Artist News

As near as we can tell, TROMBA has done it again! The TROMBA Plastic Trumpet is a hit. Known as the Allora in the United States, these surprisingly resonant instruments meld plastic and valves to a whole new height. These quality plastic trumpets are great for beginners because they are not only less expensive and more impervious to abuse, but lighter as well. This will no doubt bring them into younger and younger fingers, as has their older brother-The TROMBA Plastic Trombone. This claas for a new set of 5-minute Lessons which will not start too high nor two [...]

Ghanaian drummer Yacub Addy, a master of African music who founded Odadaa!, worked with jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and became a National Heritage Fellow in 2010, died of a heart attack on Dec. 18 at the age of 83. He lived in Latham. His death was announced by Amina Addy, his manager, producer and wife of 37 years. “I could write a book on this topic,” she said, describing his life and contributions in an email. “Yacub was a pioneer.” Marsalis, reached by phone Tuesday afternoon, described Addy as a natural teacher, a profound and natural communicator and a keen observer of [...]

BY ERIC HOLLAND [...]

by Lisa Ellex To experience Eliane Elias in concert is to understand the notion of temporary bliss. With a career spanning forty years, this famed jazz pianist from Sao Paulo is an international treasure. Undoubtedly one of the finest musicians of our day, she is a singer, composer and arranger with a sound rooted in... � [...]

Check out Tony's feature in Making Music Magazine! http://makingmusicmag.com/tony-desare/ [...]

Jazz pianist Peter Nero performed in the second event of the 2014-15 concert series. By Grant Turgeon Nov. 7, 2014 EDMOND—Two-time Grammy-winning jazz pianist Peter Nero performed on November 6 at Armstrong Auditorium. Nero and his bassist of 24 years, Michael Barnett, played a nearly three-hour tribute to the late jazz pianist Art Tatum. This was the second event of the 2014-2015 Armstrong International Cultural Foundation concert series. Nero opened with a few remarks on the evening's program, “For Art's Sake: A Salute to Art Tatum.” In the 1930s, Tatum introduced superior technical skill and a swinging, strong pulse to jazz piano and led [...]

In September, my CASE colleagues and I unveiled a brand new program called the Duke CASE Change Academy. (If you missed the announcement, see the program details here.) We received 34 outstanding applications for the Academy's 6 slots, which left us with a tough decision to make. Today I am thrilled to announce the winners. Each organization below will bring 3 leaders to the Academy, for a total of 18 participants in the cohort. These leaders are fighting to make an impact in their communities—in education, in health care, in the economy. To meet their goals, they'll have to overcome daunting [...]

We're delighted to announce Michel will be playing two special UK dates with the extremely talented opera singer Natalie Dessay. The shows will take place at London Palladium and Manchester Bridgewater on Sunday 4th and Monday 5th May respectively. We're offering you the chance to get your tickets up to 24hours before they go on general sale via the below exclusive presale link from 10am on Thursday 28 November (tickets go on general sale at 10am on Friday 29 November). Buy Presale Tickets from 10am Thursday: www.gigsandtours.com/go/michellegrandnataliedessaypre (General sale starts at 10am Friday: www.gigsandtours.com/go/michellegrandnataliedessaygen) The post Michel Legrand and Natalie Dessay UK [...]

Thank you to everyone who has organized this important press conference and for allowing me this opportunity.We all know why we are here, so let me get right down to it.The Board of Trustees should be quite embarrassed about what they have done, particularly with how egregiously they have done it. This is a brazen act of disrespect to the musicians, songwriters, producers, booking agents, managers, major record and independent labels, of each genre affected by the cuts.The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences was founded in 1958 but it was not until 1975 that the Academy first [...]