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For many years, long before Hurricane Katrina came to town, jazz was leaving New Orleans. Visitors to the city's famed Bourbon Street clubs favored rock, country and other sounds. But, post-Katrina visitors have shown an interest in the city's musical heritage.
She shares a name with a former Hollywood star and Princess of Monaco, but her talent is all her own. This Grace Kelly is a jazz saxophonist who has won multiple awards, toured around the world, and played with famous jazz musicians. And to top it all off, she's only 18. VOA's Ernest Leong reports.
Grammy-award winning producer Arif Mardin died in 2006 after being diagnosed with cancer a year earlier. Now, four years after his death -- and through a loving tribute by his son -- Mardin is poised to take the spotlight at the top of the music world one more time. VOA's Melek Caglar has more: Wayne Bowman narrates.
Art and culture can often be effective instruments of global diplomacy. They can transcend political and economic differences, winning hearts and minds of people around the world. One of the most successful U.S. public diplomacy efforts of the late 20th century was a program known as the "Jazz Ambassadors," and music today remains an important part of U.S. cultural outreach. As VOA's Amra Alirejsovic reports, a new exhibit in Washington is now celebrating an important milestone in musical diplomacy.
The 41st annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is taking place in the city where jazz was born. (April 25 and April 29-May 2). Over a period of seven days the Festival will be visited by approximately 400,000 jazz music fans from around the United States, as well as from foreign countries. Proceeds from the Festival will go to support educational and cultural programs, and to aid struggling musicians. The Festival combines the music, culture and traditions that are unique to New Orleans. Zorislav Baydyuk produced the following story, which is narrated by Wayne Bowman.
April is designated as "Jazz Appreciation Month" in the United States. It celebrates this unique American music form and honors the great American jazz musicians who revealed it to the world. One of the most influential figures in jazz is a native Washingtonian, Duke Ellington. He is also considered one of the 20th century's best known African-American personalities, who influenced millions of people at home and around the world. April 29 marks his 111th birthday. As VOA Bosnian's Amra Alirejsovic reports, the legacy of Duke Ellington still lives on.
I was privileged to interview Haitian-American violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain at the Orpheum Theater before his performance with the Vancouver Symphony as part of the Cultural Olympiad here Sunday. Daniel is a really creative dude. He mixes together influences - Latin, reggae, Ska, R & B, funk - with classical music to make what we called a Soul Soup. He has dreads down to his waist and will sometimes ask orchestra members to stand up and improvise with him during the program. He also talks to the audience - something that you don't often see at a classical performance.
DBR's background
I wanted to interview some of the performers who are in Vancouver for the Olympic Games and this was my first chance. I saw the notice about his program Voodoo Valentine in the newspaper here, and thought he might have a compelling story. He does. The dude started playing violin when he was five, he studied classical music at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee and he got his PhD in Music composition from Michigan. He's definitely got mad skills.
But unlike some musicians I've talked to - who specialize in only one thing, a phenomenon I find a lot among classical folks - he broke out of the mold and started mixing different influences.
Bernadette
Daniel has a six string violin he plays named Bernadette (that's his mother's name). It was made especially for him by luthier Erica Aceto at Ithaca Strings in New York state. It has two lower strings than a normal violin and puts his music into the sonic range between a violin and a cello. (Actually it's probably closer to the range of a human voice, more on that later).
Sometimes he will use his bow to tap the strings to hit the bridge or to hit the fingerboard. Sometimes he plucks the strings - not just pizzicato like a "normal" violinist might, but more like a blues or jazz bassist plays the upright bass. He stomps his feet, he vocalizes - or testifies - during his playing - he makes the strings scream and bend. It's all part of his conversation with the audience.
I use that word intentionally. Daniel told me his music is a conversation, that he is speaking and interacting with his audiences, he's just not always using words. He wanted to do our interview after rehearsal so I got to hear his program with the whole orchestra. It was amazing! I sat there listening to these hugely talented people make music and I was getting chills.
Haiti
During our Interview we also talked about Haiti and the January earthquake. Daniel has been identifying himself as a Haitian-American composer for a long time, but he said now - since the devastation - he feels a special responsibility to his roots. He said sometimes he feels guilty, sometimes confused, sometimes unsure of whether he is doing enough.
He is donating a portion of his merchandise sales to Haitian relief efforts. He also is working with other musicians on concerts and benefits to help Haiti. But it is an overwhelming task. Daniel was visibly moved when talking about Haiti. He said he wonders what to do, because the need is so large.
"I'm a very spiritual person," he said. "And I wonder what do you do with 200,000 plus bodies. Where does all that soul stuff go?" he said.
I can relate. The need in Haiti is so large. Former president Clinton has said it might take as much as 10 years just to get it back to where it was - if it will every go back. And it wasn't great to begin with - Haiti was the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 80 percent of its citizens living in poverty. And now this. So as a Haitian American, Daniel Bernard Roumain said he feels a special responsibility to keep his ancestral home in the forefront even after it fades from the headlines.
Vancouver Maestro
I also got to interview Maestro Bramwell Tovey, the conductor of the Vancouver Symphony, a highly skilled musician in his own right. (Actually everyone on that stage could play; they were the ones who recorded and performed music during the Olympic Opening Ceremonies. They also record all the national anthems for every nation competing in Vancouver for the medals ceremonies). Maestro Tovey is himself a vibrant interview. I was nervous interviewing him because sometimes classical masters can be a little aloof, and I didn't want to ask dumb questions. But he put me at ease and we talked about DBR's program.
