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Zaccai Curtis
Zaccai Curtis composes and arranges for his own quartet, trio, solo piano works, Big-Band, Orchestra, as well as large and small ensembles with strings. In 2001 he was commissioned to arrange Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Capriccio Espagnol” to be performed by his 7 piece latin jazz ensemble ‘insight’ with the Hartford Symphony Chamber Orchestra. In 2003 he was chosen as a winner of the ASCAP Young Jazz Composer’s competition and each year consecutively through 2006. Zaccai and his quartet were selected by the U.S. State Department to be in the American Music Abroad (Jazz Ambassadors) program two times in 2006. They performed in Bangladesh, Calcutta, Bangalore, Mumbai, Sri Lanka and Maldives. In 2007, Zaccai was awarded the ‘Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism’s Artist Fellowship’ for original composition.
Zaccai currently performs his own music with his group ‘Curtis Brothers quartet’. Zaccai and brother Luques Curtis are currently releasing their album ‘completion of proof’, after two successful albums, “a genesis” and “Blood spirit land water freedom”. Zaccai is also the head of his own record label ‘truth revolution records’, where music from talented independent artists is released.
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Darryl Yokley: Un Mundo en Soledad
by Paul Rauch
Composer/saxophonist Darryl Yokley's Sound Reformation recordings have always revealed a keen compositional sense for sound, mood-setting melodies that tell a story. One could easily describe his writing and playing style as lyrical, creating a narrative of sound without actual vocal or spoken word participation. Imagine then, a suite of tunes written lyrically in terms of melody, adding spoken word art inspired from one of the classic novels in literary history. Imagine even further, those words leaping from the pages of ...
Continue ReadingAfro-Cuban Jazz Show
by David Brown
This week, we have been checking out some sounds from Cuba, Afro-Cuban Jazz and other Latin Jazz works from the 1950s to today.Playlist Thelonious Monk “Esistrophy (Theme)" from Live at the It Club-Complete (Columbia) 01:30 Julio Gutierrez “Theme On Cha Cha Cha" from The Complete Cuban Jam Sessions (Panart Records) 03:15 Nino Rivera “Guanguanco--Comparsa" from The Complete Cuban Jam Sessions (Panart Records) 07:47 Buena Vista Social Club “Chan Chan" from Buena Vista Social Club (World Circuit) 15:16 Rubén ...
Continue ReadingDavid Larsen: Cohesion
by Edward Blanco
Baritone saxophonist David Larsen has produced one of the finest albums of pure hard bop music on the jazz landscape of today. Cohesion contains a treasure trove of fresh new original material from Larsen and tenor saxophonist Darryl Yokley. Larsen leads the driving, dark and impassioned sounds of hard bop. His pronounced baritone voice is best positioned to convey the pulsating, swinging color found throughout the album. Performing on the baritone is a challenge considering it is the hardest member ...
Continue ReadingLakecia Benjamin: Phoenix Reimagined (Live)
by Mike Jurkovic
The certifiable beauty of Phoenix Reimagined (Live) is that it all happens in very very real time as Lakecia Benjamin comes fiercely into her immediate own and then, in a tear of a performance that blisters the paint on the wall, surpasses herself. It is a momentous achievement. One that we rarely get to hear up close, personal and live. Benjamin cuts through the malaise of an empire falling, burning down the ministry of b.s. as she wields ...
Continue ReadingZaccai Curtis: Cubop Lives!
by Pierre Giroux
Pianist Zaccai Curtis's recent album Cubop Lives! is a vibrant acknowledgement of the rich legacy of bebop and Afro-Cuban jazz offering a compelling blend that respects tradition while infusing it with a contemporary flair. Backed by a scintillating ensemble of top-flight exponents of the style, including bassist Luques Curtis, drummer Willie Martinez III, conguero Camilo Molina and on bongos Reinaldo De Jesus, the group dives into an extended track list of seventeen compositions comprising Curtis originals, bebop classics, American Songbook ...
Continue ReadingDavid Larsen: Cohesion
by Jack Bowers
For Cohesion, baritone saxophonist David Larsen's tenth album as leader of his own ensemble, he chose as his teammates a quartet of East Coast musicians who so impressed him during a tour of the Northwest that he invited them back to his Seattle, Washington home base to take part in a workshop, play some gigs and ultimately record Cohesion with him. As it turns out, it was a splendid decision, as Larsen and the others, even though ...
Continue ReadingFelipe Salles: Tiyo's Songs Of Life
by Jack Bowers
Talk about remarkable origins; the music on Tiyo's Songs of Life, performed by tenor saxophonist Felipe Salles' quartet, was written by Tiyo Attallah Salah-El while he was serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole in a Pennsylvania prison. In spite of his circumstances, Salah-El never lost his love for life, an upbeat frame of mind that is ever-present in these nine sparkling originals. While imprisoned, he earned bachelor's and master's degrees and founded the Coalition for the Abolition ...
Continue ReadingLatin Jazz Conversations: Zaccai Curtis (Part 4)
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The Latin Jazz Corner by Chip Boaz
All musicians carry strong influences during their early development; the way that they build upon those influences and eventually move away from them defines their artistic personality. Young musicians generally drown themselves in their influences during their developmental years, soaking in every possible lesson from each recording. There's a period where the musicians emulates their influences as closely as possible; the length of this stage depends of the musician's desire to define themselves. A driven young musician will realize the ...
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Latin Jazz Conversations: Zaccai Curtis (Part 3)
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The Latin Jazz Corner by Chip Boaz
For many jazz musicians, a move to New York represents many things, but all in every way, it symbolizes a step into the center of the jazz world. Vibrant jazz scenes exist across the country and each one produces a significant amount of creative energy that pushes the music into the next era. Musicians dedicate their lives to jazz communities across the country, doing important work that in many ways equals the artistic output of New York's jazz scene. Still, ...
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Latin Jazz Conversations: Zaccai Curtis (Part 2)
Source:
The Latin Jazz Corner by Chip Boaz
Today's crop of young artists are creating music in a very different world than the one occupied by an older generation. The popular music that surrounds them often lowers the bar in terms of musicality, and many people from their generation simply don't value artistry at a high level. They buck the popular consensus though and learn about music in a much different fashion than their elders, spending years piling through musical details at colleges and universities. The schoolroom presents ...
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Latin Jazz Conversations: Zaccai Curtis (Part 1)
Source:
The Latin Jazz Corner by Chip Boaz
A childhood immersed in great musical experiences sets the stage for the emergence of a great musician. Listening can be a powerful way to peek interest in a young person, and the more time they spend hearing music, the more it will resonate with them. The more interested a child becomes, the more likely that they will find their way to an instrument. They need large amounts of encouragement and opportunity at this point, but once they have it, they ...
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Photos
Music
Macondo
From: Un Mundo en SoledadBy Zaccai Curtis
Toe Tappin' Tasty
From: Tiyo's Songs Of LifeBy Zaccai Curtis
