Not "just playing, but making things..." Vijay Iyer gets a MacArthur Grant

Pianist Vijay Iyer is on this year's list of MacArthur Fellows; rarified air, indeed. Howard Reich talked to Iyer regarding his award for the Chicago Tribune:

"'I'm really inspired by the composer-pianists of the last century,
particularly (Duke) Ellington and (Thelonious) Monk and people in that
lineage who aren't just playing, but they're making things,' says Iyer,
speaking by phone from his home in New York and adding such names as
piano innovators Cecil Taylor, McCoy Tyner and Bud Powell."

Read the full story.

If you live in Boston or Cambridge, you can see and hear Iyer with poet Robert Pinsky on March 14 at Sanders Theatre as part of the Celebrity Series of Boston's 75th Anniversary Season.

vijay-iyer.com

The 2013 MacArthur Fellows

Wayne Shorter: Jazz means 'I dare you'

Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter

"The six years I was with Miles, we never talked about music. We never had a rehearsal. Jazz shouldn’t have any mandates. Jazz is not supposed to be something that’s required to sound like jazz. For me, the word 'jazz' means, 'I dare you.'" —Wayne Shorter

Wayne Shorter makes his Celebrity Series debut as part of the Wayne Shorter 80th Birthday Celebration (which will also feature John Patitucci, Danilo Perez, Brian Blade, Dave Douglas, Joe Lovano, Terri Lyne Carrington, Esperanza Spalding, Geri Allen, Lawrence Fields, Linda Oh, and Joey Barron).

Tip of the cap to Jason Crane and Destinationout.

Jazz pianist Dave Brubeck dies at 91

 

Pioneering jazz composer and pianist Dave Brubeck has died of heart failure at the age of 91.

Brubeck was presented 11 times by Celebrity Series of Boston between 1971 and 1984, including appearances with his quartet and alto saxophonist Paul Desmond, with his son, Darius and baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan.

San Francisco Chronicle

Chicago Tribune

New York Daily News

BBC News

USA Today

Dave Brubeck Quartet playing In Your Own Sweet Wa (video)

Dave Brubeck Quartet playing These Foolish Things (video)

Dave Brubeck Quartet playing Take Five (video)

 

Chick Corea & Gary Burton talk about "Hot House" project (video)

Chick Corea and Gary Burton's "Hot House" comes to Celebrity Series and Symphony Hall this Sunday at 5pm.

Chick Corea and Gary Burton play Eleanor Rigby

Check them out in their Celebrity Series debut at Boston's Symphony Hall, Sunday, October 21. Tickets.

It’s a ‘Hot House’ with Chick Corea & Gary Burton Sunday

Check out Ed Symkus' feature from MetroWest Daily News highlighting Chick Corea and Gary Burton's performance with the Harlem String Quartet at Symphony Hall on Sunday:

It’s a ‘Hot House’ with Chick Corea and Gary Burton Sunday

 

 

Two more reviews of Vijay Iyer / Miguel Zenon performance

I have shared the Globe's review of the Celebrity Series' December 9 Vijay Iyer/Miguel Zenon concert on this blog, but I would be remiss if I didn't also share two reviews from other publications. JazzTimes Magazine and India New England both covered the concert and both reviews are worth a look:

JazzTimes

India New England

Iyer/Zenon concert reviewed by Globe's Steve Greenlee

Vijay Iyer during his Celebrity Series performance Friday night

Steve Greenlee reviewed the Celebrity Series of Boston's double bill of the Miguel Zenon Quartet and the Vijay Iyer Trio at Berklee Performance Center for The Boston Globe:

"Two of jazz’s most exciting and innovative artists - pianist Vijay Iyer and alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón - brought their groups to town Friday night for a 2 1/2-hour roof raiser of a show."

Read the complete review (login required)

Vijay Iyer's full-length interview with Boston Phoenix's Jon Garelick

Check out Jon Garelick's extensive interview with pianist Vijay Iyer in today's Boston Phoenix.

Iyer performs tomorrow night, December 9, at the Berklee Performance Center as part of a double-bill with saxophonist Miguel Zenon.

Recent Celebrity Series reviews ...

November has been a busy month here at Celebrity Series world headquarters. Below are just a few of the reviews for just a few of the performances this month ...

Angelika Kirchschlager and Jean-Yves Thibaudet at NEC's Jordan Hall:

Boston Globe

Boston Classical Review

Orion String Quartet with David Shifrin
(performance included Boston premiere of Marc Neikrug's Clarinet Quintet)

The Classical Review

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones at Sanders Theatre:

Harvard Crimson

Itzhak Perlman at Symphony Hall:

Boston Globe

Boston Classical Review

Saxophonist Miguel Zenon interviewed on WBGO

Saxophonist and MacArthur "Genius" Grant winner Miguel Zenon talks about his newest recording, Alma Adentro, his take on the Puerto Rican Songbook, with Josh Jackson of WBGO, Newark.

