The Trane Studio in conjunction with
Brownman Music Inc. proudly presents:
FIVE WEEKS FOR MILES
http://miles.brownman.com
by Brownman
A Tribute to jazz legend Miles Davis
Every Fri in Oct @ Trane Studio, Toronto, Canada
Week 1 - Fri. Oct 01: “Young Miles" - The Bird Years
Week 2 - Fri. Oct 05: “Birth Of The Cool & Kinda Blue" - Post-Bop Miles
Week 3 - Fri. Oct 15: “Plugged Nickel" - The Shorter Years
Week 4 - Fri. Oct 22: “Bitches Brew to Tutu" - Electric Miles
Week 5 - Fri. Oct 29: “Doo-bop" - Had He Lived...
There are 5 Fridays in October, 2010...
Every Friday in October multi-award winning trumpeter/band-leader Brownman Ali will lead 5 different 5-man all-star ensembles through 5 historic eras of jazz which Miles Davis catalyzed and immortalized.
5 Fridays...
5 Ensembles...
5 Eras of Miles...
Brownman, when asked about the tribute and the musicians behind the music, states, "For those who appreciate jazz as a true art form, FIVE WEEKS FOR MILES represents a rare opportunity to understand it's greatest legend's career, where he could have gone and a reminder of what he might have meant to us today. I'm truly honoured to be fronting this sequential tribute and performing with such a monsterous cross-section of players." Brownman has put together a spectacular all-star cast for his production featuring everyone from Canadian jazz legends Dave Restivo & Ted Quinlan, to luminaries in his own generation such as Adrean Farrugia & Marc Rogers to the best of the youngest new breed of jazz modernists like Tyler Emond & Colin KIngsmore. This year will also feature a few New Yorkers with acclaimed drummer Aaron Staebell and DJ to Jeru The Damaja - DJ Cutler making the border crossing. "Whatever age, whatever background, whatever colour - we're all going to be giving all of ourselves over to Miles’ music… to try and do the man and his vision justice”, Brownman concludes.
Produced & directed by: Brownman
Executive producer: Frank Francis
@ Trane Studio, 964 Bathurst St., Toronto, Canada
416-913-8197
http://TraneStudio.com (reserve early!)
Every Friday in November 2007
5:30pm - open for dinner [15% off dinner w/ concert]
8:00pm - show
$20/show at the door | $15/show advance guest list booking | $60 full fest pass
Email [email protected] to get on the guest list
Seating is reserved for dining customers or on a first
come first serve basis. Please arrive early to ensure seating.
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Week 1 - Fri Oct 1, 2010
"Young Miles" - The Bird Years
At 17 years of age Miles would travel across the river from his home in East St. Louis, Illinois to St. Louis, Missouri to hear well-known jazz musicians play in clubs. Mesmerized by their talent and style, he would listen to their all night jam sessions until Charlie "Bird" Parker arrived in St. Louis with the Billy Eckstine Band in 1944. Bird was the creative force behind a new form of jazz later to be dubbed "bebop" and the young Miles would become fascinated with it's complex melodic and harmonic structure leading Miles to follow Bird across the country until he was allowed to substitute for his trumpet player at the time - Dizzy Gillespie. His tenure as Bird's sideman would most exemplify this hard-swinging period of his life.
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Brownman - trumpet (National Jazz Award winner)
Bobby Brough - alto sax (acclaimed jazz artist)
Mark Keiswetter - piano (Shannon Butcher)
Ross MacIntyre - upright bass (Matt Dusk)
Ernesto Cervini - drums (just back from NYC!)
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Week 2 - Fri Oct 8, 2010
"Birth Of The Cool & Kind Of Blue" - Post-Bop Miles
The term "cool" came to particular prominence in the 1950s to describe a more cerebral, less impassioned way of playing jazz. It's generally supposed that these sessions were part of the inspiration for the 'cool school' of jazz which flourished, particularly on the West Coast, in the 50s. Miles would confound the public's expectations by departing the bop world of Charlie Parker and embracing this new order of jazz as heard on "Birth Of The Cool" (Capitol Records, '49). This 'cooler' form of expression would gradually over the next 10 years lead to the modal approaches of "Kind Of Blue" (Columbia, '59) free of fixed harmony and the now legendary collaboration with the then rising tenor saxophone icon John Coltrane.
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Brownman - trumpet (National Jazz Award winner)
Jeff King - tenor sax (Juno nominee)
Adrean Farrugia - piano (National Jazz Award nominee)
Marc Rogers - upright bass (Holly Cole)
Jeff Halischuk - drums (Dal Dako)
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Week 3 - Fri Oct 15, 2010
"Plugged Nickel" - The Shorter Years
Two quintets in particular featuring 2 tenor saxophone giants dominated Miles' musical life almost exclusively from the mid 50's, right up until the 70's, one featuring John Coltrane and the other featuring Wayne Shorter. This period would feature an assortment of quintets and sextets all pushing the boundaries of improvisation within a simple modal framework, but the two teamings that would leave the world breathless would be those of Coltrane and Shorter. Of those two teamings it would be the Miles-Shorter pairing that would result in some of the most explosively creative & exploratory jazz in Miles' history. "Live at the Plugged Nickel" (Columbia / Legacy '65) continues to be a paramount recording in the great Miles lineage and considered by many to be some of the most ground-breaking jazz in history.
