Category Archives: Music

Jazz in the Park – Dizzy 7

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jazzinparkThe Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau continues Jazz in the Park tonight. The featured musicians are Dizzy 7

Dizzy7Logo-Small1Dizzy 7 plays music that ranges from Motown to Big Band, Latin to Dixie. It features a full rhythm section, a three-man horn section, and female and male vocalists. Dizzy 7 is composed of accomplished musicians who love what they do. In addition to playing private parties, fundraisers and weddings, the group performs a monthly gig at Dizzy’s Gypsy Bistro.  Joining Dizzy 7 will be vocalist Craig Wilson.

Jazz in the Park takes place Wednesday night in June and July from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. They will take place in the History Pavilion in Riverfront Park (between the Junction Bridge and Peabody Park).

Beer & Wine will be available for sale – to benefit Sculpture at the River Market…so no coolers, please. Free to attend!

 

Art Porter Music Education’s 2013 Jazz Week this week

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artporterThe 2013 Art Porter Music Education Jazz Week runs from Monday, July 29 through Saturday August 3 at various locations in Little Rock.

The week kicks off at Little Rock City Hall on Monday.  The City of Little Rock will host the first concert as young musicians will take center stage in the City Hall Rotunda on Monday, July 29 at noon.  This is a free event.

Other events this week include

Jazz on the Plaza at the Metropolitan BankPlaza – Tuesday, July 30 at noon – FREE

Walter Beasley and Eric Struthers at Cajun’s Wharf – Wednesday, July 31 at 7:00 pm – ticketed event

Martha Burks at Club Sway – Thursday, August 1 at 7:30pm – ticketed event

Porter Players at The Afterthought – Friday, August 2 – FREE

Pieces of A Dream at the Metroplex Event Center – August 3 at 8pm – ticketed event

All proceeds benefit the Art Porter Music Education (APME) scholarship program. Ticket information is available at www.ArtPorter.org or call (501) 492-9120.

The APME was created by friends and family of Little Rock natives – Art Porter Sr and Art Porter Jr – both amazingly talented musicians. The purpose of the APME is two-fold:

  • To provide scholarships to talented Arkansas music students in need of financial assistance to pursue higher education from an accredited college or university.
  • To provide musical enhancement opportunities through workshops and seminars.

Jazz in the Park: The Happy Tymes Jazz Band

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jazzinparkThe Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau continues Jazz in the Park tonight. The featured musicians are The Happy Tymes Jazz Band.

The Happy Tymes Jazz Band was formed in 1982 and has been entertaining audiences ever since. Based in Little Rock, this New Orleans style Dixieland jazz band has played at jazz festivals all over the country – from Sacramento Calif., to Tampa, Fla. They also play in private clubs, corporate conventions and for private parties throughout the country.

Jazz in the Park takes place Wednesday night in June and July from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. They will take place in the History Pavilion in Riverfront Park (between the Junction Bridge and Peabody Park).

Beer & Wine will be available for sale – to benefit Sculpture at the River Market…so no coolers, please. Free to attend!

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Marching Band to Parade through trails at Hillary Clinton Children’s Library

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Today at 4:30pm, Little Rock residents will have the opportunity to experience a unique event in the trails between 12th Street and I-630.

In the fairy tale, the Pied Piper led children out of town. At the Central Arkansas Library System’s (CALS) Hillary Rodham Clinton Children’s Library & Learning Center, children and adults will be having too much fun to leave as the acclaimed and rowdy 20-piece marching band, What Cheer Brigade, leads a parade for all to join along the nature trails of the Children’s Library on Tuesday, July 23, at 4:30 p.m.

The public is encouraged to come in costume and to bring homemade instruments and noisemakers. Face painting and giant puppets will add to this noisy celebration of summer fun.

What Cheer Brigade, of Providence, Rhode Island, is a 20-piece marching band that defies boundaries and appeals to young and old alike. The band has been performing since 2005 at a variety of events, has received a grant from the state of Rhode Island to play during the recess periods of six elementary schools, and has been described as “an explosion of good cheer” by the New York Times.

The parade is free and open to the public. The CALS Hillary Rodham Clinton Children’s Library & Learning Center is one of fourteen CALS branches serving Pulaski and Perry counties. For more information, call 978-3870 or visit www.cals.org.

Jazz in the Park tonight: Walter Henderson and Chris Parker

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jazzinparkThe Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau continues Jazz in the Park tonight. The featured musicians are Walter Henderson and Chris Parker.

Walter Henderson is a trumpeter, flugelhornist, puccolist and vocalist.  Originally from Little Rock, he has developed his many musical skills from artists such as John Stubblefield, James Leary, York Wilborn, Donald E. Kramer, Pharaoh Sanders, Art Porter and Sylvia M. Clay.

