Jazz Festival Spotlights - Saturday 6.30.12
CHRIS BOTTI
One of the world’s top-selling instrumentalists, he is known for his virtuosic performances and high-profile collaborations with many of music’s biggest names, including Sting, Andrea Bocelli, Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler.
Chris Botti has won millions of fans across the world with his extraordinary virtuosity, unforgettable concert experiences and a versatile style that crosses the genres of jazz, pop, classical and rock. Exciting collaborations with a cast of stars ranging from Sting to Yo-Yo Ma are part of his trademark and have cemented his reputation as an innovator who is passionate about exploring new directions in his music.
A master artist and performer, Chris Botti is the largest selling American jazz instrumental artist, with nearly three million albums sold worldwide. His success has crossed over to audiences usually reserved for pop music and his ongoing association with PBS has led to four #1 Jazz Albums, as well as multiple Gold, Platinum & Grammy Awards. Botti will be performing on June 30, the first day of the two-day event; it will be his third appearance at SPAC’s jazz festival.
One of the world’s top-selling instrumentalists, he is known for his virtuosic performances and high-profile collaborations with many of music’s biggest names, including Sting, Andrea Bocelli, Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler.
Chris Botti has won millions of fans across the world with his extraordinary virtuosity, unforgettable concert experiences and a versatile style that crosses the genres of jazz, pop, classical and rock. Exciting collaborations with a cast of stars ranging from Sting to Yo-Yo Ma are part of his trademark and have cemented his reputation as an innovator who is passionate about exploring new directions in his music.
A master artist and performer, Chris Botti is the largest selling American jazz instrumental artist, with nearly three million albums sold worldwide. His success has crossed over to audiences usually reserved for pop music and his ongoing association with PBS has led to four #1 Jazz Albums, as well as multiple Gold, Platinum & Grammy Awards. Botti will be performing on June 30, the first day of the two-day event; it will be his third appearance at SPAC’s jazz festival.
MICHEL CAMILO
Grammy®, Emmy® and Two-Time Latin Grammy Award Winning pianist and composer MICHEL CAMILO will be among the headliners of the 35th Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival, performing on Saturday, June 30 with master conguero Giovanni Hidalgo and bassist Charles Flores.
The trio’s latest release, Mano a Mano, has received the highest critical praise, including the following from New York City Jazz Record: “Camilo is masterful, treating the listener to his knowledge of dynamics and fine technique. He can attack the keys with fiery intensity or caress them...whatever the music demands. His experiment with a non-traditional trio, combining personnel with different and rich musical backgrounds and diverse sounding material has resulted in a dazzling performance.”
Bridging the genres of jazz, classical, popular and world music, Camilo has long been heralded for his remarkable artistry and virtuosity. His love of music began at the young age of five when he composed his first song. He went on to study for 13 years at the National Conservatory and become a member of the National Symphony Orchestra at age 16.
An urge to explore new musical horizons brought Michel to New York and the Juilliard School where he cultivated his interest in jazz. Camilo made his Carnegie Hall debut with his trio in 1985, followed by a string of critically and commercially successful albums which firmly established him as one of the foremost figures in the jazz world.
Career highlights include: live performances at the most prestigious concert halls around the world including Zurich’s Tonhalle, the Kennedy Center and Royal Festival Hall; the world premiere of his Piano Concerto with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin; a Grammy nomination for his 2002 album Triangulo, and a Grammy Award for the 2003 album Live at the Blue Note. Camilo also appeared on the soundtrack CD for the acclaimed Latin jazz film Calle 54, directed by the Oscar-winning Spaniard Fernando Trueba.
Grammy®, Emmy® and Two-Time Latin Grammy Award Winning pianist and composer MICHEL CAMILO will be among the headliners of the 35th Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival, performing on Saturday, June 30 with master conguero Giovanni Hidalgo and bassist Charles Flores.
The trio’s latest release, Mano a Mano, has received the highest critical praise, including the following from New York City Jazz Record: “Camilo is masterful, treating the listener to his knowledge of dynamics and fine technique. He can attack the keys with fiery intensity or caress them...whatever the music demands. His experiment with a non-traditional trio, combining personnel with different and rich musical backgrounds and diverse sounding material has resulted in a dazzling performance.”
Bridging the genres of jazz, classical, popular and world music, Camilo has long been heralded for his remarkable artistry and virtuosity. His love of music began at the young age of five when he composed his first song. He went on to study for 13 years at the National Conservatory and become a member of the National Symphony Orchestra at age 16.
An urge to explore new musical horizons brought Michel to New York and the Juilliard School where he cultivated his interest in jazz. Camilo made his Carnegie Hall debut with his trio in 1985, followed by a string of critically and commercially successful albums which firmly established him as one of the foremost figures in the jazz world.
Career highlights include: live performances at the most prestigious concert halls around the world including Zurich’s Tonhalle, the Kennedy Center and Royal Festival Hall; the world premiere of his Piano Concerto with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin; a Grammy nomination for his 2002 album Triangulo, and a Grammy Award for the 2003 album Live at the Blue Note. Camilo also appeared on the soundtrack CD for the acclaimed Latin jazz film Calle 54, directed by the Oscar-winning Spaniard Fernando Trueba.