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Brownman - trumpet (National Jazz Award winner)
Ryan Oliver - tenor sax (just back from NYC!)
Dave Restivo - piano (National Jazz Award winner)
Mark Cashion - upright bass (Shufle Demons)
Aaron Staebell - drums (up from NYC!!)
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Week 4 - Fri Oct 22, 2010
"From Bitches Brew to Tutu" - Electric Miles
Legendary as a kind of line in the sand challenging jazz fans during the ascendance of electric, psychedelic rock, "In a Silent Way" (Colombia Records, 1969) hinted at the repetitive polyrhythms Davis would employ throughout the early '70s. It also partook generously of electric piano and bass tonal colourings previously explored in acoustic settings, but "In a Silent Way" and the subsequent "Bitches Brew" and "Live Evil" recordings remains a clearly electric jazz record, part ambient color exploration, part rock-inflected energy and vibe, and part outright maverick creativity. Long, breathy solos would be a feature of this era, glistening against his new groups' strange admixture of musical moods. Miles would stay on this "electric" path right in to the '80's, continually exploring these textures with newer and younger generations of musicians.
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Brownman - electric trumpet (National Jazz Award winner)
Ted Quinlan - electric guitar (Juno nominee)
Robi Botos - rhodes & synths (National Jazz Award Winner)
Ben Miller - 6-string electric bass (God Made Me Funky)
Mark Kelso - drums (Chaka Khan)
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The first set tonight will focus on the "Bitches Brew" 70's era...
the second set will emphasize the "Tutu" 80's ideologies.
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Week 5 - Fri Oct 29, 2010
"Doo-bop" - Had he lived...
Towards the end of Miles' life he began an exploration of another sub-component of modern popular music - hip-hop. The "Doo-bop" recording (Warner,'92) would feature rappers and loops and would have marked the beginning of Miles' exploration or this artform. It is often harshly referred to by critics as his "worst" documented recording and as a "forgettable" era of his life, but it still stands strongly as a prime example of the Milesian ethic - his ability to recognize "what's next" and creatively move within and extend that artform. Brownman states "I believe it is extremely probable that Miles would have worked closely with the likes of Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, Rakim, Guru, Big Daddy Kane, junglists, DJs, rappers, beat-makers alike... had he lived. Tonight will be a salute to what MIGHT have been."
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Brownman - electric trumpet (National Jazz Award winner)
Enlight - rapper(Gruvasylum)
DJ Cutler - turntables(Jeru The Damaja)
Tyler Emond - 6-string electric bass (Brownman Electryc Trio)
Colin Kingsmore - drums (Brownman Electryc Trio)
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ABOUT BROWNMAN:
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Born on the small Caribbean island of Trinidad, schooled in New York City under Randy Brecker's watchful eye and now heralded as "Canada's preeminent jazz trumpeter" by New York City's Village Voice magazine, the ever dynamic Brownman tirelessly leading no less than 7 highly respected ensembles of his own spanning genres from be-bop to hip-hop. He is best known for his work as the leader of Canada's premiere latin-jazz ensemble CRUZAO (winners of the 2001 Montreal Jazz Fest's "Grand Prix du Jazz award" & 5-time nominee at the National Jazz Awards for "Electric Group of the Year") and his electrified Miles Davis' influenced BROWNMAN ELECTRYC TRIO (2007 National Jazz Award winner for "Electric Jazz Group of the Year" are amongst the many other accolades the group has received). He has garnered 11 nominations over the years at the National Jazz Awards (including 2 wins); Toronto's leading independent weekly NOW Magazine featured him as the cover story in 2003, naming him "Toronto's Best Jazz Musician" in 2006 and "Toronto's Jazz Trumpet Player of the Year" in 2007. Despite the demands of leading 7 ensembles & international touring he is still one of the most called upon trumpet players in the studio scene; his long list of recording credits, more than 300 to date over a staggering range of styles, make him "one of the most recorded trumpet players in Canadian history", according to CBC Radio Canada.
From 2006 to 2010, Brownman was the featured soloist with the legendary New York City jazz-hip-hop artist Guru (of Gangstarr fame) for his Jazzmatazz ensemble (replacing Donald Byrd in that group) and catalyzing his appearing on the cover of CODA magazine, Canada's most acclaimed jazz publication. In December 2009 Brownman launched his own independent record label Browntasauras Records, with Brownman Electryc Trio's debut recording of Juggernaut as its flagship release, along with re-issues of his entire back-catalog from other groups he leads.
