"The Believer": John Coltrane Memorial Concert's 32nd Annual Weekend, Sept. 26-27

THE 32ND ANNUAL JOHN COLTRANE MEMORIAL CONCERT presents “THE BELIEVER” a weekend of concerts & visual art featuring

“The Believer: Concert 1”

with

The John Coltrane Memorial Ensemble: Carl Atkins, Leonard Brown, Sa Davis, Mark Harvey, Tim Ingles, John Lockwood, Bill Lowe, Jason Palmer, Bill Pierce, George W. Russell Jr., Syd Smart, Stan Strickland, Alvin Terry & Gary Valente; with special recognition of Edmund Barry Gaither

[held on Saturday, September 26, 7:30 pm, at Northeastern University]

and

“The Believer: Concert 2”

with

Stan Strickland, John Lockwood, Laslzo Gardony, & Yoron Israel along with appearances by Bill Lowe, Syd Smart, Jason Palmer & Leonard Brown [held on Sunday, September 27, 3:00 pm, at Hibernian Hall]

Both concerts hosted by Eric Jackson of WGBH’s “Eric in the Evening”

and accompanied by “Ascension” an exhibition of art works by the African American Master Artists in Residence Program ( AAMARP) [exhibit runs Sept. 1-Sept. 28 at Northeastern University]

(Boston, MA) John Coltrane the musician, philosopher, humanitarian. Universally acclaimed as the “fearless leader,” his music continues to instigate change well into this era of tremendous societal transformation. John Coltrane reinforces our hope in the possibility of a better day during our life time. ‘Trane never stopped believing in that possibility. Nor should we.

With “The Believer" double concert weekend, the John Coltrane Memorial Concert (JCMC) launches its 32nd season with the return of the legendary ensemble and the addition of an off-campus event. Founded by Boston-based musicians in 1977 and in residence at Northeastern University since 1986, JCMC this year will also partner with ACT Roxbury and the National Center of Afro-American Artists, both community-oriented/community-based organizations who embody the belief in change for the better. WGBH and Northeastern University continue to be champions of community commitment and are long-time JCMC supporters, which enables JCMC to keep ticket prices affordable and to provide accessibility to all.

For 2009, JCMC, now operating under the auspices of the Department of African American Studies (www.northeastern.edu/daas) at Northeastern University, will honor one of Boston's greatest heroes of the creative arts, Edmund Barry Gaither, Executive Director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists and Museum, who for 40 years has served Boston and the nation with tireless leadership, advocacy and vision.

“The Believer: Concert 1,” which highlights the return of The John Coltrane Memorial Ensemble and honoring Edmund Barry Gaither, will be presented on the campus of Northeastern as it has for the past 23 years. The 14 piece all-star group features Carl Atkins (sax), Leonard Brown (sax), Sa Davis (percussion), Mark Harvey (trumpet), Tim Ingles (bass), John Lockwood (bass), Bill Lowe (tuba), Jason Palmer (trumpet), Bill Pierce (sax), George W. Russell Jr. (keys), Syd Smart (percussion), Stan Strickland (sax/flute), Alvin Terry (percussion) & Gary Valente (trombone). They will perform classic ‘Trane compositions in 21st century interpretations. Samples of the Ensemble’s previous work can be heard at www.jcmc.neu.edu and www.myspace.com/johncoltranememorialconcert.

“The Believer: Concert 2” showcases the internationally renowned master instrumentalist and vocalist Stan Strickland (sax/flute), who will perform a unique tribute to ‘Trane’s legacy with his ensemble including John Lockwood (bass), Laslzo Gardony (keys), & Yoron Israel (drums), along with appearances by members of The John Coltrane Memorial Ensemble (Bill Lowe on tuba, Syd Smart on percussion, Jason Palmer on trumpet & Leonard Brown on sax), at Hibernian Hall in Roxbury. For more information on Stan Strickland, log onto www.stanstrickland.net.

The “Ascension” art installation is a synthesis of jazz and other music-inspired art work in diverse media created by the artists of the African American Master Artists in Residence Program (AAMARP) (www.northeastern.edu/daas/initiatives/aamarp) based in the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University. A partial list of participating artists: Gloretta Baynes, Susan Thompson, Hakim Raquib, Walter Clark, Shea Justice, Khalid Kodi, Don West, and L'Merchie Frazier. For more than a quarter century, AAMARP has served to bring diversity and excellence from artists of African heritage to the Northeastern community. AAMARP is a vital link between the local community, national artists, a growing association of international artists, and Northeastern.



Background information on the annual John Coltrane Memorial Concert (JCMC):

The first John Coltrane Memorial Concert (JCMC) was performed in Boston on July 17, 1977, in the Friends of Great Black Music Loft, a performance space for creative arts established by master percussionist Syd Smart. The annual concert then developed through the collective efforts of Syd Smart, bassist Hayes Burnet, and saxophonist Leonard Brown. In 1986, the JCMC moved to Northeastern University, which has served as its home for over two decades, providing a stability that has been essential to the continuation and growth of this unique and important cultural event.

From the beginning and now into its 32nd year of producing concerts, the JCMC’s purpose has been to reflect on the rich musical and spiritual legacy of 'Trane through contemporary interpretations of his works, to inspire us all to work toward developing our full capacities as human beings, and to work for world peace. The long list of invited guest artists who have performed with JCMC include McCoy Tyner, Frank Foster, Shirley Scott, George Coleman, Mulgrew Miller, Alvin Batiste, Yusef Lateef, Brother Blue, Danilo Perez, Michael Harper, Pharoah Sanders, Alan Dawson, Terri Lyn Carrington, Ravi Coltrane, and Guru’s Jazzmatazz. The JCMC is the world's oldest annual performance tribute to the musical and spiritual legacy of John Coltrane and draws a very diverse audience from throughout New England. Since its inception, over 20,000 people have attended the JCMC.

The inspiration for this year’s weekend of events is drawn from John Coltrane’s early solo album entitled “The Believer” which was recorded in the late 1950’s while he was still a member of the Miles Davis sextet. One hears glimpses of the musical brilliance which would then lead to revolutionizing jazz music.

The John Coltrane Memorial Concert is proud to acknowledge this year’s sponsors which at press time are Northeastern University (northeastern.edu), WGBH (wgbh.org), ACT Roxbury (act.xbuild.com), and the National Center of Afro-American Artists (ncaaa.org).