Zenon comes to the Celebrity Series with his quartet on December 9 at Berklee Performance Center as part of a double bill with pianist Vijay Iyer.

Jazz pianist Vijay Iyer named one of the 50 most influential global Indians

Pianist Vijay Iyer

Jazz pianist and composer Vijay Iyer was named one of the "50 most influential global Indians" by GQ India. He is in some impressive company (of course, he is pretty impressive in his own right).

The Celebrity Series of Boston presents Vijay Iyer with another influential jazz musician, saxophonist and composer Miguel Zenon in a double-bill concert at Berklee Performance Center on December 9.

George Shearing (1919-2011)

George Shearing

The world has lost pianist George Shearing at the age of 91. Jack Kerouac's "Old God Shearing" played the Celebrity Series of Boston only once, a Symphony Hall date in 1995 with clarinetist Richard Stoltzman. The performance included Gee, Baby Ain't I Good to You, Stars in My Eyes, If Ever I Should Lose You and the slightly unexpected choice of Eddie Harris' Freedom Jazz Dance.

The Telegraph (UK)

The Washington Post

The New York Times

Jazz Times

A Blog Supreme/NPR Jazz (NPR's Morning Edition interview from 1995)

George Shearing Quintet, Conception (video)

George Shearing Quintet, Swedish Pastry (video)

Audio link and transcript of Shearing interviewed by singer Joe Williams

Tierney Sutton sings Irving Berlin (video)

Tierney Sutton will give a masterclass at Harvard tomorrow evening and will sing at Sanders Theatre on Friday night, so you have not missed your opportunity ...

In this video, Tierney Sutton and her band perform Let's Face the Music and Dance.

Tierney Sutton, "I Get a Kick Out of You" - Wow!

Tierney Sutton smokes this uptempo version of "I Get a Kick Out of You" with her band. We can't promise this piece will be on the program, but Tierney and Band visit Sanders Theatre (and the Celebrity Series) on February 11.

Chucho Valdes announces tour lineup

Here is Chucho Valdés' band for his tour, which stops at the Berklee Performance Center on October 28:

The Afro-Cuban Messengers:

Lázaro Rivero Alarcón, bass
Juan Carlos Rojas Castro, drums
Yaroldy Abreu Robles, percussion
Dreiser Durruthy Bambolé, batá drum and vocals
Carlos Manuel Miyares Hernandez, tenor saxophone
Reinaldo Melián Álvarez, trumpet

Chucho Valdés is, of course, on piano.

We couldn't be more thrilled by the Celebrity Series of Boston debut of the great Chucho Valdés!

Preservation Hall Jazz Band is always up to something

Here's the latest from these wildly creative denizens of the Crescent City. The Preservation Hall Hot 4 and Tancotoons present "St. James Infirmary (King Britt Remix."

Preservation Hall Jazz Band comes to Symphony Hall with bluegrass legend Del McCoury on March 19.

"Summertime," Ella Fitzgerald in Berlin

First of all, it's obviously summer. But this performance is worth posting, in my opinion, because it is a particularly heartfelt, vulnerable performance by the great Ella Fitzgerald. I know I was surprised by the depth of it. Enjoy.

WBUR jazz radio host, trombonist Tony Cennamo (1933-2010)

Boston's jazz community lost a beloved fixture this week as WBUR jazz radio host and trombonist Tony Cennamo passed away at age 76.

My memories of T.C. were mostly his overnights in the late 80s. The acerbic asides, championing of working musicians, and his distaste of fanfare. One of a kind.

Boston Herald obituary (Bob Young)

Boston Globe obituary (Bryan Marquard)

WBUR, Hub Bub blog (Andrew Phelps)

WBUR, Radio Boston, Remembering Tony Cennamo (Adam Ragusea; includes audio of T.C. on air)

Announcing the Celebrity Series of Boston 2010-2011 Season

Subscription sales begin April 30

So here is our season for next year in all its 41-event glory. You can't order your subscription, yet, that starts April 30, but you can check out the artists, dates, times, venues and even programs (follow the links), request a season brochure (if you're a subscriber this season, you will already get one), and join our e-mail list and get a reminder before subscription sales begin. We're announcing a little early this season so you can begin setting your arts calendar for 2010-2011.

