The Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Collective and Burchfield Penney Art Center at SUNY Buffalo State will celebrate the jazz form of colossus saxophonist John Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) at its annual three-day festival September 20 – 22, 2018. This year’s headliners are Rob Dixon with the George Caldwell Trio; and Gary Bartz accompanied by the Curtis Lundy Trio. The multi-talented line-up of conversations, performances and screenings include:
Thursday, September 20 – 7 PM
Lecture / Discussion - Chas With Jazz: At the BON TON Jazz Club with Charles Mancuso accompanied by pianist George Caldwell
The legendary Bon Ton, formerly located at East Ferry and Waverly streets, was a leading jazz club in the early 1960s. Chuck Mancuso, SUNY Buffalo State professor and jazz aficionado, will present a talk on the iconic night club accompanied by Grammy Award-winning pianist George Caldwell playing the sounds of Bon Ton jazz.
Friday, September 21, 2018 - 8 pm
Rob Dixon with the George Caldwell Trio / Guest appearances by Ahmad Pleasant and Amari McDade
Nationally recognized saxophonist Rob Dixon has worked with Illinois Jacquet, Ali from A Tribe Called Quest, Count Basie band, Rufus Reid, composer Bill Lee (Spike Lee’s father), Jonah Jones and Mike Clark’s “Indigo Blue.”
Fully tenured jazz piano legend George Caldwell presided over the ivory 88s for the Count Basie Orchestra winning a “Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance” Grammy in 1996. He is also instrumental in co-organizing the annual John Coltrane celebration at the Burchfield Penney.
Saxophonist Ahmad Pleasant coveted 1st place prize in the 2018 Buffalo's Got Talent competition; Amari McDade is a vocal major at the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts.
Tickets: $20 general public; $10 for Burchfield Penney and PMLJC members, limited to two tickets per membership.
Saturday, September 22, 2018
NOON
The Progressions Quartet
A taste of Buffalo’s next emerging generation of jazz musicians. Ahmad Pleasant (saxophone), Christian Bowman (drums), Oscar Woodrich (guitar), Jackson Edwards and (bass) will pay tribute to John Coltrane.
1 PM
Screenings | Coltrane Short Films
The Church of Saint John Coltrane – documentary on the culture and spirit of the congregation founded in 1971 as the Saint John Coltrane African Orthodox Church in San Francisco.
Interview with John Coltrane June 15, 1958 - interview by August Blume conducted while Coltrane was appearing in Baltimore with the Miles Davis' Quintet.
Admission is free with gallery admission.
6:30 PM
Greg Millar Quartet - Guitarist Greg Millar and tenor saxophonist Nelson Rivera will recreate a classic album from 1958 that featured Coltrane paired as a sideman with legendary guitarist Kenny Burrel
8 PM
Gary Bartz with the Curtis Lundy Trio
In 1958, Baltimore-born Gary Bartz ventured to New York City to attend the Juilliard School. In the 1960s, he joined the Max Roach/Abbey Lincoln Group and the Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop. In 1965, he joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. Around the same time, he began working with McCoy Tyner and their relationship deepened the influence of John Coltrane on Bartz.
In 1970, Miles Davis asked him to perform with his band at the historic Isle of Wight Festival. In the same year, Bartz also formed his own group, Ntu Troop. Overall, he has recorded more than 40 solo albums and over 200 as a guest artist. More recently, he released Coltrane Rules: Tao of a Music Warrior, Live at the Jazz Standard Volume 1 and Volume 2.
Curtis Lundy is arguably one of the most prolific in-demand bassists on the modern jazz scene. He is a disciple of the mainstream, straight ahead, hard bop school. Lundy also serves as the International Music Director for the Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Collective.
Guest performances by vocalist Sehrea N'dayu/choreographer Jai Robinson - Sehrea is a vocal major at Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts; Jai attends Nichols High School and trains in jazz, tap, contemporary/lyrical, ballet and hip hop.
Tickets are $30 general public; $15 Burchfield Penney and Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Collective members (limit two member-priced tickets per membership)
ALL TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED IN ADVANCE BY CALLING (716) 878-6011 DURING MUSEUM HOURS.
This year's John Coltrane promotional illustration was designed by artist Stacey Robinson, a University at Buffalo MFA graduate and Arthur Schomburg fellow. Limited edition commemorative posters will be available for purchase during the festival in the Center’s gift shop. Last year's design won a 2018 Silver Addy award and an honorable mention distinction in the national American Alliance of Museums (AAM) Publication Design Competition.
“The Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Collective restructured earlier this year to integrate the five pillars of the late Pappy Martin's vision under one umbrella organization,” said Dawn Martin Berry-Walker. “Our mission is to educate, elevate and celebrate an original American art form. From the summer jazz festival and Love Supreme School of Music, to the John Coltrane celebration, we honor the significance of jazz. We thank the Burchfield Penney for its generosity once again in partnering with us to help sustain my father’s footprint."
For more information on the John Coltrane Birthday Celebration go to www.burchfieldpenney.org
About the Pappy Martin Jazz Collective
The Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Collective, created to sustain the legacy of the late musician and
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bandleader, honors the historical significance of jazz as an original American art form. The Collective provides opportunities for audience and community development with the focus on jazz appreciation, knowledge and understanding through live performances, community forums and mentorship. The Collective includes the Masten Jazz Festival, Love Supreme School of Music, Celestial Jazz Series, John Coltrane Birthday Celebration, and the Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Society.