Once again, the BMF/SFBAAAM is putting on a great show. These shows will take place the first Sunday of every month. Eventually, we hope to expand beyond that, but whatever the format or frequency, great music is going to be happening near you! Come on out!
THE BACKSTREET SUNDAY JAZZ SERIES
Muziki Roberson is a gifted, inspired Jazz pianist and composer who for the last two decades has thrived in some of the most challenging and creative environments the Bay Area jazz scene has to offer. For years, he was the keyboardist for the brilliant, jazz/funk/Latin poetry group, Mingus Amungus. And for 12 years, Roberson was keyboard player and award winning composer for the San Francisco Mime Troupe. He’s also performed with inventive jazz violinist Michael White for 4 years, which included a trip to Lagos Nigeria’s 1977 FESTAC where he had the opportunity to play with Stevie Wonder and members of the band Osibisa. Additionally, Mr Roberson has also played with violinist, Billy Bang, and Saxophonist, David Murray, among many others.
Rhonda Benin- Vocalist
Darlene Coleman- Vocalist
Babatunde Lea -drums
Mark Wright-trumpet
Angela Wellman- trombone
Charles McNeil - saxophone
David Daniel- bass
And Special Guest Jazz Poets: Robert Carmack and Julian Carroll
Oakland Public Conservatory of Music
1616 Franklin Street (17th street & Franklin)
Oakland, CA
order online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/
(enter: Backstreet Sunday Jazz)
tickets may also be purchased at the door: $15/adults/$10 seniors & children
Read on for a review of last month’s show:
It was announced by Robert Carmack, executive producer and vice president of operations for SFBAAAM, that their first concert was a complete success. The first in a continuing series entitled, "Back Street Sunday Jazz Series", was held Sunday, November 4th at the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music in downtown Oakland California. The show featured the musical leadership of Jazz educator/pianist, Dr. Bill Bell. The SRO crowd applauded, yelled and whistled at the tight band assembled by Bell, with a trio of sultry vocalists featured in the first set. The band included Bell on piano, Ollen Erich Hunt, on bass, Kamau Seitu, on drums, Melvin Butts, alto saxophone, Calvin Keys, guitar, Angela Wellman, trombone, Mark Wright, trumpet, and Yancey Taylor, on vibraphone. The set included jumping blues, swing tunes and ballads, with a "big band feel", using arrangements by Bell himself, an accomplished arranger/composer. The show opened with local favorite, Ms. Robin Gregory, as she torched the audience with her rendition of Blue Gardenia, followed by a lovely arrangement of Cole Porter's Night & Day. Valerie Cooper, an up and coming singer in the Bay Area, followed Robin, with a tender version of Body and Soul. The set finished with dynamic vocalist, Darlene Coleman, who, with polished tenacity and sheer vocal power, excited and roused the crowd with her interpretations of Tenderly and Teach Me Tonight. "It was truly magical", stated Joyce Slayton, a visiting Jazz fan from Atlanta, Georgia.
The evening's host and producer, Robert Carmack, then introduced a panel of personalities from the wider jazz community to discuss how the jazz audience can be further developed. Local jazz radio host, Sonny Buxton, Anna De Leon, proprietor of Anna's Jazz Island, Karlton Hester, department head of music at UC Santa Cruz, musician, Roger Glenn, and Dr. Bill Bell participated in the discussion, a key feature of which involved the development of young musicians, who will carry and sustain the music into the future.
The evening was not done, as Carmack gathered the crowd for the start of the second set, which featured an entirely different band and musical director. Mr Glenn Pearson, head of the music department at The College of Alameda, presented a more "edgy" sound ensemble. Multi-instrumentalist, Roger Glenn soloed on saxophone, vibes and flute. Michael Dennis was featured on drums, with David Daniel taking over duty on the bass. Ms Gregory and Ms Cooper, returned in this set to perform with the aggregation. Many of the patrons spoke volumes of praises as they exited the building for the night.
OPC founder, Ms. Angela Wellman, (trombonist/educator) was totally elated at the success of the evening’s joint venture between BMF/SFBAAAM and the OPC. . A slogan has been adopted by the two organizations and will be publicized wherever it can: “We Own This! Believe it, Use it, Live it!”
Robert Carmack: http://hipstersanctuary.blogspot.com/
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