APRIL NEWS AND HAPPENINGS

Welcome to our latest news updates and ongoing conversations about our music, projects, entertainment and Philadelphia Jazz scene! Find out more about Mélange Jazz Collective’s musical sound, track recording, our upcoming performances, previews and where to find some of the best Jazz spots across the city.

Mélange Jazz Collective – Exploration and creation of musical sounds

Mélange Jazz Collective’s distinctive sound fuses different musical styles and backgrounds as varied as Jazz, blues, Latin, reggae, funk, new music, gospel, world. Music groups form for a variety of reasons – musical relationships, friendships and desire to perform together – but the group’s sound grows out of an agreement, explicit or tacit, among the members about a collective’s musical strategy or direction, and an acceptable musical outcome – and where the sound of the group is greater than the sum of its parts. Members of Mélange Jazz Collective have performed together for over 10 years and have collaborated on several music projects for many years. Their unique sound is the result of a long creative journey together that keeps developing. Mélange’s cohesive sound reflects the collective’s close musical collaboration, history, group dynamics, improvisation, where each member expresses his individual voice and strives to engage the others to create a unified sonic texture.

“The joy of performing lies in the unexpected discovery of a new way of interpreting a tune, or in experiencing a spontaneous interaction between group members in the course of the performance that might take the tune in an unusual direction. Ultimately, a collective, informed and inspired improvisational experience might actually be considered even more successful if it leads into a kind of spontaneous musical arrangement, albeit one that is fleeting and unrepeatable. Progress might be measured by an ever-increasing number of these “arrangements” as we continue to perform together”. Steve Strawitz, Mélange Jazz Collective’s guitarist/violinist.

Recording Session for Germantown Recording Sessions Project

Mélange Jazz Collective Quartet recently recorded a great new original composition “Sunday Sermon on Mars” written by Mélange’s bassist Bert Harris.

Bassist: Bert Harris

Saxophonist: Laurent Bass

Guitarist: Steve Strawitz

Drummer: Kimpedro Rodriguez

“This is a project stemming from jazz musicians who are located in the Germantown area or who have roots in the Germantown area. It is a homage to those musicians. The tune we recorded “Sunday Sermon on Mars” is an homage to Sun Ra who lived in Germantown for decades and the Sun Ra Arkestra still has its roots there.” Bert Harris

The recording is part of the Germantown Recording Sessions. The greatly anticipated cd will include a number of musical artists from Philadelphia and will be released in the fall.

Preview upcoming performance at Fleisher Memorial

We are honored to be invited to attend and perform for Fleisher Memorial 27th Founder’s Award Celebration with the sound of LB’s solo electro-acoustic jazz act, MïxT BeatZ.

27th Founder’s Award Celebration

http://fleisher.org/event/27th-founders-award-celebration/

On Friday, June 3, 2016, Fleisher supporters, faculty, students, and friends will present Dr. Dennis W. Creedon with the 27th annual Founder’s Award.

The Founder’s Award recognizes individuals whose significant commitment to providing access to the arts, promoting excellence in creative expression, and enriching Philadelphia’s cultural resources reflects the values of our founder, Samuel S. Fleisher.

Purchase tickets to the celebration or make a sponsorship gift …

About the recipient:
Dr. Dennis W. Creedon is Superintendent of New York’s Mahopac Central School District. Previously, he was an Assistant Superintendent and Deputy Chief Academic Officer in the School District of Philadelphia, where he oversaw the Office of Academic Enrichment and Support. For 10 years, Dr. Creedon was the Director of the Central Office of Arts Education.

As a classroom teacher, he developed the award winning literacy-based Sounds of Learning program for Opera Philadelphia, which led to his special assignment at the opera for 10 years. The program celebrated its 24th year in 2015. In recognition for his work with the Opera, Dr. Creedon received the Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Superintendent of the Schools and the President of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers.

Dr. Creedon was the lead investigator of a successful four-year 1.2 million dollar U.S. Department of Education grant to study the impact of arts integration on literacy development. The study realized a 13 to 21% gain in proficient and advanced scores in reading in the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment for the treatment schools as compared to the control schools. In addition, there was a statistically significant reduction in absenteeism and suspensions among boys in the treatment schools.

Dr. Creedon has presented at local, state, and national conferences on integrative arts pedagogy, stress management, assessment theory, empowering at-risk students, and literacy issues. In 2014, Education Week identified him as a national “Leader to Learn From.”

