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Princeton Symphonic Brass Summer Concert with SPECIAL guest soloist - Trumpeter Liesl Whitaker - Simply Jazz Talk

The Princeton Symphonic Brass, under the baton of Lawrence Kursar, will hold its annual Summer Concert on Friday, June 13, 2025, 7:30 PM at the Community Middle School Auditorium, 95 Grovers Mill Road, Plainsboro, New Jersey. This summer's Eve concert features Americana, jazz, pop, and light classical in a beautiful, spacious, state-of-the-art performance space with ample, free parking. <br/><br/>For the first time, we will feature a SPECIAL guest artist - Trumpeter Liesl Whitaker.<br/><br/>Liesl Whitaker joined the Army Blues of The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” in 2000, becoming the first woman to win a lead position in a premier U.S. military jazz ensemble. She repeated this feat with the Jazz Ambassadors of The U.S. Army Field Band in 2012. We will feature her as a soloist on several brand-new arrangements crafted for her and the Princeton Symphonic Brass.<br/> <br/>Tickets at https://psbrass.square.site (Adults $20/ Seniors $15/ Kids 16 and under $5) and at the door 30 minutes prior to the event (Adults $22/ Seniors $17/ Kids 16 and under $5)<br/><br/>For further information about the Princeton Symphonic Brass and its members, visit psbrass.com or facebook.com/psbrass.<br/><br/>The Princeton Symphonic Brass is comprised of eleven brass players, two percussionists, and a conductor. This all-star group includes some of the finest musicians from the top musical ensembles near Princeton and has a repertoire spanning from the Renaissance to today.

MATA Festival presents Wadada Leo Smith's The Capitol - Simply Jazz Talk

Night Two of the 27th Annual MATA Festival features the New York premiere of Wadada Leo Smith's String Quartet No. 17 (The Capitol, Washington D.C.: An Experiment With Democracy and Capitalism) which examines the U.S. Capitol building as both a symbol of democracy and insurrection, performed by FLUX Quartet. FLUX Quartet also performs the New York premiere of Roscoe Mitchell's 9/9/99 With CARDS, which Mitchell describes as a “scored improvisation,” in which each player is given six cards with musical notation on them that they can arrange, reshuffle, and perform in different “hands.” Night Two also includes six works by MATA Festival 2025 Early-Career Composers for varying instrumentation – from solo violin to an ensemble of viola, saxophone, and motors – performed by MATA Mavens, TROPOS, and RE:duo.<br/><br/>From June 11-14, 2025, MATA presents its 27th annual festival, featuring four concerts across four nights exploring the concept of INTERGALACTIC INFINITY: Music Between Spaces. Founded in 1996 by Philip Glass, Eleonor Sandresky, and Lisa Bielawa, MATA serves as an incubator for adventurous emerging artists experimenting with composition, multi-media, performance art, and every imaginable sound in between. Its annual MATA Festival has become one of the most sought-after opportunities for young and emerging composers.<br/><br/>Curated by Executive Director Pauline Kim Harris, the 2025 Festival features works by 18 composers in the early stages of their professional careers, selected by Harris and a panel of eight esteemed composers and artists – Titilayo Ayangade, Tom Chiu, Felix Fan, John Glover, Conrad Harris, Max Mandel, Paula Matthusen, and Kal Sugatski – from a free, global call resulting in over 300 submissions.

MATA Festival presents Enter the Impossible featuring Sun Ra Arkestra - Simply Jazz Talk

The 27th annual MATA Festival opens with Jessie Cox’s evening-length opus Enter the Impossible, written for and performed by the unparalleled Sun Ra Arkestra, with FLUX Quartet and Sam Yulsman. Enter the Impossible is imagined as a space flight, journeying through different musical spaces, including many pieces from Sun Ra Arkestra’s large collection of works, such as Say from their recent record Swirling, or the classic Space is the Place, among others. <br/><br/>The concert also includes the world premiere of Cox’s Sound Drape Painting, inspired by Sam Gilliam’s drape paintings and exploring new ways of hearing musical form and movement through the sonic. FLUX Quartet will also perform the New York premiere of jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer, poet, and visual artist Oliver Lake’s One Move as well as the world premiere of MATA Festival 2025 Early-Career Composer Diallo Banks’ Sarmad for string quartet. Sarmad is structured around the concept of yati, a principle in South Indian music that shapes musical phrases through systematic variation.<br/><br/>From June 11-14, 2025, MATA presents its 27th annual festival, featuring four concerts across four nights exploring the concept of INTERGALACTIC INFINITY: Music Between Spaces. Founded in 1996 by Philip Glass, Eleonor Sandresky, and Lisa Bielawa, MATA serves as an incubator for adventurous emerging artists experimenting with composition, multi-media, performance art, and every imaginable sound in between. Its annual MATA Festival has become one of the most sought-after opportunities for young and emerging composers.<br/><br/>Curated by Executive Director Pauline Kim Harris, the 2025 Festival features works by 18 composers in the early stages of their professional careers, selected by Harris and a panel of eight esteemed composers and artists – Titilayo Ayangade, Tom Chiu, Felix Fan, John Glover, Conrad Harris, Max Mandel, Paula Matthusen, and Kal Sugatski – from a free, global call resulting in over 300 submissions.

