 2010 |
| JJA 2010 Jazz Awards Sy Johnson introduces Sue Mingus at :59. |
| New CD Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard |
| Thu, Jun. 10 2010 |
 Available digitally at iTunes and physical CDs at CD Baby |
| Living Legends, Onstage and in Memoriam-Wall Street Journal |
| Thu, Jun. 10 2010 |
| Mingus Big Band/Mingus Mondays Jazz Standard 116 E. 27th St., (212) 576-2232 Mondays Also being honored at the JJA Awards is Sue Mingus, the widow of the late bassist-composer, who has seen to it that her husband’s music is more widely performed now than it was during the jazz iconoclast’s lifetime. (Even the Django Reinhardt-inspired Hot Club of Detroit is playing “Nostalgia in Times Square” on their new album, “It’s About That Time.”) “Mingus Monday” has become a tradition at Jazz Standard…. The 14-piece big band, which features saxophonists Scott Robinson and Wayne Escoffery, is also represented by its 10th album, “Live at Jazz Standard,” and demonstrates that, alongside Ellington and Monk, there’s no composer more worthy than Mingus of being a one-man franchise. |
| Mingus Big Band Finalist for Large Ensemble of the Year-Jazz Journalists Awards |
| Wed, May. 26 2010 |
| Gala on June 14, 2010. |
| Mingus band regular Scott Robinson feautred in WSJ |
| Wed, May. 26 2010 |
| Mailing List changes from weekly to monthly | ||
| Mon, Apr. 5 2010 | ||
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| Mingus paintings by BRUNI Sablan |
| Wed, Mar. 24 2010 |
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| Mingus Mondays featured on PBS SundayArts News |
| Tue, Feb. 23 2010 |
| Mingus Mondays is 4:56-5:20 |
| Student recites “Mingus at the Showplace” by William Matthews in Thousand Oaks competition |
| Thu, Feb. 11 2010 |
| Yale Jazz Ensemble Concert To Feature Music Of Charles Mingus Feb 10 |
| Wed, Feb. 10 2010 |
| Yale Jazz Ensemble Concert To Feature Music Of Thad Jones, Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington On CampusThe Yale Jazz Ensemble, directed by Thomas C. Duffy, will present its winter concert on Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m., in Morse Recital Hall in Sprague Memorial Hall. The program will feature charts by Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, Thad Jones, Phil Woods, Lester Young, Slide Hampton, and more. Admission is free and no tickets are required.The Yale Jazz Ensemble is an 18 piece big band that performs a wide variety of music, from Yale’s Benny Goodman archive to the newest and most progressive jazz compositions. The ensemble has performed extensively in the U.S. and internationally at such noted venues as New York’s Village Vanguard and Iridium Jazz Clubs and London’s Ronnie Scott’s.Call 203-432-4113 for more information. |
| February 9, 2010 National Jazz Museum in Harlem: Jazz on Film: Charles Mingus/Billie Holiday |
| Sat, Jan. 30 2010 |
| February 9, 2010 Jazz for Curious ListenersJazz on Film: Charles Mingus/Billie Holiday 7:00 – 8:30pmLocation: NJMIH Visitors Center (104 E. 126th Street, Suite 2C)FREE | For more information: 212-348-8300Hearing is one thing – seeing is another. What better to spend an evening that watching these two iconic figures in all of their originality and genius? |
| Mingus workshop in Buffalo tonight! |
| Mon, Feb. 8 2010 |
| WWMD? A gaggle of devotees of Charles Mingus, the legendary jazz bassist-composer-rights activist, will brainstorm and barnstorm in the Jazz Composers Workshop, which gets under way at about 7:30 p.m. in Central Park Grill, 2519 Main St. On hand will be Nelson Starr, John Werick, Michael McNeill, John Anderson, Joe Hochulski, Kelly Bucheger and Tim Clarke. |
| Mingus Big Band’s Conrad Herwig on WKCR 89.9FM NY and online. |
| Wed, Jan. 27 2010 |
| 6-9pm Wednesday, January 27th on WKCR 89.9FM NY. “The Musician’s Show.”Conrad Herwig will guest host Mingus Big Band’s Conrad Herwig LIVE on-air on WKCR Radio next Wednesday 6-9PM. He’ll play his own music, recordings he has played on with the Mingus bands (such as the soon-to-be-released 2009 New Year’s Eve concert at Jazz Standard, broadcast on NPR), and other music that has inspired him. |
| Nu-Art Series features music of Charles Mingus |
| Wed, Jan. 27 2010 |
| Saturday, February 6:Darrell Mixon Quartet/Charles Mingus |
| “Haitian Fight Song” / Haitian Relief |
