From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Fri Sep 11 2009 - 07:53:32 EDT
"Hagos Berhane. Truly a global artist, guitarist/singer/songwriter Hagos
Berhane left his native Eritrea during the political unrest of the mid
1970s, first settling in Addis Ababa, then the Sudan, and then Saudi Arabia,
establishing a fan base wherever he performed. Residing in the U.S. in the
Washington, DC area since the late 1980s, he’s since returned to perform in
Eritrea, where his latest recording, Millennium, has been ranked number one
among Eritrean listeners."
http://www.jazzpolice.com/content/view/8552/115/
Jazz in the Neighborhood: Selby Avenue JazzFest, September 12th
Written by Andrea Canter, Contributing Editor
Thursday, 10 September 2009
Kim Waters
“This one has a little of everything…big band, smooth jazz and an East
African legend. We are delighted at having all of these talented musicians,
be they from the Hamline Midway area, the East Coast or Eretria, gracing our
stage. We’re settling in for a great day of music, food and community.”
–Mychael Wright, founder, Selby Avenue Jazz Fest
A neighborhood event since 2002, the Selby Avenue Jazz Festival will be held
for the eighth year on Saturday, September 12th, at the intersection of
Selby and Milton in St. Paul. Featuring music, food concessions, arts booths
and activities for the whole family, the “the biggest backyard party in St.
Paul” is a much anticipated community event. “This one has a little of
everything…big band, smooth jazz and an East African legend,” said festival
founder (and owner of Golden Thyme Coffee) Mychael Wright. “We are delighted
at having all of these talented musicians, be they from the Hamline Midway
area, the East Coast or Eretria, gracing our stage. We’re settling in for a
great day of music, food and community.”
Sponsors of the 2009 Selby Avenue JazzFest include Golden Thyme Coffee &
Café, Selby Area Community Development Corporation, City of St.
Paul-Cultural STAR Grant, Family & Children’s Services, Travelers,
Mississippi Market Co-op, and Western Bank. This year’s media partners
include KSTC-45, KBEM Jazz 88 and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. A
family-friendly event, the fest boasts not only music but food, crafts and
activities for children. Festivities get underway at 11 am and continue
throughout the afternoon and early evening, wrapping up at 7 pm.
The 2009 JazzFest line-up:
LexHam Community Band. Directed by Jeremy Carvell, this band brings together
musicians from the Lexington/Hamline neighborhood to perform repertoire from
classical concert band charts and Sousa marches to show tunes, swing and
Dixieland arrangements.
Pippi ArdenniaWalker West Urban Legends with Pippi Ardennia. One of the
cultural hubs of St. Paul, Walker West promotes music education and
performance, particularly in jazz and gospel genres. An annual presence at
JazzFest, this year the “legends” of Walker West join forces with singer
Pippi Ardennia, a magical musical storyteller.
Brio Brass. Delighting audiences for the past 12 years, Brio Brass describes
itself as a nontraditional brass band drawing on the talents of over 40 area
musicians. Performing their own arrangements, the repertoire of Brio Brass
extends from ballads to polkas to marches, encompassing pop, show tunes,
funky rock and “lots of jazz.”
Patty Lacy-Aiken. Performing at her fourth JazzFest, Patty Lacy-Aiken brings
smooth jazz and gospel to the stage. A veteran of Sounds of Blackness and
touring with Luther Vandross, she’s served as music director of Stepping
Stone Theater for Youth Development, has performed at Penumbra Theater in
Black Nativity, at the Ritz Theater with T. Mychal Rambo, and has appeared
on Prairie Home Companion.
Hagos Berhane. Truly a global artist, guitarist/singer/songwriter Hagos
Berhane left his native Eritrea during the political unrest of the mid
1970s, first settling in Addis Ababa, then the Sudan, and then Saudi Arabia,
establishing a fan base wherever he performed. Residing in the U.S. in the
Washington, DC area since the late 1980s, he’s since returned to perform in
Eritrea, where his latest recording, Millennium, has been ranked number one
among Eritrean listeners.
Kim Waters. This year’s headliner is “urban smooth jazz”
saxophonist/composer/producer Kim Waters. One of the top five best selling
instrumentalists in jazz, Waters transcends pop, jazz and R&B with his
ability to bring joy to audiences through his music. The Maryland native
started out on violin, switching to alto and soprano sax at 13, and
eventually playing in bands that included monster pianist Cyrus Chestnut and
brothers James and Eric. An all-star high school basketball player, Waters
decided to pursue music, particularly R&B, fueled by his childhood idol,
Marvin Gaye. Now, with 16 recordings and over a million sales, Waters notes
that “the most rewarding thing is to be able to contribute something of
value to the world which affects people positively and makes them happy.
Music has that ability like nothing else in the world.”
For further information about the 2009 Selby Avenue JazzFest, call Golden
Thyme Coffee & Café at 651-645-1340 or visit on the web at
www.selbyavejazzfest.com
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