Author Archives: Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

CD Review: the Liberation Music Collective…propel the momentum of jazz toward a sense of spiritual awareness and social responsibility that the world needs

The Liberation Music CollectiveArtist: The Liberation Music Collective
Title: Siglo XXI
Label: Ad Astrum Records
Genre: jazz

CD Review by Dawoud Kringle

The idea of jazz as a catalyst for social change is not new. Throughout its history, jazz musicians have sought to use the art form to articulate societal ills, and present solutions (which almost always focus on spiritual realms, although a few use it as a platform for a political agenda, such as socialism). The most fascinating aspect of this is that, unlike other music genres, folk, rap, etc., many such “jazz activists” have sought to do this through instrumental music. This is unique to jazz. However, those who do this have become rare in recent years.

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Event Review: Musicians for Musicians’ First Open Meeting – MFM Introduces Itself To The Public

MFM jpg logoDate: December 8th, 2015
Location: CA Music Room (Manhattan)

Review by Dawoud Kringle

On Tuesday, December 8th, Musicians for Musicians, the brainchild of musician / activist Sohrab Saadat Ladjavardi, held its first open meeting at the CA Music Room in NYC.

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Music Listings – 12/14 through 12/20/2015

1. The Brooklyn Experimental Song Revival

Date: Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Time: 8pm
Venue: Muchmore’s (2 Havemeyer St, Brooklyn, NY, Phone: 917-515-5444)
Ticket: donation
Genre: modern music/Sprechgesang

This past fall: the super coda & naked roots conducive hosted the first edition of the Brooklyn experimental song carnival, featuring over 20 artists performing within & against the space between sound and narrative. there was catharsis. there was shock. there was gut-splitting beauty & probably grace.

December 15th : we continue the search for new organs, catharsis, some god-forsaken nexus, the proverbial ghost-in-the-machine. you know, songs & shit.

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Recommended Event: 2016 WINTER JAZZFEST

NY Winter JazzFestThe NYC WINTER JAZZFEST turns 12 years old in 2016.  The festival will feature over 120 different groups including more than 600 musicians over five days on 12 stages in and around Greenwich Village from January 13th through January 17th, 2016.  Winter Jazzfest upholds the continued mission to showcase top quality jazz to industry professionals, avid jazz fans, and new audiences.

Winter Jazzfest was established in 2005 with the goal of introducing underexposed artists – those that impacted the jazz scene of that period – to professional presenters attending the Arts Presenters Conference (APAP).  At that time, jazz groups were underrepresented, although they were (and remain) culturally essential to the continued development and future of the music and audiences.  Winter Jazzfest is pleased to continue our mission fostering audience growth in jazz and offering a forum for presenters and music enthusiasts to experience and support the future of jazz.

Winter Jazzfest has showcased artists including Lawrence D. “Butch” Morris, Henry Threadgill, The Bad Plus, David Murray, Jason Moran, Meshell Ndegeocello, John Medeski, Nels Cline, Marc Ribot, Don Byron, Dave Douglas, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Nicholas Payton, Vijay Iyer, Anat Cohen, Robert Glasper, JD Allen, Gretchen Parlato, Jenny Scheinman, Jonathan Batiste, Kneebody, So Percussion, Darcy James Argue, Ambrose Akinmusire, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Mary Halvorson, and hundreds more that, today, thrive in a richer and more energized music scene.

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