| Wed, Jan. 20 2010 |
| Links to a few places that need your donations: Mercy Corps http://www.mercycorps.org/ Wyclef Jean’s Yele Haiti http://yele.org Red Cross Artists for Peace and Justice Doctors without Borders Oxfam Catholic Relief Services http://crs.org/ Unicef http://www.unicef.org/ Clinton Bush Haiti Fund Longer, descriptive list on Huffington Post |
| Marching for Peace, 1967 |
| Mon, Jan. 18 2010 |
Hart Hooton memory of marching with King and Mingus |
| Mingus HS Finalist News: Ken East Honors Jazz Band Heading to Big Apple for Prominent Performance |
| Thu, Jan. 14 2010 |
| Mingus Competition Finalists Announced |
| Tue, Jan. 5 2010 |
| MINGUS HIGH SCHOOL COMPETITION FINALISTS ANNOUNCED The finalists (in alphabetical order) are:BIG BAND CATEGORY-Regular Boston Latin Big Band. Boston Latin School, Boston, MA. Band Director: Paul J. Pitts Kenmore East High School Jazz Band, Tonawanda, NY. Band Director: Phil Aguglia Rivers Big Band, The Rivers School, Weston, MA. Band Director: Philippe CrettienBIG BAND CATEGORY-Specialized Academy Big Band, Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, Hartford, CT. Band Director: Douglas Maher Eastman Youth Jazz Orchestra, Rochester, NY. Band Director: Howard Potter Manhattan School of Music Precollege Big Band, New York, NY. Band Director: Jeremy ManasiaCOMBO CATEGORY-Regular Foxborough High School Jazz Quintet, Foxborough, MA. Director: Stephen C. Massey Rio Americano Combo, Rio Americano High School, Sacramento, CA. Band Director: Max Kiesner Rivers Select 1 Combo, The Rivers School, Weston, MA. Band Director: Philippe CrettienCOMBO CATEGORY-Specialized Eastman Youth Jazz Orchestra, Rochester, NY. Band Director: Howard Potter Manasia Improv Ensemble, Manhattan School of Music, New York, NY. Band Director: Jeremy Manasia York College Blue Notes, New York, NY. Band Director: Tom Zlabinger Please call 212-736-4749 for more information. |
| Mingus High School Competition & Festival Held in New York City February 12-15, 2010 with Mingus Gospel Concert at St. Bart’s |
| Tue, Dec. 15 2009 |
| *Nationwide Charles Mingus High School Competition*Four-Day Festival Held in New York City February 12-15, 2010*Mingus Gospel Concert at St. Bart’sFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 2, 2009 – New York, NY Let My Children Hear Music/The Charles Mingus Institute, a New York City-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization devoted to expanding and promoting the legacy of Charles Mingus, announces exciting lineup for Charles Mingus High School Competition and weekend festival.This year’s Competition was expanded to include high school students nationwide and extend their New York experience beyond the Manhattan School of Music, where the Competition and clinics will be held. More activities were added for New York residents to make this a true festival celebrating Mingus music. A full day of clinics and workshops will take place at the Manhattan School of Music on Saturday. There will be master classes for instruments and sections plus lectures and clinics in connection with Mingus music exploring themes such as “Thematic Development in Improvisation” and “Deconstructing Melody,” “The On Saturday night there will be an extraordinary public concert of Mingus gospel music at the landmark St. Bartholomew’s (St. Bart’s) Church on Park Avenue and 50th Street. This unique event will not only return Mingus music to its blues & gospel church roots, but will feature the sort of instrumentation—harp, bassoon, French horn, bass clarinet (along with the more familiar trumpet, trombone and saxophones)—that illustrates Mingus’s long-time mission to open up the instrumental possibilities so children can be inspired to play in symphony orchestras as well as jazz bands. The concert will include such rousing numbers as “Better Get Hit In Your Soul,” “Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting,” “Ecclusiastics,” “Consider Me, Oh Lord” (from a Langston Hughes collaboration), and much more. There will also be a reception for high school participants prior to the concert and opening remarks by Gunther Schuller. On Sunday the daylong Mingus High School Competition will feature the battle between the top 12 big bands and combos from around the country and a concert by the MSM Mingus Combo. Monday the Mingus Big Band performs at Jazz Standard as part of its regular weekly residency. All participants, whether finalists or not, are invited to attend all weekend events. The Competition provides an exceptional musical experience for its participants and an important addition to the many cultural attractions in New York City. It has already become a much-anticipated part of the national and local cultural landscape, celebrating New York as the arts capital of the world and Charles Mingus as one of our most significant artists. Please call 212-736-4749 for more information. Friday, Feb 12: TBA
