Headlines

Jazz at Lincoln Center Lauds Top High School Jazz Soloists at Essentially Ellington Virtual Festival

On June 5, as part of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 2021 Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Virtual Festival, Wynton Marsalis announced the Outstanding Soloists and Sections of the 26th annual event. The awards ceremony capped virtual events taking place June 2-5 involving 300 students and 15 bands.

NYC’s Birdland Jazz Club Reopens July 1

On July 1, 2021, Birdland Jazz Club will open its doors to the public for the first time since March 2020. As part of the reopening, the venue is bringing back 1949 prices all month long. Tickets are only 99 cents when booked in advance.

Top Jazz Artists Support 1000 Watts Arts Fundraiser for Jazz Musicians in Need

Wynton Marsalis, Bill Frisell, Jimmy Owens and Antoine Drye are joining Jim Watt’s Multimedia Project, 1000 Watts – Art, Jazz & Filmmaking to benefit jazz musicians hard hit during pandemic. 1000 Watts aims to raise $100K through sale of 1,000 artworks.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Presents Wadada Leo Smith World Premiere on June 10

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association presents world premiere of new work by noted composer and trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith. Delta Blues is part of CSO Sessions Episode 21: Cult of Electromagnetic Connectivity, available on CSOtv starting Thursday, June 10.

Mutual Mentorship for Musicians’ Virtual Festival Set for June 12-13

The Mutual Mentorship for Musicians (M³) initiative will feature a second cohort of 12 artists working together at a virtual M³ festival June 12-13. Streaming from the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, each premiere will be followed by a Q&A with the artists.

The BMI Jazz Composers Workshop Presents Its 32nd Summer Showcase Concert on June 16

The BMI Jazz Composers Workshop will present the best big band and jazz orchestra compositions produced over the last two years at its 32nd Summer Showcase Concert, held on June 16 at 8PM ET.

Rome Neal’s Banana Puddin’ Jazz Series Highlights “The Asian American Connection” on June 22

On Tuesday, June 22 at 7 PM EST, Rome Neal’s Banana Puddin’ Jazz event series continues with a tenth show, titled “Jazz: The Asian American Connection,” dedicated to Cobi Narita.

Herbie Hancock, Others Create Video to Teach Kindergarteners about Music

Herbie Hancock teamed up with animators at Atomic Kid Studios, the Young Academic Research Group (YAM) at the Touro Graduate School of Education in New York City to release the first in a series of animated videos showcasing innovative methods for teaching kindergarteners about music.

Instruments & Gear

New Jazz Ensemble Music Released by Excelcia Music Publishing for 2021-22

Excelcia Music Publishing released their second Jazz Ensemble music catalog with new and inspiring tunes from well-known composers as well as talented new voices. The 2021-22 music embraces the rich tradition of big band music and forges new ground in music for contemporary jazz ensembles.

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Buffet Crampon Festival Clarinet Comes with $200 Rebate during Month of June

During the month of June, Buffet Crampon USA is offering a $200 Instant Rebate on the Festival B-flat clarinet. Considered a Prestige-level clarinet, the Festival has many upgraded features, including an alternate A-flat/E-flat key for the left hand, premium unstained African blackwood, two tuning barrels (65mm and 66mm), metal tenon caps and GT pads. It features a poly-cylindrical bore and is a member of the R13 bore family. Festival clarinets also come in the upgraded Prestige case (B-flat in a single, A in a double case).

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Hercules Stands’ New DG Adaptive Series

Hercules recently launched their DG Adaptive Series, which includes three new products - the Universal Podcast Mic & Camera Arm Stand, Smartphone Holder, and 2-In-1 Tablet.

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