Whaling City Sound
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In the News….
Sampling the cultural delights of spring
An event to look forward to this spring is the first-ever JazzFest May 18 at Custom House Square
THEATRE TO PRODUCE
JAZZFEST EVENT
NEW BEDFORD, MA — In cooperation with Bridgewater Credit Union as its major corporate sponsor, Your Theatre, Inc. has announced it will produce New Bedford’s first jazz festival scheduled for May 18 at Custom House Square in New Bedford’s Historic District and National Park. Jazzfest will be an upscale annual music event featuring artists from the regional and national jazz scene.
Headlining the event will be Gerry Gibbs and the Electric Thrasher Orchestra featuring Nicholas Payton and Dave Liebman. Whaling City Sound recording artist Gerry Gibbs has been playing Miles Davis’ music for over 20 years and recorded his own tribute to the legendary CD Bitches Brew entitled Gerry Gibbs and the Electric Thrasher Orchestra Play Miles Davis 1967-1975 in 2010.
Nicholas Payton, a New Orleans native, was a musical prodigy who sat in with local bands at age nine. He plays nine instruments and won a 1977 Grammy for his collaboration with Doc Cheatham.
Saxophonist Dave Liebman, recipient of the National Endowment of the Arts Master of Jazz Award in 2011, became a member of Miles Davis’ group from 1970 through 1974. He followed that gig with a world tour with pianist Chick Corea in 1977.
Opening the evening will be the swinging big band sounds of the Southcoast Jazz Orchestra. Founded in 2009 by trumpeter Bob Williamson, proprietor of Dartmouth’s Symphony Shop, and drummer Neil Sylvia, the SJO is a traditional jazz ensemble that can trace its roots back to 1930’s and the Swing Era.
According to Eric Paradis, the event’s chairman and a member of Your Theatre, Inc.’s Board of Directors, “Patrons will enjoy a Friday evening of four to five hours of solid entertainment.”
Adjacent to the main stage tent will be smaller ones housing local food and beverage vendors. In addition, after the performances several local nightlife spots will offer live jazz with no cover charge as a continuation of the JazzFest celebration until 1:30 am.
“It will keep the evening’s vibrancy alive and downtown New Bedford buzzing. Anyone seeking additional information, can ‘Like’ us on Facebook: New Bedford JazzFest,” Mr. Paradis adds.
Tickets are available at branches of the Bridgewater Credit Union, the Symphony Shop, 94 State Road, North Dartmouth, Pier 37, Union Street, New Bedford, and Your Theatre’s box office, 508-993-0772, or at Custom House Square the evening of the festival. Preferred seating is $30.00, general admission standing room tickets are $20.00, and student tickets are $10.00. Tickets at the door are $5.00 extra. Please call YTI for info on Gold Seating and sponsorships.
Located in the auditorium complex at St. Martin’s Church, 136 Rivet St., Your Theatre, Inc. was founded in 1946 by the late Mary A. Smith and is incorporated as a non-profit community theatre. The award-winning company, which has a web site at www.yourtheatre.org, enhances the cultural life of New Bedford, Southeastern Massachusetts, and nearby communities through the study and regular presentation of dramatic productions and other programs of high quality and professional standards.
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Too often, way too often in fact, we take our Christmas music for granted. When the holidays roll around and we need some music to spin, we reach for the familiar, the Elvises, the Bings, the Felicianos, Elmo and Patsy! My goodness. For some reason, even those with good taste take a pass during the holidays and stick with the tried and true, yet relatively bland, seasonal tunes. Why? Because we know the melodies like the back of our hand? Do we need to hear Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride” again? Ho ho ho (hum) indeed.
This year, why not reach for holiday music you’ve not heard a million times.Whaling City Sound, the Massachusetts-based label acclaimed for its stylish jazz-based releases, serves up its initial offering of challenging, unfamiliar holiday vibes with A Whaling City Christmas, Volume 1. Fans of the Whaling City Sound sound should approach this with a certain caution: it is not, for one thing, a jazz recording. You’ll find a sax here and there, but there’s lots of things you wouldn’t expect on a typical WCS album, including folk, fiddles, electronics, klezmer clarinet(!) and even a couple of pop melodies.
Despite the unexpected nature of this entire album, we’re sure you’ll enjoy the selections. They are pure, heartfelt, and occasionally humorous; with an organic spirit that embraces the holidays without hammering home the jingle-jingle clichés that we hear ad nauseum. The record kicks off with a gorgeous ballad, Cedric Josey’s “Angels in the Snow,” takes a quick left turn with the Jethros’ folky, funny “Santa Please,” which leads right into Neal McCarthy’s classic-sounding Americana ballad “Christmas Trip.” “Snow” sounds like a pretty Roches-style piece; MM4’s “Jesus Christ the Apple Tree” presents some mellow sax and is the perfect Christmas morning, “let’s all be thankful” wake-up vibe. Elsewhere, there’s blues, synth, country, and all kinds of different grooves on this record. Frankly, it sounds like real Christmas songs played by real American artists. How’s that for a change?
We’re delighted—and you should be, too—that the Whaling City Sound label has the courage to challenge the institutional fortress of traditional Christmas music. There’s beautiful stuff here. In fact, excellent, original seasonal music is written and performed all the time, but never sees the twinkling light of day, largely because the field of what is considered acceptable Christmas carols is fenced off to newcomers. All you have to do is listen to the PA at the mall. With the first volume of A Whaling City Christmas, you can start discovering your own new classics, right here, right now.
If WCS artists have news to share, please email info to us at mixedmediapromo@cox.net
Music industry consultant and publicist Ginny Shea has garnered international exposure for her clients through radio and video promotion, print media, and her vast industry network.
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