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In February, 2008, I was fortunate enough to perform with Mulatu Astatke in Oakland, CA – a fantastic night it was, albeit a soggy one.  It was monsoon season in Oakland, so everyone – the entire band, everyone working at the club, the audience – we were all soaked.  Happily, some of the concert has make it online.  Two short videos are posted here and here [embedding seems to be disabled, so we only have links this time…)

This was also a great moment for me, what with this being my first flight with the AlterEGO.

Best, R.

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Earlier this summer (July 1, 2009), I had the opportunity to perform at Iridium in NYC with three fantastic musicians, Gary Fieldman (drums), David Zoffer (guitar), and Eyran Katsenelenbogen (piano) – it was the New York release of Eyran’s newest CD 88 Fingers.  One of the tunes we performed is my “hit,” Marina.  Happily, this performance has made the big time – Youtube.

[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVo9MGximeQ]

Enjoy!  R.

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Ok, so really this should be the subject of a dissertation.  I recently (last fall) acquired a slew of Freddie Hubbard albums and have been checking them out slowly but surely.  Today, I launched Backlash at 7am (which felt like 6am) because it stars Up Jumped Spring.  We needed that this morning.  Yesterday, it was a lovely 60 degress outside with much sun, few clouds, and lots of peace and quiet.  The kids played in the sandbox.  We grilled.  It was fantastic.  This morning – already a tough one because of daylight savings time – we awoke to deep grey skies and heavy, wet snow.  So, Up Jumped Spring was really necessary.  Lo, and behold, but what should Freddie Hubbard quote at the beginning of his solo?  Umbrella Man.  Don’t know that one?  Check this out:

[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO1uMjz3n3w]

Who’s in the band? Obviously, Dizzy & Louis, and my guess is Sam Jones & Louis Hayes on bass and drums, with perhaps a Jaki Byard on piano.  Thoughts?  Yes, it looks like a very young Tony Williams on drums, but is that even possible?  Nice laugh track, eh?

Best, R.

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As you know, I teach at New England Conservatory.  One of our students was mugged recently – he was beaten up and his baritone saxophone was stolen.  Kelly Roberg, a friend and colleague at NEC, has organized a fundraiser that will (one hopes) help our student acquire a new instrument.  If you are in the Boston area, please attend this event.  The music will be absolutely incredible, and this is clearly a worthy cause – the young man who was the victim is a great kid, and quite a talented musician.  If you aren’t in the Boston area, please consider contacting Kelly to find out how to help.  The details:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

8TH GRADER MUGGED AND BEATEN, HIS BARITONE SAXOPHONE STOLEN. FUNDRAISER CONCERT PLANNED TO PURCHASE REPLACEMENT.

An 8th grade baritone saxophone student of mine at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School was on his way to spend the night with his big brother in Dorchester, who would then accompany him the next morning to his audition at Boston Arts Academy. Getting off at the wrong stop, he was mugged, beat up pretty bad (severe concussion, stitches on his lip), it happened while he was on his cell phone calling his brother to say he was lost (at Dudley station in Roxbury!). My student’s bari sax was stolen, and he probably lost consciousness, although nobody knows for sure because he can’t remember a thing about it.

After a night at Boston Medical Center, he is back home, recovering and has secured a new audition date in early March for Boston Arts Academy. He desperately wants to attend BCA next year and his admission heavily weighs on his audition. Without a saxophone to play, I am organizing a fundraiser concert to raise funds for a new instrument. (if the stolen one is unable to be recovered by police)

Please help me spread the word about this important fundraiser concert! Any coverage of this performance in your publication would be greatly appreciated – don’t hesitate to contact me with any requests for  jpegs, interviews or guest spots to the performance.

CONCERT DETAILS:
March 15th 2pm
Quartet of Happiness and  Jim Hobbs and the Hobbettes
LilyPad,
Inman Square
1353 Cambridge St. Cambridge, MA
$10 admission (100% proceeds towards a replacement baritone saxophone)

Quartet of Happiness takes modern jazz and infuses it with a hefty dose of cheekiness and irreverent humor, wrapping it all up in the sort of theatrics reminiscent of Blue Man Group.  The group has made it its mission to take jazz out of the ivory tower and make it accessible to a wide-ranging audience.
www.quartetofhappiness.com

Jim Hobbs and the Hobbettes are Jim Hobbs on alto sax, Joe Morris on guitar, Jacob William on bass and Laurence Cook on drums. Members of this band also perform with Thurston Moore’s Avantnoise Band, Fully Celebrated Orchestra, Matthew Shipp, William Parker, Joe and Mat Maneri, Rob Brown, Raphe Malik, Ivo Pearlman, Borah Bergman, Andrea Parkins, Whit Dickey, Ken Vandermark, DKV Trio and others.
http://celebratefully.squarespace.com/home

Press contact: Kelly Roberge, 617-775-3235, kelly_roberge@yahoo.com