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The Mary Lou Williams Collective Wednesday June 14 at J&R Music World Live WBGO Broadcast 12:30 to 1:30 PM

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Wednesday June 14
Live at J&R Music World
The Mary Lou Williams Collective
Park Row, New York, N.Y. 10038 (across from City Hall Park)
212-238-9000
http://www.jr.com/

Live Broadcast: http://www.wbgo.org

They will perform the complete “Zodiac Suite" between 12:30 and 1:30PM

Hosted by Midday Jazz host Rhonda Hamilton

On Wednesday June 14 The Mary Lou Williams Collective (Geri Allen, piano; Kenny Davis, bass; Andrew Cyrille, drums) will play the complete “Zodiac Suite" live at J & R Music World in New York City. This complete hour will be broadcast simultaneously via WBGO, the NPR station in Newark,N.J. This is the area's only 24 hour a day jazz station. It covers the entire New York metropolitan area - even out to Long Island and to lower upstate New York and parts of Connecticut. There are also about six affiliated stations which carry the programming through the entire state of New Jersey.

Celebrating the release of their new CD Zodiac Suite: Revisited (Mary Records)

“This lovely piece of music which is jazz as expansive language"-- Ben Ratliff

About the CD:

The Mary Lou Williams Collective, under the musical direction of pianist/arranger/composer Geri Allen, reexamines and revitalizes Mary Lou Williams' Zodiac Suite, the first lady of instrumental jazz's landmark 1945 recording of her collection of twelve solo, duo and trio piano pieces named for the astrological signs of the fellow jazz greats to whom they are dedicated. On Zodiac Suite: Revisited, Allen, joined by virtuoso bassist Buster Williams (Mary Lou Williams' frequent colleague) and drummer Billy Hart (the very creative third member of the younger pianist's working trio from 2003), in the words of producer Father Peter O'Brien, SJ, “explores and explodes the music ... preserving the composition, but putting herself entirely into it."

In addition to the selections from the suite, the trio also recreates Williams' exciting collaboration with bassist Milton Suggs, “Intermission." On the date's other two selections, Herbie Nichols' “The BeBop Waltz" (a favorite of Mary Lou's) and “Thank You Madam" (Allen's dedication to Williams), the great Andrew Cyrille, who had performed often with Williams and appeared on Allen's debut recording, makes a guest appearance on drums.

What the critics are saying:

“Allen is a Williams scholar but also an instinctive, daring improviser. She credibly represents Williams' rich suite but also spills it free and reinvents it. This project to rejuvenate an historic jazz composition is important"--Thomas Conrad, JazzTimes

Zodiac Suite: Revisited is the perfect homage at a time where women in jazz are no longer novelties and their art is assessed on the basis of its merits, not their gender"--John Kelman, AllAboutJazz.com

Zodiac Suite: Revisited combines traditional elements from jazz history with the kind of progressive energy that has always followed great artists"--Jim Santella, AllAboutJazz.com “Allen is true to the spirit of William's works, keeping their character intact while incorporating a modern perspective"--Ken Dryden, Coda Magazine

For More Info About Geri Allen, visit: http://geriallen.com/

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