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| Mingus High School Competition: Foxboro trumpet player at the Grammys |
| Wed, Jan. 27 2010 |
| “Matt Muirhead, Foxboro High School Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band and other groups, leaves for California Saturday to play with an elite student jazz band as part of the 52nd annual Grammy awards celebration.And from Feb. 12-15, Muirhead will be with a Foxboro High jazz quintet competing in the annual Charles Mingus Jazz Competition in New York City.The 17-year-old, who began playing trumpet in fifth grade, enjoys all types of music but is heavily focused on jazz.”Jazz provides a level of intimacy, democracy and interaction that you don’t necessarily feel in other genres,” said Muirhead.Next month Muirhead and fellow FHS students Brendan Thomas, Ian Ayers, Christian Lyman and Connor Schultze will be traveling to New York City for the Feb. 12-15 Mingus competition at the Manhattan School of Music.The student-directed band will be competing against finalists from The Rivers School in Weston and Rio Americano High School in Sacramento, Cal., playing the music of the legendary jazz pianist, bandleader and composer.
School music director Steve Massey said he’s especially proud of Muirhead and the other students’ accomplishment in entering and attaining a finalist position at the second annual Mingus competition. Students took the lead in suggesting a Foxboro entry and rehearsed on their own, beginning last summer, using their own arrangements. |
| Mingus High School Competition subway ad |
| Wed, Jan. 27 2010 |
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| Mingus High School Competition press from schools-Eastman |
| Wed, Feb. 10 2010 |
| NY Daily News: Composer Charles Mingus’ music will be played at free 2-day festival |
| Mon, Feb. 8 2010 |
| Mingus High School Competition-Ken Franckling’s Jazz Notes: Reminders of the Future of Jazz |
| Tue, Feb. 23 2010 |
| Mingus High School Competition: Kenmore on TV news |
| Thu, Feb. 11 2010 |
| TV news: Kenmore East High School competing in the Charles Mingus High School Competition |
| Mingus HS Competition: “Foxboro HS has all that jazz” |
| Wed, Feb. 24 2010 |
| Mingus High School Competition: Rio Americano |
| Fri, Feb. 12 2010 |
| Mingus High School Competition Winners Announced |
| Wed, Feb. 17 2010 |
| THE WINNING ENSEMBLES AND OUTSTANDING SOLOISTS ARE: BIG BAND CATEGORY Adjudicators: Justin DiCioccio, Conrad Herwig and Boris KozlovBEST BIG BAND – REGULAR HIGH SCHOOL The Rivers Big Band, Philippe Crettien, Band Director The Rivers School; Weston, MassachusettsBEST BIG BAND – SPECIALIZED SCHOOL Academy Big Band, Douglas Maher, Band Director Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts; Hartford, ConnecticutMINGUS SPIRIT AWARD The Mingus Spirit Award was given to the Rio Americano Combo from the Rio Americano High School in Sacramento, California. Maxwell Kiesner, Band Director. Zach Giberson, alto saxophone; Zach Darf, tenor saxophone; Victor San Pedro, guitar; David Williams, piano; Nathan Swedlow, bass; Jarrett Tracy, drumsCOMBO CATEGORY Adjudicators: Gunther Schuller, Vincent Herring and Andrew HomzyBEST COMBO – REGULAR HIGH SCHOOL The Foxborough High School Jazz Quintet, Stephen C. Massey, Band Director Foxborough High School; Foxborough, Massachusetts Brendan Thomas, alto and tenor saxophones; Matt Muirhead, trumpet; Ian Ayers, guitar; Connor Schultze, Bass; and Christian Lyman, drumsBEST COMBO – SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOL Manasia Improv Ensemble, Jeremy Manasia, Band Director Manhattan School of Music Precollege; New York, New York Elijah