He served with the 60th U.S. Army Band and studied music at Little Rock University and at Governors State University, where he gained popularity with the GSU Jazz Sextet. The group toured Europe, the Far East, and was twice winner of the Notre Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival.

Most notably, he is a 1987 Musicfest USA National Finals Winner in Chicago. He has performed for the Richard Muhal Richard Big Band, was leader of the Chicago band Inner Drive and also led The Raconteurs. He has been an active member of the Rocking Robins Rhythm Kings, and has performed with Leslie Gore, Little Anthony, Frankie Avalon, Dick Clark, Lou Christie, Bobby Lewis, and Del Shannon. Upon different occasions, he has appeared with Redd Foxx, Richard Boone, The Four Tops, Captain Jack McDuff, Buddy Guy, Ken Booth, and Lord Lara. He was a principal in the Little Rock Brazilian jazz-pop band, Circo Verde.

Chris Parker was born in North Little Rock, Arkansas. He first learned from local Arkansas musicians, most notably: Charles Thomas, Art Porter, Sr., Bob Steele, Lee Tomboulian, and Michael Bates. Chris moved to Memphis, TN in 1991. There he received his BA degree from the University of Memphis and learned from/ studied with musicians including Gene Rush, James Williams, Herman Green, Fred Ford, Calvin Newborn, Bill Mobley, Alvin Fielder, Kidd Jordan, Joe Jennings, and Vernel Fournier.

Chris also spent several years in New York City where he learned from masters including: Benny Powell, Chris Anderson, Walter Perkins, Sonelius Smith, Barry Harris, George Braith, Warren Smith, and Bill Fielder.

Chris has performed/worked with: Harold Ousley, Benny Powell, Frank Lacy, Michael Marcus, Warren Smith, Andy McCloud, Roy Campbell, Jr., Wendell Harrison, Kiane Zawadi, Frank Lowe, Alvin Fielder, Joe Jennings, Earl May, Fred Ford, and Herman Green. Also informally with: Rashied Ali, George Braith, Frank Grant, Talib Kibwe, and Sonny Simmons.

Chris is also active in educational activities. He has worked as a teacher/artist with organizations including: Louis Armstrong Jazz Camp (New Orleans, LA), Mind Builders Arts School (Bronx, NY), Memphis Black Arts Alliance (Memphis, TN), Memphis Arts Council (Memphis, TN)

Jazz in the Park takes place Wednesday night in June and July from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. They will take place in the History Pavilion in Riverfront Park (between the Junction Bridge and Peabody Park).

Beer & Wine will be available for sale – to benefit Sculpture at the River Market…so no coolers, please. Free to attend!

Arts Council announces Gov Arts Award recipients

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Arkansas_Arts_Council_logo_2The Arkansas Arts Council has announced the recipients of the 2013 Governor’s Arts Awards.

They are:
Arts Community Development Award – Bob Ford and Amy Herzberg (Fayetteville)
Arts in Education Award – Paul Leopoulos (North Little Rock)
Corporate Sponsorship of the Arts Award – Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, PLLC (Little Rock)
Folklife Award – Paula Morell (North Little Rock)
Individual Artist Award – Robert Hupp (Little Rock)
Patron Award – Lee and Dale Ronnel (Little Rock)
Lifetime Achievement Award – Billie Seamans (McGehee)
Judges Special Recognition Award – Farrell Ford (Arkadelphia)

The awards will be presented in the fall.

Last Week of “Jazz Through the Eyes of Herman Leonard”

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Dinah Washington photo by Herman Leonard

Dinah Washington photo by Herman Leonard

Fans of jazz, photography or American popular culture in the 20th Century have one more week to see the exquisite exhibit “Jazz Through the Eyes of Herman Leonard.”  The exhibit, which opened in March, closes on July 21 at the Clinton Presidential Center.

Herman Leonard was a popular and influential photographer well into the 2000s, but is best known for his crisp, high-contrast black and white images of famous jazz performers from the 1940s and 1950s.

The exhibit features the who’s who of this uniquely American music.  If you have a favorite jazz singer, musician or composer, Herman Leonard photographed them – and they are featured in this collection.

Leonard caught the eye of jazz fans around the world, and Bill Clinton is no exception. Clinton called Leonard: “The greatest jazz photographer in the history of the genre” and has several Leonard prints hanging in his office in Harlem.

This exhibit features over 40 large-format black and white prints made and signed by Herman Leonard. To help tell the story of the artists in the images personal objects will accompany the stunning Leonard images.