From noon to 1:30 pm each week these concerts will feature Marcia with name musicians from the 'neighborhood' and past students performing in jazz, Latin and classical genres. So far the scheduled lineup includes the likes of Sun Ra's Kash Killion, Marin Academy's Bob Schleeter, Robby Marshall, Jarrett Cherner, Barbara Borden, and Randy Vincent. Initiated by Reverend Alexander of the First Presbyterian Church, it's an opportunity to cultivate a sense of community by meeting the 'neighbors' in the downtown area.
A multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and educator, early this Spring Marcia performed with the Voices of Latin Rock at Arizona's Cesar Chavez Day Celebration. With skills that cross multiple genres she's the only female saxophonist/flutist with Dr. Anthony Brown and the Asian American Orchestra, performing with Wayne Wallace's Rhythm and Rhyme, the Northern California Lighthouse Singers 25th Anniversary conducted by Helen Stevens and Stephen Roberts and the Montclair Women's Big Band. She's played at Monterey, Stern Grove, Sonoma, Fillmore Jazz Festivals and the International Association of Jazz Educators' Conventions with the African American Jazz Caucus AllStar Big Band (in 2004 was the Featured Artist with the Historically Black Colleges' University Allstar Band). Her last project-as-producer was Passing the Baton: the Miget-Redd Session Part 1 with legendary Bebop pianist, Freddy Redd. A Member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences her performance pedigree includes multiple appearances with Carlos Santana, and such notables as Larry Ridley, Jimmy Cobb, Buddy Baker, Kenny Barron, Orestes Vilato, Frank Foster, Pete Escovedo, Donald Byrd, Tyrone Hill of Sun Ra's Arkestra, Freddy Redd, Anthony Brown and the Asian American Orchestra, Carl Perazzo, Phish, Wayne Wallace, John Santos, Babatunde Lea, Abel Sanchez, Jorge Santana and Prophet, Jaimeo Brown and Dartanyan Brown. Her past band has opened for Chick Corea, Kenny Loggins, Phoebe Snow and performed on MTV with Rickie Lee Jones. She has been the featured performer with the James Cleveland Choir at the Gospel Music Workshop of America; in a 2003 Jam Session Tribute to Oscar Peterson at the Toronto International Association of Jazz Educators' Convention.
Based in the Bay Area Miraflores Music School is a preeminent private school that has been the foundation for some of Marin's best musical talent since 1988, as current and graduated students, e.g. Joelle Parrett, Jeff Derby, Jaimeo Brown, Alex Baky, J.J.Byars, Lou Wiskus, Robby Marshall, Isabella Quereshi, Zach Gunsell, Dan Birch, Bram Kincheloe, Elecia Strauss, Seth Paris, Kristina Hoffman, Andrew Capra and Salvador Santana, evidence. These graduates, and many more, were selected for prestigious musical performance groups like the International Monterey High School All-star Jazz Band, California High School All-State Band, California High School All-State Concert Band, the San Francisco Jazz High School Allstars and attend a number of institutions such as Oberlin College, Sarah Lawrence, Berklee School of Music, the New School to Cal Arts, Manhattan School, NYU, USC and UCLA or performing professionally with such names as Bill Watrus, Mingus Big Band, and Greg Tardy. The array of award-winning students from Miraflores have performed in such events as the Duke Ellington Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, the International Association of Jazz Educators' Convention, San Jose Jazz Festival, San Francisco Jazz Festival, San Rafael's Italian Street Painting Festival, et al.
With a rich musical heritage (her family of musicians performed extensively throughout the Midwest) she started studying piano, saxophone and flute at a very early age, and teaching from the ago of 13. During many of her residencies, her practice was to invite artists from other disciplines, poets, dancers, mimes, musicians and actors, bringing the “live" component of music/arts into the classroom and training teachers to use the arts in basic skills education. Her extensive professional teaching background includes Artist/ Composer in Residence at San Pedro Elementary School (1991-97) and Master Teacher at Miracle Music School (1988-2003). Marcia's multiple talents have brought her several grants for a variety of projects e.g. using music/arts for therapy in hospitals, retirement centers and residential care facilities. A highlight for her was the 1992 Bay Area Music Awards performance with her Bay Area Kids. One of the most sought after master music instructors in the San Francisco Bay Area, 2003 saw her chosen as Project Chairwoman for the African American Jazz Caucus K-12 Alternative Jazz Ed Concepts and Venues Project.
You can see the schedule and hear more of Marcia's music on her personal website.
For more information contact imajinnWEST.