October 2010

Mark Morris Dance Group
Program features the world premiere of a Celebrity Series commission
October 14-17
Cutler Majestic Theatre

Chucho Valdés with The Afro-Cuban Messengers
Celebrity Series Debut
Thursday, October 28, 8pm
Berklee Performance Center

November 2010

What Makes It Great? with The Claremont Trio
Beethoven's "Archduke Trio"
Sunday, November 7, 3pm
NEC's Jordan Hall

Liza Minnelli in Concert
Celebrity Series Debut
Sunday, November 7, 5pm
Symphony Hall

Basil Twist's Petrushka
Boston Debut
November 11-21
Subscription performances:

November 11-17
The Paramount Theatre

Kremerata Baltica
Gidon Kremer, violin soloist and leader
Celebrity Series Debut
Friday, November 12, 8pm
NEC's Jordan Hall

Murray Perahia, piano
Sunday, November 14, 3pm
Symphony Hall

Tokyo String Quartet with Lynn Harrell, cello
Friday, November 19, 8pm
NEC's Jordan Hall

Pinchas Zukerman, violin/viola
Yefim Bronfman, piano
Sunday, November 21, 3pm
Symphony Hall

Parker String Quartet
Bonus Subscriber Event
Monday, November 22, 8pm
NEC's Jordan Hall

December 2010

Haochen Zhang, piano
2009 Van Cliburn Gold Medalist
Boston Debut
Friday, December 3, 8pm
NEC's Jordan Hall

Pilobolus
December 3-5
Cutler Majestic Theatre

January 2011

Christine Brewer, soprano
Celebrity Series Debut
Saturday, January 15, 8pm
NEC's Jordan Hall

Liz and Ann Hampton Callaway, "Boom!"
Friday, January 21, 8pm
Sanders Theatre

Balé Folclórico da Bahia
Celebrity Series Debut
Saturday, January 22, 8pm
The Opera House

Philharmonia Quartett Berlin
Boston Debut
Friday, January 28, 8pm
NEC's Jordan Hall

Savion Glover, "SoLo in TiMe"
Saturday, January 29, 8pm
The Opera House

Golden Dragon Acrobats
Sunday, January 30, 3pm
Symphony Hall

February 2011

Joshua Bell, violin
Friday, February 4, 8pm
Symphony Hall

Ira Glass, "Radio Stories and Other Stories"
Saturday, February 5, 8pm
Sanders Theatre

Tierney Sutton Band
Celebrity Series Debut
Friday, February 11, 8pm
Sanders Theatre

What Makes It Great?
Excerpts from Mozart's Don Giovanni
Sunday, February 13, 3pm
NEC's Jordan Hall

Takács Quartet
Friday, February 18, 8pm
NEC's Jordan Hall

Dmitri Hvorostovsky, baritone
Sunday, February 27, 3pm
Symphony Hall

March 2011

Evgeny Kissin, piano
Wednesday, March 2, 8pm
Symphony Hall

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
Celebrity Series Debut
March 4 & 5
Tsai Performance Center

Emerson String Quartet with Sir James Galway, flute
Friday, March 11, 8pm
NEC's Jordan Hall

Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Saturday, March 12, 8pm
NEC's Jordan Hall

KODO Drummers
Sunday, March 13, 4pm
Symphony Hall

American Legacies:
The Del McCoury Band with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Saturday, March 19, 8pm
Symphony Hall

Matthew Polenzani, tenor
Boston Recital Debut
Thursday, March 24, 8pm
NEC's Jordan Hall

John Williams, guitar
Friday, March 25, 8pm
NEC's Jordan Hall

April 2011

Leif Ove Andsnes, piano
Friday, April 1, 8pm
NEC's Jordan Hall

BeijingDance/LDTX
Boston Debut
April 1 & 2
Tsai Performance Center

Patti LuPone, "The Gypsy in My Soul"
Sunday, April 3, 5pm
Symphony Hall

St. Petersburg Philharmonic
Yuri Temirkanov, conductor
Alisa Weilerstein, cello soloist
Sunday, April 10, 3pm
Symphony Hall

Dubravka Tomsic, piano
Friday, April 15, 8pm
NEC's Jordan Hall

Dawn Upshaw, soprano
Friday, April 29, 8pm
NEC's Jordan Hall

May 2011

Sweet Honey In The Rock
Friday, May 6, 8pm
Symphony Hall

Compagnia TPO, Farfalle
Boston Debut
May 10-15
Black Box Theatre, Paramount Center

Complexions Contemporary Ballet
May 20-22
Cutler Majestic Theatre
_________________________________

Call for a free 2010-2011 season brochure: (617) 482-2595
or visit www.celebrityseries.org.

Important Dates:

Season Subscriptions go on sale April 30, 2010

Priority Seating Deadline is Friday, June 11, 2010

Subscriptions by phone begin Monday, June 14, 2010

Individual performance sales begin Monday, September 13, 2010