Talkin' Jazz 2017

A free lecture series - Monday evenings at 7:00 pm:

April 3, April 10, April 17

Performing Arts Academy, adjacent to Count Basie Theatre

111 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701

April is National Jazz Appreciation month initiated by the Smithsonian Institute and established by an act of Congress. It is an annual celebration that pays tribute to jazz as an historic and living American art form. Since 2008, Jazz Arts Project has participated by curating a series of lectures and Q & A panels featuring noted jazz luminaries and scholars. This free community event is a great introduction to jazz for novices or a wonderful extension of knowledge for connoisseurs. This year, Jazz Arts Project collaborates with Count Basie Theatre to present this education program.

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Monday, April 3, 7:00 pm

One for the Count! — Tribute to Count Basie

Guest Speaker: Darrell Lawrence Willis

Jazz icon, Count Basie, was born William James Basie August 21, 1904 in Red Bank, New Jersey. Count Basie is considered one of the greatest bandleaders of all times. He was the arbiter of the big band swing sound and his unique style of fusing the blues and jazz forms established swing as a predominant music style. Basie changed the jazz landscape and shaped mid-20th century popular music, duly earning the title “King of Swing” because he made the world want to dance.

About the Speaker (Darrell Lawrence Willis):

A native of Long Branch, NJ, Mr. Willis is a professional actor with over 40 years of experience and over 100 stage and screen roles to his list of acting credits. He is a graduate of Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, with a B.A. in Communications and Theatre. In addition, Mr. Willis, holds an M.A. In Theatre Studies, Montclair State University. He is also serves on the Board of Directors for the Count Basie Theatre and the Monmouth County Arts Council.

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Monday, April 11, 7:00 pm

"Mulligan Stew" — The Life & Music of Gerry Mulligan

Guest Speaker: Sanford Josephson

In the pantheon of jazz, Gerry Mulligan represents not one, but two major voices. He is not only one of the inarguably historic voices on the baritone saxophone, but he is also a significant arranger who wrote for some of the major big bands and his own recordings, not to mention the game-changing 1949 Birth of the Cool recording which is often credited only to Gil Evans, but also featured Mulligan’s arranging voice.

About the speaker (Sanford Josephson):

Sanford Josephson is t he author of Jeru’s Journey: The Life and Music of Gerry Mulligan (Hal Leonard Books), published in October 2015, and Jazz Notes: Interviews Across the Generations (Praeger/ABC-Clio), published in June 2009. He has also written extensively about jazz musicians in publications ranging from the New York Daily News to American Way magazine. He serves on the board of the New Jersey Jazz Society and is a contributing editor to Jersey Jazz Magazine. He also curates the “Music in the Moonlight” jazz series at the Luna Stage in West Orange, NJ, and produces the Flemington, NJ, segment of the Central Jersey Jazz Festival. In July 2016, he retired as director of public relations and development at the Matheny Medical and Educational Center, a special hospital and educational facility in Peapack, NJ, for children and adults with medically complex developmental disabilities. He and his wife, Linda, reside in Manchester, NJ.

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Monday April 17, 7:00pm

100 Years of Ella!

Guest speaker: Champian Fulton

Let's celebrate the legacy of Ella Fitzgerald! Ella sang everything. Every kind of music. She started out as a big band singer, hitting the charts with the popular tunes of the 30s and 40s. Ella was the greatest female interpreter of American Popular Song. She revolutionized the music world with her perfect pitch, melodious voice and her unforgettable ability to "scat" sing. She sang jazz using her voice like one of the instruments in the band. Through the many decades of her performing career she recorded countless albums including her beloved “songbook” series.

Ella Jane Fitzgerald was born on April 25, 1917, in Newport News, Virginia. After a long career, that included 13 Grammy Awards, countless Downbeat Jazz Awards, the Kennedy Center Honors, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of the Arts (and many, many others), Ella performed her last concert at Carnegie Hall in 1991.

About The Speaker (Champian Fulton): A mainstay on the vibrant NYC jazz scene and the finest clubs and concert halls around the world, Champian Fulton she has performed with musical royalty such as Lou Donaldson, Frank Wess, Eric Alexander, Buster Williams, and Louis Hayes. From New York to Barcelona, Champian’s swinging style and charismatic performances have made her a guardian of the legacy of Jazz. Jazz education is also a concern near and dear to Champian’s heart, having been inspired by the late Great Clark Terry’s tireless advocacy for the perpetuation of the craft. Clark coached her on rehearsal techniques, performance etiquette, private teaching, and the business of the Jazz. She strives to impart this unique knowledge to students around the world. In addition to her involvement in the Litchfield Jazz Camp and the Rutgers Jazz Institute, Champian is an integral part of our Jazz Arts Academy faculty.

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