Mr. Tovey said that he loves the energy and the freshness and the excitement Daniel brings to this music. The Maestro said his challenge was to "not sound too white" when he conducted - to get into the flow and energy and the Afro-Caribbean. Latin and Haitian influences without being too standoffish. I don't think that was a problem. As part of their encore, Daniel and Mr. Tovey played My Funny Valentine. The Maestro is a composer and jazz pianist and he and Daniel were able to blend into a really smooth, tasty arrangement of the tune. Again it was a conversation. Both Daniel and Maestro Tovey said “music is a language.” I had heard that before, but now I saw that indeed it is a language, it just doesn’t always use words.
Final thoughts
I loved doing this interview. The energy, the skill, the atmosphere all fired my jets. If you get a chance, check out Daniel's home page: http://www.dbrmusic.com/
Also check Ithaca Strings at: http://www.ithacastring.com/.
If you want more info on the Vancouver Symphony here's a link to their page: http://www.vancouversymphony.ca/
DBR is also donating all his concert proceeds for 2010 to Haitian relief. For more info or to help click: http://www.dbrmusic.com/dbr.htm
Some musicians in the United States are bringing a unique style of French music to American audiences. Gypsy jazz, also known by its French name, jazz manouche, dates back to before the Second World War. While already popular in many European countries, diehard American fans can now hear the distinctive sound at specialist clubs in cities across the U.S. Steve Mort reports for VOA from Florida.
Looking east on rear yards of dwellings facing Bedford Avenue, Fullerton Street, and Gilmore Way. Early in the nineteenth century Pittsburgh's Hill District neighborhood contained country estates, working farms, coal mines, and a village of black freedmen. By 1929 the Hill District was populated by a diverse number of ethnic groups. The Hill District was divided into areas that reflected the ethnic makeup of that neighborhood. Some of these areas were called Little Italy, Polish Hill, Athens, Little Syria, Jewish "Ghetto," and the Black Belt. During the twentieth century the older ethnic and Jewish population moved away and the Hill District became known as the Harlem of Pittsburgh, a place where the best jazz could be heard. Urban renewal in the 1950s removed virtually all of the Lower Hill.
This 1999 "Jazz Club USA" show by VOA's Diaa Bekheet profiles soprano saxophonist Kenny G. In the Down Memory Lane part, Diaa remebers "Take the A Train" by America's greatest pianist, jazz composer and bandleader Duke Ellington (1899–1974)
This show from 1994 highlights the group "Weather Report" and dives into memory lane with Dusty Springfield's the Windmills of your Mind
Jazz Club USA, Down Memory Lane. This 1996 show is about Ron Holloway and Benny Goodman.
Legendary VOA jazz broadcaster Willis Conover was honored by a Congressional Resolution declaring April 25, 2009, as "Willis Conover Day" and also remembered at a Big Band Jam on the National Mall this past weekend. Conover, who joined VOA in 1955, introduced American jazz to millions of listeners around the world during his long career, particularly to those living behind the Iron Curtain. He also worked to spread jazz in the United States, hosting many famous jazz festivals and concerts.
Even though he died in 1996, his legacy lives on as we see in this report produced in collaboration between VOA's ethnomusicologist Brian Q. Silver and photographer Mike Burke.
Interview with American Soprano Saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum by Diaa Bekheet - 1992, talking about his Jazz expeirience, his album "Signs of Life" and the Hieroglyphics Ensemble.
Ever heard of the term "Peace Bomb?" It was first used by American Saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum in 1992. Peter has been using music for years as a way to spread peace and harmony among the peoples of the world.
He mixes world beat big band & genuinely attractive global jazz-fusion into reggae segues. The music is great coz he plays with passion. Unfortunately, the "Peace Bomb" has no Impact, so far.
He says on his Website: "I've never come up with a name for the kind of music I do, although I can tell you how it came into being." I discussed this with him in 1992 when I interviewed him for my "Jazz Club USA" show to talk about his album "Signs Of Life." (part of the interview is posted above).
Peter talked about "The Hieroglyphics Ensamble" and the reference to ancient Egypt. He also talked about the "Ankh" symbol of eternal life in Ancient Egypt.
See photo gallery: Peter Apfelbaum & the Hieroglyphics Ensamble
Ever heard of the term "Peace Bomb?" It was first used by American Saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum in 1992. Peter has been using music for years as a way to spread peace and harmony among the peoples of the world. He mixes world beat big band & genuinely attractive global jazz-fusion into reggae segues. The music is great coz he plays with passion. Unfortunately, the "Peace Bomb" has no Impact, so far. He says on his Website: "I've never come up with a name for the kind of music I do, although I can tell you how it came into being." I discussed this with him in 1992 when I interviewed him for my Jazz show to talk about his album "Signs Of Life."
Any relation between "The Hieroglyphics Ensamble" reference and ancient Egypt? Listen to the answer from Peter Apfelbaum here with Diaa Bekheet.
See photo gallery: Peter Apfelbaum & the Hieroglyphics Ensamble
Listen to the whole interview here
Peter Apfelbaum's "Signs of Life" Album Cover