Bill Frisell Featured At SFJazz Center Grand Opening Events
Bill Frisell performed at three of SFJazz Center's grand opening events the week of January 21, 2013 in San Francisco. These events were each housed in the new SFJazz Center, a $64 million, 35,000-square-foot structure billed as the nation's first free-standing building created for Jazz. The events included a McCoy Tyner Concert, The Historic Opening Night Concert, and The SFJazz Resident Artistic Directors Concert. Over the course of the three nights, Frisell played with other Jazz giants including Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner, Regina Carter, Joshua Redman, John Santos, Jason Moran, Miguel Zenón and Bobby Hutcherson. The Historic Opening Night Concert, a sold out event hosted by Bill Cosby, was broadcast by WBGO, WWOZ, and streamed online by NPR. The concert, which featured a never before seen duet with Frisell and Chick Corea, is currently available for streaming at NPR.org. For photos and video from the grand opening and for more info on the new SFJazz Center, please sfjazz.org/center.
In Spring 2011, SFJazz named Frisell one of its Resident Artistic Directors to oversee programming and performances from Fall 2012 through the opening of the SFJazz Center. Frisell will continue to oversee original projects at the center over the next two years.
Allen Toussaint To Receive Honorary Doctorate From Tulane University
Allen Toussaint will receive an honorary doctorate degree of Fine Arts at Tulane University's commencement ceremony on May 18th, 2013. Others receiving honorary degrees at this year's ceremony include Dr. John, The Dalai Lama and Pulitzer Prize winner, Natasha Trethewey. His Holiness The Dalai Lama will give the keynote address at the commencement ceremony which will take place at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
The Honorary Doctorate Award is the highest award that Tulane University confers, and it is given "to individuals who have distinguished themselves through extraordinary achievements" and to "recognize outstanding civic engagement that advances Tulane, New Orleans, the Gulf Coast or the world." Some of Toussaint's past accolades include induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Blues Hall of Fame, and Louisiana Music Hall of Fame; multiple GRAMMY nominations, and a GRAMMY Trustees Award. Actively touring the US and abroad, Toussaint continues his influential work and efforts to spread the musical culture of New Orleans.
Charlie Musselwhite And Ben Harper To Appear On The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Tonight, January 22, On NBC
Charlie Musselwhite and Ben Harper will be appearing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as the musical guests on January 22. The show's other guests will include Dana Carvey and Emmy Rossum and will air tonight on NBC at 11:35 EST.
Charlie's performance with Ben Harper will promote their forthcoming collaborative CD, Get Up!. The CD has already garnered raves including the lead review in Rolling Stone's current issue (January 31, 2013) which proclaimed the project "a smoking album" and described Musselwhite as "an understated virtuoso able to push past tradition without losing himself." Billboard's featured review on the project noted "We certainly will not complain if the adventurous Harper opts to explore this partnership further."
Get Up! will be released on January 29. A track from the new CD, "I Don't Believe A Word You Say", is currently available as a digital download and can be purchased at amazon.com and iTunes store.
To see Charlie perform live, and with Ben Harper on select dates, see Tour Dates >>
Trombone Shorty Honored With 3 Best Of The Beat Awards, Featured At The 2013 Green Inaugural Ball
Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews has yet again been honored with multiple Best of the Beat Awards. The awards are voted on by the general public and presented by OffBeat Magazine. For the third year in a row, Trombone Shorty was awarded Artist of the Year (his fifth overall), Best R&B/Funk Artist (also his fifth overall) and Best Trombonist. Trombone Shorty was also featured on two other albums that received Best of the Beat Awards: Preservation Hall Jazz Band's St. Peter & 57th St. for Best Traditional Jazz Album and Galatic's Carnivale Electricos for Best R&B/Funk Album. The Best of the Beat ceremony took place January 18th at Generations Hall in New Orleans. For a complete list of winners click here.
In other news, Trombone Shorty and Mike "Bass" Ballard were featured performers at the 2013 Green Inaugural Ball in honor of President Barack Obama on January 20th, the night before the presidential swearing-in ceremony. The Green Ball, which was held at the Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C., featured a variety of talented artists in addition to Shorty including will.i.am., Mark McGrath, Paul Winter, Sheila E and "The Voice's" Nicholas David. It also saw a range of celebrities and political figures in attendance with speeches from Vice President Joe Biden, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, "Damages" actor Tate Donovan, "Breaking Bad's" Giancarlo Esposito and Bill Nye "The Science Guy".
Carrie Rodriguez To Be Honored By City Of Austin With An Official Carrie Rodriguez Day
Carrie Rodriguez has had a day named in her honor by her home city of Austin, Texas. The City has proclaimed January 17, 2013 to be forever known as Carrie Rodriguez Day. The City of Austin's proclamation is in recognition of Carrie's "work in advancing Austin as the 'Live Music Capital of the World'."
Carrie will perform one song for the City's Mayor and Council members on Thursday, January 17 during the City Council's meeting where there will be an official proclamation of Carrie Rodriguez Day. The meeting will be open to the public and will air live on local TV Channel 6 from 5:30pm (CST) as well as being available to watch via a live stream at austintexas.gov/department/channel-6. Please check the website for further broadcasting and streaming information.