Upcoming Performances

Public appearances:

May 5, Warmdaddy’s, Happy Hour hosted by Michael Tozzi and Ijazzglobal.com, Mélange Jazz Collective Trio, 6:00pm – 7:15pm – http://www.warmdaddys.com/

May 15, Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant, Sunday Live Jazz Brunch, Mélange Jazz Collective Quartet, 10:30am – 2:30pm – https://www.manayunkbrewery.com/

June 10, Paris Wine Bar, Bert Harris Trio, 9:00pm – 12:00am – http://www.londongrill.com/paris-wine-bar/

June 2, Warmdaddy’s, Happy Hour hosted by Michael Tozzi and Ijazzglobal.com, Mélange Jazz Collective Quartet, 6:00pm – 7:15pm – http://www.warmdaddys.com/

Private events:

May 13, Private Events, Mélange Jazz Collective Trios

May 14, Private Events, The Hyatt at the Bellevue

June 3, Fleisher Memorial Founder’s Award, Laurent Bass and MïxT BeatZ

Best places to listen to live jazz in Philadelphia

Philadelphia has a vibrant and thriving jazz scene – that continues to grow – and can be experienced and enjoyed in many venues, from intimate clubs and restaurants, private salons to large concert halls. Here is a partial list of some of the best destinations to listen to live jazz music across the city:

http://www.visitphilly.com/itineraries/philadelphia/top-places-to-listen-to-live-jazz-music-in-philadelphia/

Time – http://www.timerestaurant.net/

SOUTH – http://www.southrestaurant.net/

Chris Jazz Café – http://www.chrisjazzcafe.com/

Relish – http://www.relishphiladelphia.com/

Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts – https://www.kimmelcenter.org/

Warmdaddy’s – http://www.warmdaddys.com/ (Mélange Trio/Quartet, May 5, June 10)

Paris Bistro – http://www.parisbistro.net/

Heritage – http://heritage.life/

Paris Wine Bar – http://www.londongrill.com/paris-wine-bar/ –

(Bert Harris Trio, June 8)

World Cafe Live – http://www.visitphilly.com/music-art/philadelphia/world-cafe-live/

Sassafras Bar – http://www.visitphilly.com/restaurants-dining/philadelphia/sassafras-bar/

Bob and Barbara’s – http://www.bobandbarbaras.com/

M Restaurant – http://www.mrestaurantphilly.com/live-jazz/

Volver – http://philadelphia.volverrestaurant.com/

La Peg – http://lapegbrasserie.com/info/

Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant – https://www.manayunkbrewery.com/ (Mélange Quartet, May 15)

LaRose Jazz Club – 5531 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19144

Jerry’s Bar – http://www.jerrysbarphilly.com/

The Saloon – http://www.saloonrestaurant.net/#!facilities/c66t

Art After 5 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art – http://www.philamuseum.org/

Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz – http://clefclubofjazz.org/

Friday Night Jazz at Woodmere Art Museum – http://woodmereartmuseum.org/

Painted Bride – http://www.paintedbride.org/

Jazz Festival – Exit Zero Jazz Festival, Cape May – http://www.exit0jazzfest.com/

Music Industry Events

Ableton https://www.ableton.com/ Partnership with Drexel University, April 22, 2016 –https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ableton-university-tour-drexel-university-tickets-22515769272. Presentation of Ableton Live new features and capabilities on how to compose and perform electronic music in an organic way. Laurent received Ableton Live Producer Certificate from Dubspot http://www.dubspot.com/ in New York and incorporates Ableton’s state-of-the art technology in his electro-acoustic compositions and performances.

Loop 2016: The summit for music makers returns to Berlin. We’re planning to attend Loop Summit 2016 in Berlin in November. The summit focuses on the topics of music, technology and creative practices and is a unique opportunity to meet global like-minded music makers, get inspired and expand one’s creative horizons. https://www.ableton.com/en/blog/loop-summit-returns-to-berlin/

Meeting & Special Event Industry

MPI-Philadelphia Chapter – 2016 PAMPI Prom and Awards Gala, May 20, 2016 – The Logan Hotel http://pampi.org/ – http://www.theloganhotel.com/
ISES Philadelphia April Meeting, April 27, 2016 – Chubb Hotel & Conference Center formerly ACE 800 Ridge Pike, Lafayette Hill. http://isesphila.com/