May 24, 2005
To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected]
The Jazz Museum in Harlem 104 East 126th Street New York, NY 10035 http://www.jazzmuseuminharlem.org/ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 05/24/05 Harlem Speaks Continues Swing into Spring · Dr. Billy Taylor (June 2) · William C. Rhoden (June 16)
New York, NY (May 24, 2005) The Jazz Museum in Harlem's bi-weekly conversation series, Harlem Speaks, proceeds on June 2, 2005 with jazz statesman and ambassador, Dr. Billy Taylor. Each discussion takes place at the offices of the Jazz Museum in Harlem, located at 104 East 126th Street, between Park and Lexington Avenues, from 6:30pm-8:00pm.
As always, the series is free to the public. Please call for reservations: 212 348-8300.
Jazz Museum in Harlem board member, Dr. Billy Taylor, has been a standard bearer of jazz for over 60 years. An expert pianist, skillful composer, articulate broadcaster, and educator par excellence, Dr. Taylor has spread the good news of jazz to young and old throughout the world. Locally, he founded the Harlem-based Jazzmobile, which has offered music clinics and free summer concerts in Harlem and across the city for 40 years. On June 2nd, Dr. Taylor will discuss his legacy, including his early days in Harlem, and as house pianist at Birdland; the many great musicians he’s performed with over the years, such as Billie Holiday, the two Charlies (Parker and Mingus), Ben Webster, Dizzy Gillespie, Slam Stewart, and Don Byas; his tenure on CBS Sunday Morning; and his stewardship of jazz programming at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. He'll also converse with executive director Loren Schoenberg about his recently announced retirement from playing.
William C. Rhoden, sports writer and columnist with the New York Times for 32 years, is the second guest of the museum in June. For a decade he has written the Sports of the Times column. Along with discussing his career as a journalist, and analogies between sports and jazz, on June 16th Mr. Rhoden will discuss little-known details about his background as an associate editor of Ebony magazine from 1974 to 1978, his three years with The Baltimore Sun as a columnist and jazz critic, and his experience as the road manager for an international tour of the Billy Harper Quartet that made stops in Poland, Romania, Portugal, London, France, Turkey and Spain. Back in the 1970s, he wrote liner notes for Earth, Wind & Fire, and the Isley Brothers. Mr. Rhoden has recently completed his first book, Lost Tribe Wandering, a political and cultural analysis of African-American athletes. Co-Director Christian McBride will be a co-host of this exciting evening.
On Thursday, May 19th, choreographer Mercedes Ellington kept the large audience (who have rapidly become members of the Jazz Museum family) entranced with her expansive life-story. Although frequently cited as Duke Ellington's granddaughter, Ms. Ellington has had a distinguished career dating back to the early 1960’s, when she became the first African-American member of The June Taylor Dancers, featured regularly on The Jackie Gleason show. Stories about a trip to Russia with the Ellington band, the realities of the color line on Broadway, and in general, her tremendous enthusiasm and intelligence made it a night to remember.
The Harlem Speaks series, co-produced by the Jazz Museum in Harlem and Greg Thomas Associates, takes place on alternating Thursdays at the offices of the Jazz Museum in Harlem, located at 104 East 126th Street, between Park and Lexington Avenues, from 6:30pm-8:00pm. Please call for reservations to this free series: 212 348-8300.
To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected]
The Jazz Museum in Harlem 104 East 126th Street New York, NY 10035 http://www.jazzmuseuminharlem.org/ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 05/24/05 Harlem Speaks Continues Swing into Spring · Dr. Billy Taylor (June 2) · William C. Rhoden (June 16)
New York, NY (May 24, 2005) The Jazz Museum in Harlem's bi-weekly conversation series, Harlem Speaks, proceeds on June 2, 2005 with jazz statesman and ambassador, Dr. Billy Taylor. Each discussion takes place at the offices of the Jazz Museum in Harlem, located at 104 East 126th Street, between Park and Lexington Avenues, from 6:30pm-8:00pm.
As always, the series is free to the public. Please call for reservations: 212 348-8300.
Jazz Museum in Harlem board member, Dr. Billy Taylor, has been a standard bearer of jazz for over 60 years. An expert pianist, skillful composer, articulate broadcaster, and educator par excellence, Dr. Taylor has spread the good news of jazz to young and old throughout the world. Locally, he founded the Harlem-based Jazzmobile, which has offered music clinics and free summer concerts in Harlem and across the city for 40 years. On June 2nd, Dr. Taylor will discuss his legacy, including his early days in Harlem, and as house pianist at Birdland; the many great musicians he’s performed with over the years, such as Billie Holiday, the two Charlies (Parker and Mingus), Ben Webster, Dizzy Gillespie, Slam Stewart, and Don Byas; his tenure on CBS Sunday Morning; and his stewardship of jazz programming at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. He'll also converse with executive director Loren Schoenberg about his recently announced retirement from playing.
William C. Rhoden, sports writer and columnist with the New York Times for 32 years, is the second guest of the museum in June. For a decade he has written the Sports of the Times column. Along with discussing his career as a journalist, and analogies between sports and jazz, on June 16th Mr. Rhoden will discuss little-known details about his background as an associate editor of Ebony magazine from 1974 to 1978, his three years with The Baltimore Sun as a columnist and jazz critic, and his experience as the road manager for an international tour of the Billy Harper Quartet that made stops in Poland, Romania, Portugal, London, France, Turkey and Spain. Back in the 1970s, he wrote liner notes for Earth, Wind & Fire, and the Isley Brothers. Mr. Rhoden has recently completed his first book, Lost Tribe Wandering, a political and cultural analysis of African-American athletes. Co-Director Christian McBride will be a co-host of this exciting evening.
On Thursday, May 19th, choreographer Mercedes Ellington kept the large audience (who have rapidly become members of the Jazz Museum family) entranced with her expansive life-story. Although frequently cited as Duke Ellington's granddaughter, Ms. Ellington has had a distinguished career dating back to the early 1960’s, when she became the first African-American member of The June Taylor Dancers, featured regularly on The Jackie Gleason show. Stories about a trip to Russia with the Ellington band, the realities of the color line on Broadway, and in general, her tremendous enthusiasm and intelligence made it a night to remember.
The Harlem Speaks series, co-produced by the Jazz Museum in Harlem and Greg Thomas Associates, takes place on alternating Thursdays at the offices of the Jazz Museum in Harlem, located at 104 East 126th Street, between Park and Lexington Avenues, from 6:30pm-8:00pm. Please call for reservations to this free series: 212 348-8300.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