On January 22, Carrie will release her fifth full-length solo album Give Me All You Got. Catch Carrie perform live in support of her new CD, see Tour Dates >>
The Blind Boys of Alabama Set For Prince Tribute Concert At Carnegie Hall
The Blind Boys of Alabama will be featured as part of an all-star line up of artists paying tribute to Prince at a benefit concert at Carnegie Hall on March 7th. The concert will also feature Booker T. Jones, The Waterboys, Madeleine Peyroux, Talib Kweli, DeVotchka, PRINCEss feat. Maya Rudolph & Gretchen Lieberum and The Roots, who will serve as the House Band for the night, with more artists to be announced. The New York Times has announced the event as "...an eclectic group of musicians [who] will reinterpret the catalog of a master songwriter...this year promises to have a funky R&B edge." Past honorees of this annual fundraising concert have included the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and R.E.M. Rosebud artist, Bettye LaVette has also performed for this series at the tribute concerts for Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and The Who. The concert's proceeds will go to benefit arts education programs for underprivileged youth. Check out the list of beneficiaries plus event and ticket information at carnegieprince.com.
Carrie Rodriguez, Ruthie Foster And Marcia Ball To Be Featured At Texas State Society's Presidential Inauguration Ball
Rosebud artists and Texas musical ambassadors Marcia Ball, Ruthie Foster and Carrie Rodriguez are set to perform at the Texas State Society of Washington D.C.'s Presidential Inauguration Ball on January 19, 2013. Also known as The Black Tie & Boots Inaugural Ball, this bipartisan event in honor of President Obama will feature six stages with some twenty performers from the Lone Star State. In addition to Ruthie, Carrie and Marcia, the cast of Texas musicians performing includes Tracy Byrd, Jack Ingram, Asleep at the Wheel and more. The event will be held on the banks of the Potomac River at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center and will feature Texan delicacies and a "Texas Fair". For more information and tickets to the ball, please visit blacktieandbootsball.com.
To Catch Ruthie Foster, Carrie Rodriguez And Marcia Ball Perform Live, See Tour Dates >>
Elvin Bishop and his band were featured on this week's Prairie Home Companion, taped live at San Francisco's War Memorial Opera House on January 5. The entire show repeats January 6 in many markets on NPR (check your local listings). Other guests on the show included the renowned conductor of the San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas singing and playing piano, as well as Bay Area singer, songwriter and fiddler, Laurie Lewis plus The Guy's All-Star Shoe Band. Watch for a new collaboration CD from Elvin this Spring with more details coming soon.
Mavis Staples To Perform At Grammy MusiCares Bruce Springsteen Tribute
Mavis Staples will perform on February 8th at the star-studded tribute for Bruce Springsteen, who is being honored as the 2013 MusiCares Person of the Year for his "exceptional artistic achievements and philanthropic work." The sold-out Grammy Awards Gala concert will be held in Los Angeles two days before the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards Ceremony. Past honorees of the MusiCares Person of the Year include Tony Bennett, Bono, Neil Diamond, Gloria Estefan, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Quincy Jones, Paul McCartney, Luciano Pavarotti, Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon, Barbra Streisand, James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, and Neil Young.
Mavis will be featured along with Alabama Shakes, Jackson Browne, Kenny Chesney, Ben Harper, Emmylou Harris, Faith Hill, Jim James, Elton John, Juanes, John Legend, Natalie Maines, Tim McGraw, Tom Morello, Mumford & Sons, Patti Smith, Sting, Eddie Vedder and Neil Young, with additional performers to be announced shortly. The event, whose mission is to ensure that "music people have a place to turn [to] in times of financial, medical and personal need", will be hosted by Jon Stewart.
This prestigious GRAMMY event follows Mavis' recent appearance on Stephen Colbert's The Colbert Report where she was featured as a special Christmas guest alongside Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco) and Sean Lennon. Mavis is also set to release a new studio album later this year, a follow up to her GRAMMY winning CD You Are Not Alone.
Charlie Musselwhite Inducted Into The Mississippi Musicians Hall Of Fame
Charlie Musselwhite was inducted into the Mississippi Musicians Hall Of Fame on December 10, 2012. The induction ceremony took place in Jackson, Mississippi in conjunction with the groundbreaking for the new location of the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame Museum (the Mississippi Music Experience). This new location will combine a music venue and a center for the Mississippi Blues and Country Music Trails with the museum to preserve and celebrate the state's rich musical heritage. Charlie's induction into the Hall of Fame joins him with previously inducted blues legends such as Robert Johnson, BB King, Elmore James, Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters to name a few.
Charlie's induction marks a long career of achievements and cultural contributions to the state including a GRAMMY Award win, seven GRAMMY Award nominations, twenty-seven Blues Music Award wins and eight Living Blues Award wins. In the meantime, Charlie continues to deliver new material with Get Up!, his collaboration with Ben Harper, set for a January 29, 2013 release. A brand new video trailer for the album featuring interviews with both Musselwhite and Harper is now available on YouTube. The track "I Don't Believe A Word You Say" from Get Up! is currently available for listening on SoundCloud.
Allen Toussaint To Receive Honorary Doctorate From Tulane University
Charlie Musselwhite And Ben Harper To Appear On The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Tonight, January 22, On NBC
Trombone Shorty Honored With 3 Best Of The Beat Awards, Featured At The 2013 Green Inaugural Ball
The Blind Boys of Alabama Set For Prince Tribute Concert At Carnegie Hall
Carrie Rodriguez, Ruthie Foster And Marcia Ball To Be Featured At Texas State Society's Presidential Inauguration Ball
Mavis Staples To Perform At Grammy MusiCares Bruce Springsteen Tribute
Charlie Musselwhite Inducted Into The Mississippi Musicians Hall Of Fame