Harlem in the Himalayas Swings into Summer: Celebrating Jazz at the Rubin Museum

Harlem in the Himalayas Swings into Summer
Celebrating Jazz at the Rubin Museum

7/14 Jazz Museum in Harlem All-Stars

7/21 Trumpeter Steven Bernstein

7/28 Trombonist Wycliffe Gordon

New York, NY--The Rubin Museum of Art (RMA) in Chelsea and the Jazz Museum in Harlem continue their hugely successful concert series with a set of exciting July performances.

The Harlem in the Himalayas series feature a wide variety of outstanding jazz talent from veterans like Frank Wess and Gene Bertoncini to the next generation of jazz talent such as the trio bassist Ivan Taylor will lead this Friday, July 14, 2006 in a set of contemporary, swinging jazz. This group, like all the groups that participate in the series, integrate reflections of Himalayan art into their program.

Still in his early 20's, Taylor will lead the JAZZ MUSEUM IN HARLEM ALLSTARS, accompanied by two other young musicians who are soon to become major players on the scene, Emanuel Harold (drums) and Lawrence Clark on tenor sax.

Taylor started playing the bass at age 9. As a participant in the Essentially Ellington contest, he met Wynton Marsalis, which led him to New York City. Taylor studies with Ron Carter, has performed with the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra, and also plays with the Rashied Ali Quintet and the Mulgrew Miller Trio. He's an accomplished record producer currently working on a project with Kanye West.

Trumpeter Steven Bernstein will bring his swinging 9-piece Millennium Territorial Orchestra (MTO) to the Rubin Museum on July 21, 2006.

He was inspired to form MTO while working on the score to the Robert Altman film, Kansas City. While studying for the project, Berstein immersed himself in the music of 1920s' territory bands from Kansas City and other points in the Midwest.

On August 1, 2006, Sunnyside Records will release the MTO's debut studio album, entitled MTO Volume 1. The self-proclaimed “territory band" is led by Bernstein, who also plays slide trumpet, and features Matt Munisteri (guitar, banjo & vocals), Charlie Burnham (violin), Clark Gayton (trombone), Doug Wieselman (clarinet & tenor saxophone), Peter Apfelbaum (tenor & soprano saxophone), Eric Lawrence (baritone and soprano saxophone), Ben Allison (bass) and Ben Perowsky on drums.

Wycliffe Gordon, one of the preeminent bandleaders and trombonists in the world today, will lead his small group at the Rubin Museum on July 28th. He enjoys an extraordinary career as a performer, conductor, composer, arranger, and educator, receiving high praise from audiences and critics alike. Gordon tours the world performing hard-swinging, straight-ahead jazz for audiences ranging from heads of state to elementary school students.

In addition to a thriving solo career, he tours regularly leading the Wycliffe Gordon Quartet, headlining at legendary jazz venues throughout the world. Gordon is a former veteran member of the Wynton Marsalis Septet, The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and The Gully Low Jazz Band, and has been a featured guest artist on Billy Taylor's “Jazz at The Kennedy Center" Series. Gordon's extensive performance experience includes work with many of the most renowned jazz performers of the past and present.

The all-acoustic jazz combo concerts are held Friday nights at 7 p.m. Happy Hour is offered from 6-7 p.m. in the K2 Lounge. Rubin Museum of Art 150 West 17th Street (corner of 7th Ave.) http://www.rmanyc.org

Recently, HARLEM IN THE HIMAYAS has featured Vijay Iyer and Rudresh Mahanthappa's Raw Materials, tenor saxophonist Chris Madsen and saxophonist/tuba player Howard Johnson's quartet. Tickets are $15 in advance ($20 at the door) and include admission to the Museum's galleries. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling 212.620.5000 ext. 344, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

RMA is dedicated to the art of the Himalayas and opened sixteen months ago; the Jazz Museum is four years into its community and educational programs, and is in the process of acquiring a permanent home in Harlem. Their very successful HARLEM SPEAKS series is held bi- weekly in their Harlem offices.

The series is curated by Loren Schoenberg, Executive Director of The Jazz Museum in Harlem and Tim McHenry, Director or Programming of the Rubin Museum of Art.