Global Concertos

Saturday, May 9, 2015 – 8pm

Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute
104 17th Avenue South, Seattle

$5-15 suggested donation / All Ages
Buy Tickets: http://globalconcertos.brownpapertickets.com

Open dress rehearsal with Q & A: May 8 – 8pm

Composer Samantha Boshnack and her B’shnorkestra (a 14-piece alternative chamber orchestra) premiere Global Concertos: an evening of new music featuring an international tour de force of soloists.

Boshnack has written five new works, each showcasing a guest soloist’s instrument and tradition: Thione Diop – West African talking drum, Christos Govetas – Greek clarinet, Srivani Jade – North Indian vocals, Julio Jauregui – Latin American piano and Thomas Marriott – American jazz trumpet. In Global Concertos each artist brings their individual voice to the B’shnorkestra to create a new “all world” sound.

This evening of new music is a community celebration and “re-examining” of an orchestral form. Concertos are traditionally thought of as multimovement works in which an orchestra accompanies an individual soloist. Though a concerto may contain improvised cadenzas, the virtuosity of the soloist is mostly displayed by their performance of the composer’s written material. Global Concertos expands on this idea – Boshnack creates compositions where in addition to her written material, there is also space for each individually virtuosic soloist to showcase their particular style of improvisation, aural tradition, rhythm/groove and ornamentation. While B’shnorkestra provides the accompaniment, its members are top musicians from jazz, rock, avant-garde, salsa, world, classical and more – providing the flexibility needed for works spanning the globe in their reach.

Seattle is home to a diverse, thriving, musical community. It’s true beauty is made out of the collaborations within and between each scene – it is all so very individual, yet so communal. Each of the featured soloists is an ambassador of their own cultural music within the city, but also wield powerfully individual sounds. With B’shnorkestra’s Global Concertos, premiering at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, we celebrate universal communication through group elevation of each individual’s voice.

Global Concertos was made possible, in part by funding from New Music USA, 4Culture and Seattle Office of Arts and Culture.

MORE ABOUT THE SOLOISTS

Srivani Jade was introduced to music at the age of four by her father Bhavani Prasad Jade and uncle Raghavendra Tilwalli. She studied Khayal initially with Dr. Sharad Gadre in the Gwalior style (2002-03), and since 2006, with Pandit Parameshwar Hegde in the Kirana style. Srivani also sings an eclectic repertoire of light classical music, such as,Thumri-dadra, Tappa and Bhajans. She concertizes regularly both in India and North America, and has performed in major music festivals such as the Sawai Gandharv Bhimsen Mahotsav (2014) and Devnandanan Ubhayaker Yuva Sangeet Utsav (2009). She has five solo albums to her credit, and several grants, artist residencies and awards–including the Washington State Arts Commission Fellowship Award (2009) . She is an auditioned artist with All India Radio, and Visiting Artist at the University of Washington’s School of Music.

Thione Diop, percussionist from Senegal, West Africa, is widely recognized for his powerfully expressive Djembe performances. He is descended from an ancestral line of Griot drummers in Senegal, West Africa, and is a master of the djembe, sabar, tama, and djun djun. In 1998, Thione moved to Seattle to teach and perform; a year later he formed Yeke Yeke, a percussion ensemble that has performed the traditional rhythms of West Africa to delighted audiences for the last ten years. Thione is also responsible for some incredible regional events, such as the annual Spirit of West Africa Festival and Kasumai Africa, offering the Pacific Northwest audiences a chance to enjoy immersive experiences in African music, dance, and culture. Thione has shared the stage with such noteworthy musicians as Poncho Sanchez, Alpha Blondy, Prince Diabate and Max Romeo. Thione Diop and his group Yeke Yeke are well known from their many regional appearances in the U.S. and Canadian Northwest. In Senegal, Thione has collaborated with renowned griot artists Babou Laye Cissokho; master Kora player, Thierno Kouyate; Orchestra Baobab saxophonist, Thierno Ba; Xalam master, Samba Ndoc Tama player for Cheikh Lo and singer Abdoulaye N’Diaye on a number of tracks.

