Charlie Parker 100 : Jazz Power On

Home / Homepage Posts / Charlie Parker 100 : Jazz Power On

Celebrate with us 100 years of Bird…

from Eli Yamin, Managing Artistic Director

Dear JPI Friend,

Miles Davis once said, “You can tell the history of jazz in four words: Louis Armstrong. Charlie Parker.” We agree!

Even though Bird’s life was short, he set an example of what “genius” means: a balanced mixture of talent and hard work. This year, we celebrate what would have been his 100th birthday with our second live streaming event CHARLIE PARKER 100: JAZZ POWER ON featuring Knoel Scott, this Sunday, June 14 at 5pm on Facebook Live and YouTube in collaboration with the National Jazz Museum in Harlem.

Tune in through Youtube bit.ly/ytbird100 and Facebook bit.ly/fbbird100!

Please join me in an homage to this bebop extraordinaire, as we explore his influence across the generations.

You will be inspired!

Thank you for keeping the Jazz Power ON.

Eli

CHARLIE PARKER ON LIVE

Artists and Bios

Knoel Scott, baritone and alto saxophonist/composer, currently works both sides of the Atlantic with frequent Sun Ra Arkestra tours alternating with his own Knoel Scott Quartet (“KSQ”) which has become known as a ‘must-see’ by audiences of London. Once known as “King Tut of Harlem,” Knoel often worked at Harlem’s Showman’s Cafe, Smalls’ Paradise, Red Rooster, Lickety Split, and La Famille during an era when jazz was played until sunrise. Important Harlem associations include Selena Clarke, Freddie Drew, Nat Willliams, Jack McDuff, Don Pullen, and John Hicks. Other collaborators range from Olu Dara, Bobby Forrester, Larry ’88 keys’ Keyes, Andy Razaf, Jimmy ‘Preacher’ Robbins, Charles Earland to Tommy Turrentine, Jerry Gonzalez, and Leon Thomas. Knoel Scott has been a member of the world-famous Sun Ra Arkestra since 1988, usually playing alto sax but occasionally tenor or his native baritone. Sun Ra encouraged Knoel to dance and sing, and his Ra-inspired versatility and agility continue to enthrall audiences.
Guitarist Bruce Edwards has performed with artists such as Sun Ra, James Carter, Freddy Cole, and Cecil Taylor, to name a few. Called “A master of his instrument” by John Kelman of All About Jazz, in addition to performing, Bruce has composed and produced music for films and TV, winning a Telly Award for his original music and sound design in 2006.
Bassist and cellist, Jennifer Vincenthas been an active force on the jazz and Latin scenes in NYC for the past two decades. She plays, tours, and records with the likes of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, KD Lang, Fantasia, Vanessa Williams, Patti Labelle and the collective, Cocomama. She had the good fortune to study at the New School with jazz and Latin jazz legends Ron Carter, Buster Williams, and Andy Gonzales. In 2001, she traveled to Cuba to study with Orlando “Cachaito” Lopez, bassist of the beloved Buena Vista Social Club. Jennifer is the bassist of Wynton Marsalis’ Jazz At Lincoln Center All-Stars that was featured in the hit musical revue “After Midnight” on Broadway.
Dwayne “Cook” Broadnax was born in Philadelphia but now lives in Brooklyn, New York where he teaches Trap Drum Set Concepts at the Brooklyn campus of Long Island University. He received his B.A. in jazz performance from Berklee College of Music in Boston. Cook was the drummer for the late great jazz vocalist Little Jimmy Scott for 14 years up until his death in 2014. He has also played with Kevin Eubanks, Johnny Copeland, Savion Glover, Eartha Kitt, Rachell Ferrell and saxophonist Illinois Jaquet. Mr. Broadnax has recorded with actress/model/singer Vanessa Williams, Jimmy Scott, Vanessa Rubin and Grammy Award winner Johnny Copeland. Mr. Broadnax performed in the blockbuster-hit Spike Lee movie Malcolm X and recently appeared on the hit television show Madam Secretary on CBS. Drummer for Concord church for over ten years, his self produced debut CD is entitled Finally Mine. Cook is the proud father of 2 children.
Max Pollak has received Flo-Bert and Hoofer Awards, a Bessie Award Nomination, Individual Artist Grant (N-Manhattan Arts Alliance), NYFA Fellowship in Choreography. A member of Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, Cuba’s famous Rumba ambassadors, he is a prestigious name on the international tap and world music scene. Critics and peers worldwide acknowledge his superior musicianship and his highly individual style called “RumbaTap” – a pioneering blend of Afro-Cuban song and dance with American tap and body music. His innovative a cappella vocal arrangements received critical praise in the NY Times. Originator of Cuba’s first tap festival, he has been teaching and performing there since 1998. Among others he worked with Cuba’s top Rumba groups, Chucho Valdés, Lila Downs, Ray Brown, Phil Woods, Paquito D’Rivera, Danilo Perez, shared the stage with Ann Miller, Carol Channing, Angela Lansbury, Gregory Hines, James Earl Jones, Carl Reiner and Chita Rivera. He is also a recording artist, published writer and on faculty at Sarah Lawrence College in New York.
AP Fest
Eli Yamin, JPI Managing Artistic Director and producer, is a pianist, composer, singer, and educator who has been spreading the joy of jazz through his work for 30 years, including 10 years as founding director of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Middle School Jazz Academy and 17 years leading Jazz Power Initiative. For WBGO/Jazz 88 he produced Portraits in Blue with Bob Porter, Jazz From the Archives with the Institute of Jazz Studies and hosted Sunday Morning Harmony, and for Sirius/XM he hosted Swing Street.

@JazzPowerON INSPIRATION

Experience Bird in timeless motion through this performance of “Yardbird Suite” by tap master Jimmy Slyde, featured in the 1987 Belgian documentary on Charlie Parker “Bird Now.”