Miles Black Octet: The music of Ellington & Basie

add to outlook add to google calendar remind me

Saturday, August 24th, 2013
8:00 PM to 10:30 PM

This evening will feature original arrangements for this nine piece band in the music of Duke Ellington and Count Basie.
The night will be swinging with sophisticated and sassy jazz, played by some of Canada's top musicians.
Duke Ellington was one of the founding fathers of jazz music. He was once moved to tears by a song his Mother played on the piano at the age of four,called Rosary. At the age of seven he was playing piano and composing at age fifteen. A pianist,bandleader, arranger and composer, Ellington and his band played together for fifty years. Some of Ellington's famous songs include"Don't Get Around Much Anymore",Sophisticated Lady", and "In A Sentimental Mood".
Ellington's Orchestra often broadcast live from the Cotton Club so their unique style of jazz became familiar to people across the country.
Count Basie was an American jazz pianist,organist,bandleader and composer.Starting in his teens in Chicago.His band played for fifty years.Many musicians came to prominence under the Count such as Lester Young and Herschel Evans,tenor saxophonists, and Freddie Green his guitarist. Basie's theme song was "One O'Clock Jump" and "April In Paris".
Miles Black appears to be walking in the shoes of these two great masters....he orchestrates his band brilliantly and with such grace an melodic attitude.
I saw this show last Aug, it was so great, so alive and swinging!
I took my musician nephew Finley to see the show at the Cellar in May, we were all amazed !
Now you have the chance to come and be lifted to a higher place, with a song in your heart and a spring in your step...and all that jazz!