The Jazz Gallery Presenting "The Shape of Jazz to Come: Directions in 21st Century Music" During 2006-2007 Season

The Jazz Gallery -- the popular lower Manhattan music venue and art gallery noted for its commitment to nurturing and promoting emerging artists -- is presenting a new concert series called “The Shape Of Jazz To Come - Directions In 21st Century Music" during the course of its 2006-2007 season.

The strength of the series further enhances the recognition of a venue that has already been noted as, “The most imaginatively booked jazz club in New York." (New York Times); “New York's #1 jazz venue." (Daily News); and “The best place to hear live music in New York." (Time Out New York).

Funded in part by a $72,000 grant from the New York State Music Fund, established by the New York State Attorney General at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, “The Shape Of Jazz To Come" - launched September 14-15 with a performance at The Jazz Gallery by a trio led by West African guitarist Lionel Loueke. The ongoing series will continue through June 2007. Upcoming performances will feature:

October 13
Aaron Parks Quartet - featuring Aaron Parks - piano, Ben Monder - guitar, Matt Brewer - bass, Rodney Green - drums

October 20-21
Miguel Zenon Quartet - featuring Miguel Zenon - alto saxophone, Luis Perdomo - piano, Hans Glawischnig - bass, Henry Cole - drums

October 27-28
John Ellis Group - featuring John Ellis - reeds, Mike Moreno - guitar, Alan Hampton - bass, Derrek Phillips - drums, special guest TBA

November 3-6
Roy Hargrove Big Band

November 16-17
Peter Apfelbaum & The New York Hieroglyphics Ensemble

Other artists confirmed to participate in the new series whose performance dates at The Jazz Gallery have yet to be set are pianists Gerald Clayton, Vijay Iyer, Jason Lindner, Andy Milne and Luis Perdomo; saxophonists Yosvany Terry and Marcus Strickland; drummers Dafnis Prieto and Marcus Gilmore; vocalist Gretchen Parlato; and harmonica player Gregoire Maret.

“The Daily News described us as being 'part church, part laboratory, part incubator of new talent,' Dale Fitzgerald, founder and executive director of the Gallery, said. “This series stresses our function as an incubator, in that 'The Shape of Jazz to Come' highlights the 'best and the brightest' of those artists who have managed to establish their identities through sustained rehearsals and live performances, noteworthy recording projects and a variety of commissions," Fitzgerald explained. “They will appear leading well-prepared bands performing recent compositions not only at the Gallery but also in a series of larger venues both in Harlem and the Hudson River Valley."

“As jazz presenters in what is currently an extremely challenging environment, we view our primary task not as seeking to replicate the genre's past glories or to make of jazz a repertory music," Fitzgerald continued. “Our role is rather to reflect the multiple paths being taken by young musicians who are, among other things, busily importing folk and world music traditions into jazz forms." The artists working with the Gallery during the touring phase of “The Shape Of Jazz To Come" have proven themselves at the venue in a number of ways over at least two years. “These musicians used our facility to develop projects and compositions that are ready to be brought before larger audiences in venues that look for or expect a level of polish we've not insisted on in our role as an 'incubator'," Fitzgerald said.

The Jazz Gallery's off-site co-presentations during the Winter of 2007 begin on Friday, February 16th with Dafnis Prieto leading a quintet at the newly opened “Harlem Stage" (formerly Aaron Davis Hall) at The Gatehouse. This will be followed by performances at the Tarrytown Music Hall, the Paramount Center in Peekskill, the Bardavon in Poughkeepsie and the Hudson Opera House. Dates for these performances are still being determined and will be announced as soon as they are set.

In addition to the New York State Music Fund, The Jazz Gallery also receives support from New York City's Department of Cultural Affairs, the Presenting Program of the New York State Council on the Arts, the National Endowment of the Arts, the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust and numerous individual sponsors.