Shiffer, alto saxophone; Kevin Sun, tenor saxophone; Adam O’Farrill, trumpet; Luke Celenza, piano; Daryl Johns, bass; and Clint Mobley, drums BEST ARRANGER OUTSTANDING SECTION OUTSTANDING SOLOISTS Guitar: Victor San Pedro Trombone: Tom Chalmers Trumpet: Adam O’Farrill Drums: Xavier Hill Piano: Mike Raleigh Alto Sax: Elliot Scozzaro Tenor Sax: Lomar Brown Soprano Sax: Erik Stabnau The Charles Mingus High School Competition was open this year to high school jazz combos and big bands nationwide. (Last year’s competition, the first of its kind, was open to ensembles from the Northeast.) The goal of the competition is to provide an opportunity for high school music students to explore the enormously varied works of Charles Mingus and to find their own voices within the music. The finalists were chosen from high school jazz bands from across the country: California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. In addition to the Charles Mingus High School Competition that took place on Sunday, the two-day Charles Mingus Festival included on Saturday, February 13, clinics given by members of the Mingus repertory bands, a student jam session, and a concert of Mingus’s music showcasing his blues and gospel roots. Performing the concert was the Mingus Orchestra, with Gunther Schuller and Harpist Edmar Castaneda, guest artist, given at New York City’s historic St. Bartholomew’s Church. Charles Mingus, a virtuoso bassist, accomplished pianist and bandleader, is recognized as a major 20th-century composer, whose entire works have been acquired by the Library of Congress – a first for jazz, and a first for an African-American composer. He recorded more than 100 albums and composed more than 300 compositions, music that is still considered far ahead of its time, leaving behind the largest legacy of composition in American music after Duke Ellington. The Mingus Bands remain devoted to his vast repertoire and under the artistic direction of Sue Mingus, play to critical acclaim throughout the world. Their critical and popular successes are a testament to the power of Mingus’s composition. The availability of his music through published arrangements, educational books, school courses, and workshops, coupled with the hugely successful Charles Mingus High School Competition, have extended the reach of his legacy. * * * * * HIGH SCHOOL COMBOS Combo Category – Specialized High Schools BIG BAND CATEGORY Big Band Category – Specialized High Schools * * * * *All photos by Brian Hatton |
| NYT: Mingus High School Competition & FestIval and Mingus Orchestra at St. Bart’s |
| Fri, Feb. 12 2010 |
| ★ CHARLES MINGUS FESTIVAL (Saturday and Sunday) The centerpiece of this weekend affair, celebrating the music and memory of the bassist-composer Charles Mingus, is a free concert at 7 p.m. on Saturday, featuring the Mingus Orchestra, conducted by Gunther Schuller, in a cathedral setting [St. Bart's]. At Manhattan School of Music on Sunday the Charles Mingus High School Competition culminates in early-evening performances by the MSM’s Mingus Jazz Combo (at 5:30 p.m.) and the professional-grade Mingus Dynasty Band (at 6). MSM 122nd and Broadway, msmnyc.edu / St. Bartholomew’s Church, Park Avenue at 51st Street, (212) 378-0248, stbarts.org; free. (Chinen) (details corrected) |
| NY Post: Mingus High School Competition & FestIval and Mingus Orchestra at St. Bart’s |
| Fri, Feb. 12 2010 |
| “It seems only right that entry would be free to this weekend’s tribute to Charles Mingus, who was inarguably one of jazz’s most irrepressible figures. The second annual Charles Mingus Festival starts Saturday at 12:15 p.m. with “Mingus Movies,” followed by a 2 p.m. rhythm, sax and brass clinic; a 3:30 p.m. jam session featuring high school musicians from all over the country; and a 7 p.m. Mingus Orchestra performance at St. Bartholomew’s Church (325 Park Ave., at 50th Street). The party continues Sunday with a 10 a.m. competition among high school jazz combos, a 2:15 p.m. battle of high school big bands, a performance by the Mingus Dynasty at 6 p.m. and, finally, a 6:30 p.m. awards ceremony for the bands that played earlier in the day. Except for Saturday’s concert, it all happens at Manhattan School of Music, 120 Claremont Avenue, at East 122nd St.; 212-749-2802, mingusmingusmingus.com.” |