MINGUS BIG BAND
Called the “best jazz orchestra in the world” by The Washington Post, the Grammy® Award winning MINGUS BIG BAND will be among the headliners of the 35th Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival. The band, featuring 14 virtuoso members, celebrates the music of legendary composer/bassist Charles Mingus, who died in 1979. In 2011, the band won a Grammy Award in the category of “Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album,” for Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard, the 10th Mingus Big Band recording, seven of which have been nominated for Grammys.
“Grammy Award winning albums and exhilarating live performances have put the Mingus Big Band at the top of the jazz world. Champions of the legacy of the legendary Charles Mingus, the Big Band goes beyond mere homage to tap into the ‘daredevil, forward-reaching spirit’ of Mingus’ own ensembles,” said White. “Their addition to our jazz festival lineup is another reminder that this year’s 35th Anniversary celebration will exceed all expectations.”
A 14-piece rotating ensemble launched in 1991 by Charles Mingus’ widow Sue Mingus, the Mingus Big Band celebrates the legacy of Charles Mingus by exploring the wealth of his repertoire, interpreting it with the same spirit of originality and spontaneity that was his trademark. The members are an all-star cast of jazz artists, including trumpeters Randy Brecker and Alex Sipiagin, saxophonists Craig Handy, Seamus Blake, Vincent Herring and Ronnie Cuber, trombonists Conrad Herwig and Ku-umba Frank Lacy and pianist David Kikoski.
Called the “best jazz orchestra in the world” by The Washington Post, the Grammy® Award winning MINGUS BIG BAND will be among the headliners of the 35th Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival. The band, featuring 14 virtuoso members, celebrates the music of legendary composer/bassist Charles Mingus, who died in 1979. In 2011, the band won a Grammy Award in the category of “Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album,” for Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard, the 10th Mingus Big Band recording, seven of which have been nominated for Grammys.
“Grammy Award winning albums and exhilarating live performances have put the Mingus Big Band at the top of the jazz world. Champions of the legacy of the legendary Charles Mingus, the Big Band goes beyond mere homage to tap into the ‘daredevil, forward-reaching spirit’ of Mingus’ own ensembles,” said White. “Their addition to our jazz festival lineup is another reminder that this year’s 35th Anniversary celebration will exceed all expectations.”
A 14-piece rotating ensemble launched in 1991 by Charles Mingus’ widow Sue Mingus, the Mingus Big Band celebrates the legacy of Charles Mingus by exploring the wealth of his repertoire, interpreting it with the same spirit of originality and spontaneity that was his trademark. The members are an all-star cast of jazz artists, including trumpeters Randy Brecker and Alex Sipiagin, saxophonists Craig Handy, Seamus Blake, Vincent Herring and Ronnie Cuber, trombonists Conrad Herwig and Ku-umba Frank Lacy and pianist David Kikoski.
MARIO ABNEY
Trumpet wunderkind Mario Abney returns by popular demand to the Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival on Saturday, June 30 for two separate performances – one in the Amphitheatre and the other on the festival Gazebo stage. With a sound that draws equally from the inspiration of Miles Davis and New Orleans' second line brass band tradition, Mario Abney is emerging as a major new voice in 21st century jazz. Abney and his band are one of the most sought after jazz groups on New Orleans’ vibrant jazz scene. He’s also led his group on dates in Chicago, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Virginia Beach and Colorado.
With roots reaching back to April of 2000, Mario Abney got his start just outside Dayton in a small town called Wilberforce, Ohio. Dubbed by Cin Weekly as a “jazz workhorse,” Abney has performed as a sideman and leader with everyone from Erykah Badu to Wynton Marsalis. Mario Abney’s debut album Spiritual Perception was released in 2010 to excellent reviews. He’s also been a musical guest on the acclaimed HBO dramatic series, Treme, which depicts the famous, culturally rich New Orleans neighborhood in the post-Katrina years.
Trumpet wunderkind Mario Abney returns by popular demand to the Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival on Saturday, June 30 for two separate performances – one in the Amphitheatre and the other on the festival Gazebo stage. With a sound that draws equally from the inspiration of Miles Davis and New Orleans' second line brass band tradition, Mario Abney is emerging as a major new voice in 21st century jazz. Abney and his band are one of the most sought after jazz groups on New Orleans’ vibrant jazz scene. He’s also led his group on dates in Chicago, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Virginia Beach and Colorado.
With roots reaching back to April of 2000, Mario Abney got his start just outside Dayton in a small town called Wilberforce, Ohio. Dubbed by Cin Weekly as a “jazz workhorse,” Abney has performed as a sideman and leader with everyone from Erykah Badu to Wynton Marsalis. Mario Abney’s debut album Spiritual Perception was released in 2010 to excellent reviews. He’s also been a musical guest on the acclaimed HBO dramatic series, Treme, which depicts the famous, culturally rich New Orleans neighborhood in the post-Katrina years.
ESPERANZA SPALDING
If “esperanza” is the Spanish word for hope, then bassist, vocalist and composer Esperanza Spalding could not have been given a more fitting name at birth. Blessed with uncanny instrumental chops, a multi-lingual voice that is part angel and part siren, and a natural beauty that borders on the hypnotic, the prodigy-turned-pro might well be the hope for the future of jazz and instrumental music.
If “esperanza” is the Spanish word for hope, then bassist, vocalist and composer Esperanza Spalding could not have been given a more fitting name at birth. Blessed with uncanny instrumental chops, a multi-lingual voice that is part angel and part siren, and a natural beauty that borders on the hypnotic, the prodigy-turned-pro might well be the hope for the future of jazz and instrumental music.