David Haney New York Jazz Stories with Special Guest Joe Lovano - Simply Jazz Talk

David Haney Brings "New York Jazz Stories" to Joe's Pub with Special Guests Joe Lovano, Judi Silvano, and Jimmy Bennington plus Adam Lane and  Cheryl Pyle.New York, NY <br/><br/>Acclaimed pianist and composer David Haney will bring his captivating show, "New York Jazz Stories," to Joe's Pub on Sunday, April 20th at 6:00 PM. This special performance will feature legendary saxophonist Joe Lovano as a guest artist."New York Jazz Stories" is a unique and intimate evening of music and storytelling, weaving together original compositions with captivating anecdotes about the city's rich jazz history. Haney, known for his original style of playing, will share personal stories and insights into the lives and music of jazz giants who have shaped the city's vibrant scene.The addition of Joe Lovano, one of the most revered saxophonists of his generation, promises to elevate the performance to extraordinary heights. Lovano's masterful improvisations and deep connection to the jazz tradition will create a truly unforgettable musical experience.<br/><br/>Since 2016, Joe's Pub has been home to New York Jazz Stories, a 75 minute show that combines swinging, electrifying music with some highly entertaining stories. Come hear stories told by Haney, plus personal stories told by Joe Lovano and Judi Silvano. A unique experience!<br/><br/>"Haney tells these tales with the dramatic flair of a Garrison Keillor.." - Jerome Wilson, Cadence Magazine<br/><br/><br/>About Joe Lovano:Joe Lovano is a legendary saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and innovative musicians of his generation. Lovano has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his illustrious career. <br/><br/>Past performances have featured<br/>David Haney<br/>Bernard Purdie<br/>Andrew Cyrille<br/>Billy Martin<br/>Herb Robertson<br/>Steven Bernstein and Sex Mob<br/>Daniel Carter<br/>Jay Clayton<br/>Bobby Bradford<br/>Julian Priester<br/>Ray Anderson<br/>Billy Mintz<br/>Art Baron<br/>Kirk Knuffke<br/>Marty Erhlich <br/>Adam Lane<br/>Nora McCarthy<br/>Jorge Sylvester<br/>Vinny Golia<br/>and many others<br/><br/>DAVID HANEY studied composition for six years with Czech composer, Tomas Svoboda. After several years of working with the Society of Oregon Composers, Haney began applying  his skills as a working jazz artist, often paired up with some of the greatest minds in jazz improvisation, such featured artists as Andrew Cyrille, Roswell Rudd, John Tchicai, Bud Shank, Bernard Purdie, Buell Neidlinger, Julian Priester, Han Bennink, Obo Addy, Wilbert de Joode, Gerry Hemingway, Wolter Weirbos, Perry Robinson, and Johannes Bauer. Haney has recorded 15 albums in ten years for C.I.M.P. Records and Cadence Jazz Records. David has also collaborated on 14 albums on other labels worldwide. He has received grants and commissions for his creative work from the U.S. State Department; Alberta Film Works; and the Oregon Ballet Theatre. Haney was awarded a travel grant from the U.S. State Department to present the music of composer Herbie Nichols in concerts throughout Argentina and Chile. Haney's piano/trombone work Ota Benga of the Batwa was included in the critics pick for best Jazz Album of 2007 (Coda Magazine). “Conspiracy a go go" and "Clandestine" were both selected Top Ten Jazz Albums of 2009 (Cadence Magazine). David’s next release “Solo” received top ten honors in 2014 (Cadence Magazine). The Penguin Guide to Jazz has a half page entry on several David Haney albums.<br/><br/>“Mr. Haney is a pianist drawn to experimental settings, and he creates a promising one here.” The New York Times <br/>