Julio Jáuregui was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Julio grew up in México City. His mother, Mireya López, also a pianist, instilled in him the passion for music. Julio attended the National School of Music from 1984-1987 where his focus of study was percussion. In Eugene, Oegon he performed with Caliente, a local salsa band. He became the musical director of Caliente in 1992. He was also part of a folk band named Sandunga. Julio also joined forces with percussionist Mingo Lewis (Santana’s Drummer) and was part of “Combination to Go.” Julio also became a member of other ensambles such as La Mayor,salsa band, Atmosphere, jazz trio. Julio moved to Seattle in 1997. He joined Latin Expression and Matices and became the musical director of both. He also created Cambalache with Camilo Suárez. Julio has recorded with Children of the Revolution, Guil Guimaraes, Jeff Busch, Nueva Era and others. He was part of Joe Santiago’s Salsa all stars concert in 2003 in which he performed with Giovanni Hidalgo, Joe Santiago, Giovanni Lugo, Pablito “El Indio” Rosario and others. In 2001 he joined forces with singer and long time friend Carlos Cascante and formed Tumbao a Latin sextet. Tumbao has given him the freedom to experiment with many avenues and performance formats.

Christos Govetas is a multi-instrumentalist who brings his voice and earthy clarinet style from his homeland in Eastern Macedonia. After moving to this country in his teens, Christos discovered his love of traditional music and went on to learn regional music from all over Greece, Turkey, the Balkans and the North African Arab world. In addition to the clarinet, Christos plays the zourná, bouzouki and outi, bringing his 30 years of performing experience to the mix. Christos is a beloved teacher at many music and dance workshops and has performed and toured extensively in the US, Canada, Europe and Greece. In addition to leading Dromeno, Christos also plays with Pasatempo Rebetika, and also plays laouto and sings regional Greek music with Ziyiá. Christos is the 1999 recipient of the prestigious Northwest Folklife Fellowship Award honoring his cultural contribution to the Greek-American and Folk dance communities. Christos is also a member of Bill Frisell’s Grammy nominated The Intercontinentals.

Trumpeter Thomas Marriott is one of the most exciting musicians to emerge on the national jazz scene in more than a decade. The seven-time Golden Ear award winner is a skilled instrumentalist, composer and producer, always seeking to expand the boundaries of jazz music in all its forms. After winning the prestigious Carmine Caruso Jazz Trumpet Competition in 1999, Marriott headed east from Seattle to New York where he gained initial acclaim through his work with Maynard Ferguson’s Big Bop Nouveau band. Marriott completed 3 world tours as the jazz soloist with Ferguson, then continued to work in New York and on the road with the likes of Rosemary Clooney, Joe Locke, The Tito Puente Orchestra, Brian Lynch, The Chico O’Farrill Orchestra, Michael Feinstein, Eric Reed, Les Brown and the Band of Renown, Kenny Kirkland, Charlie Hunter, Deltron 3030, Ivan Neville’s Dumpsaphunk, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Ritchie “Alto Madness” Cole, Carl Allan, George Colligan, Orrin Evans and scores of others. Marriott’s diverse interests and skills are reflected in the range and success of his albums. Since 2004, Thomas has produced eight albums as a leader for Origin Records. Three of his albums have made the top-ten on national jazz radio airplay charts, including the 2009 release “East-West Trumpet Summit,” which made it all the way to number one. His albums have been featured on NPR’s “Morning Edition” and have gained critical acclaim world-wide, including the 2010 release “Constraints and Liberations” which garnered 4 ½ stars in Downbeat Magazine. Known for his innovative spirit and broad musical scope, Thomas continues to perform on the stages of the world’s greatest jazz clubs and concert halls, as a leader and alongside the top names in jazz. The Seattle native is featured on more than 100 recordings with musicians of all genres and styles. Thomas has produced albums for a number of artists including saxophonist Hadley Caliman and trumpeter Ray Vega. He has served on the Board of Governors of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences and the Board of Directors of Earshot Jazz. Since his return to Seattle in 2004 he has been the featured trumpet soloist with the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra and has been a catalyst on the Seattle jazz scene.