GREETINGS AND WELCOME!
Fall season always brings new projects and this year is no exception: planning for holiday performances, rehearsals and recording, pursuing musical development, attending industry networking events, evaluating trends and working closely with our partners to make 2013 an exciting new year. Fall is also the season when the city shines and celebrates with many cultural events, from music to design, film, craft, art exhibitions, theater, dance and more.
Spotlight on multi-instrumentalist Laurent Bass
The most ambitious musicians are dedicated lifelong students: Laurent is one of these musicians.
The past 6 months have been very busy. Music and performance have become a top priority in growth and learning which will lead to expressing my musical potential. I was fortunate enough to find a two week long intensive Jazz workshop which took place at the end of the summer during the last two weeks of August. This 8-day jazz camp was sponsored by world renowned Buster Williams, Jazz Bassist. This workshop focused on rhythm section master classes as well as individual and group instruction in brass, reeds, piano, bass, guitar, percussion, vocal and improvisation. Each day, I participated in individual instrument instruction as well as improvisation and master classes which helped to hone my jazz skills.
I was fortunate to have as my reed instructor Bobby Zankel. Zankel has a history of intensive studies in tonality and rhythms with Maestro Dennis Sandole. Sandole’s instruction nurtured Bobby’s development into one of the most brilliant and original composers of the 90’s. His alto playing has been described as a unique amalgam of the precision and rhythmic intricacy of be-bop, with the soul and drive of hard bop, and the fire, spirituality, creativity and intensity of the avant-garde.
Every day’s curriculum had individual Instrument instruction, tone development, music theory development, Jazz language analysis, Jazz phrasing exercises, improvisation practice and ensemble performance practice. Each day was filled with intensive but rewarding practical music experiences. It was a great boost to my music learning career.
Since then, I have been fortunate to continue my musical studies with Zankel. I just could not give up the opportunity to study more in depth knowledge of my instrument and Jazz music with such a great instructor who agreed to continue with my instruction. I have found an incredible opportunity to learn Jazz history, jazz theory, jazz performance, new creative music composition, new, contemporary jazz movement which will boost my potential to the next horizon. My studies have already started to benefit my performance playing with The Mélange Jazz Trio and my solo band, LB Jazz +One, as well as with other ensembles and will continue, I am sure, throughout my future performances.
Recent performances
Mélange recently performed at several venues: the Mainline October First Friday, the Manayunk Brewery Restaurant for Sunday Jazz Brunch and for several corporate events at Loew’s Hotel, The Capital Grille and Penn Law School, among others.
LB Jazz +One & Jazz Jam at Bala Golf Club: several talented musician members from the Club joined LB to jam and celebrate Jazz Night at the Club.
Special project on Music in the Hispanic Community in Philadelphia region on Telemundo TV: LB performed on tenor sax along with a 6 piece band as back-up band to young singer and accomplished violinist and percussionist, Brianna Panama. The segment was aired on Telemundo TV in early November.
LB with Mélange Jazz Trio performing at Penn Law School for a private event
LB on tenor sax jamming with musician members at Bala Golf Club
Upcoming public performances:
Mélange Jazz Collective and solo LB Jazz +One will be performing for several private and public appearances during the holiday season and beyond. We hope that you can join us for some of their public performances.
Mélange: December 2nd, February 10th, March 24th, Sunday Jazz Brunch at Manayunk Brewery Restaurant, 10:30am to 2:30pm (www.manayunkbrewery.com).
Bert Harris & Laurent Bass: December 28th, January 19th, February 16th, Paris Wine Bar, 9:00pm to 12:00am (www.londongrill.com/paris-wine-bar/).
Mélange performing at Manayunk Brewery Restaurant for Sunday Jazz Brunch.
Lastly, we would like to extend our thoughts and best wishes during the recovery process to all our friends and musician community in the East Coast who have been affected by the devastation of Hurricane Sandy.
Thank you for your support of live music.
Wishing everyone a joyful and grateful Thanksgiving!