Known for his incredibly hectic schedule and diversity in addition to his playing prowess, Brownman leads a variety of other ensembles besides Brownman Electryc Trio including: Cruzao (Canada's premiere latin-jazz ensemble, Cruzao Grupo Monstruoso (15-man latin-jazz urban orchestra), Gruvasylum (hip-hop quartet with a jazz ideology), Marron Matizado (12-man salsa band) and the Brownman Akoustic Trio (mainstream jazz a la Miles, Coltrane, Duke & Basie)
He is also called upon frequently to serve as musical director with international touring bands including Chiva (Colombian latin-jazz), Permutacaos (Brazilian-jazz), Hendrik Muerkens (Brazilian-jazz), Strange Attractors (all-star collective of award-winning jazz composers) and Ali Bros (jazz-funk group co-led by Brownman's brother Marcus Ali). Additionally, Brownman has been mounting several large scale productions in recent years including his much lauded Five Weeks For Miles Tribute Show (now in it's 7th year) - a month-long extravaganza whereby Brownman, over 5 fridays, leads 5 different bands through 5 different eras of Miles Davis luminous career.
As evidenced by almost 700,000 visits to his website, Brownman has evolved from Canadian jazz icon to worldwide phenomenon -- catapulted by 3.5 years of touring the globe as the featured soloist with the legendary rapper Guru and his seminal jazz-hiphop band Jazzmatazz (until the great man’s tragic passing in April 2010). Driven by the desire to push and expand the boundaries of jazz composition and musicianship -- and the perceptions people have of what jazz music is and can be -- Browman is a proud torchbearer to the tradition of fearless exploration represented by immortals such as Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, his own mentor Randy Brecker, John Coltrane, and Wayne Shorter.
Brownman also holds a degree in physics and a minor in philosophy, writes the brass column for Canadian Musician Magazine and is an often called upon lecturer and clinician internationally on such topics as Advanced Jazz Harmony, Hip-hop and the Modern Jazz Improviser & Latin Rhythms for the Jazz Improviser.
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Awards:
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2010 Brownman Electryc Trio - Independent Music Award nominee - "Jazz Group of the Year"
2010 Brownman Electryc Trio - Artvoice Magazine nominee for "Jazz Act of the Year"
2009 Brownman - named "favourite touring soloist" (w/ Jazzmatazz) by London, UK's Jazz After Dark
2008 Brownman Electryc Trio - Independent Music Award nominee - "Jazz Group of the Year"
2008 Brownman Electryc Trio - National Jazz Award nominee - "Electric Jazz Group of the Year"
2007 NOW Magazine's "Toronto Jazz Trumpet Player of the Year"
2007 Brownman Electryc Trio - National Jazz Award winner - "Electric Jazz Group of the Year"
2007 Brownman - National Jazz Award nominee - "Musician of the Year"
2007 Brownman - National Jazz Award nominee - "Latin-jazz artist of the Year"
2007 Brownman - SOCAN National Jazz Award nominee - "Composer of the Year"
2007 Brownman - National Jazz Award nominee - "Instrumentalist of the Year" (flugelhorn)
2006 Brownman - National Jazz Award nominee - "Latin-jazz artist of the Year"
2005 Brownman - NOW Magazine's "Toronto Jazz Artist of the Year".
2004 Brownman & CRUZAO - Independent Music Award nominee - "Jazz Group of the Year"
2003 MARRON MATIZADO - "Best Toronto Salsa Band" (SalsaSPOT)
2002 Brownman - National Jazz Award winner - "Jazz Composer of the Year"
2002 Brownman - National Jazz Award nominee - "Jazz Trumpet Player of the Year"
2001 Brownman & CRUZAO - winner of the Montreal Jazz Fest's "Grand Prix Du Jazz Award"
2001 Brownman & CRUZAO - winner of the CBC Galaxie "Rising Star" Award
Brownman - 3 time nominee for "Jazz Trumpet Player of the Year" (NJA).
Brownman & CRUZAO - 4 time nominee for "Electric Group of the Year" (NJA).
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Quotes:
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“Brownman... Canada’s preeminent jazz trumpeter.”
~ The Village Voice, New York City
"Brownman... one of the next great voices in the new generation of jazz improvisers..."
~ Randy Brecker, legendary multi-Grammy winning trumpeter
"Brownman... the most versatile hornman in Canada"
~ Chicago Tribune
"... virtuostic, energized and in the spirit of Miles Davis"
~ Toronto's NOW Magazine
"Brownman... a truly gifted improviser with an original creative voice..."
~ Gary Bartz, saxophonist with Miles Davis
"Brownman... uniquely creative and fearless - like a young Miles Davis."
~ Guru, legendary hip-hop icon of Gangstarr/Jazzmatazz fame
"lively, entertaining and hip ... the music's muscular and quick, much of it thrilling..."
~ Whole Note Magazine (CD review)
“It’s hard to imagine [him] being more in the pocket, more energetic.”
~ Peter Hum, The Ottawa Citizen
“It’s incredible the energy output [he] can generate...
~ Toronto’s NOW Magazine
"Brownman plays with fire and intensity ... executed with skill and feeling ...
Visceral and edgy, [he] recalls the music Miles Davis made in the early '70s."
~ Errol Nazareth, The Toronto Sun
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