HARLEM HAPPENINGS: Charlie Parker: The Man and The Music A Discussion on Jazz Legend Charlie Parker and His Enduring Musical Legacy

Date: August 26, 2011
HOSTED AT: The Harlem School of the Arts - 645 St. Nicholas Avenue, New York, NY 10030.
To help kick off this season of the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, SummerStage is pleased to present a special panel discussion in partnership with the Harlem School of the Arts featuring NEA Jazz Master, Jean “Toots” Thielemans, saxophonists Tia Fuller and Sam Newsome, Director of the Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance program at Columbia University Christopher Washburne and Charlie Parker Jazz Festival co-founder Sam A. Turvey. This discussion will explore the enduring musical legacy of Charlie Parker and his influence on jazz today.
Seating is limited and is first come first served. Guests should RSVP via email to: RSVP@SummerStage.org or call (212) 360-1399.

Alto saxophonist Tia Fuller has emerged on the musical landscape with definitive voice that encompasses a variety on influences. Though her background includes studying music in the tradition of jazz masters such as Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, her refined skill on the instrument has allowed her to feel just as at home in the horn section of current pop sensation Beyonce. “Decisive Steps” is the title of her third and most recent recording that has been released on the Mack Avenue label and showcase her playing and compositional abilities.
Soprano saxophonist Sam Newsome has been a fixture on the New York jazz scene since his association with the early 90’s group of trumpeter Terrence Blanchard. He has since evolved into a veteran bandleader who has garnered considerable attention by the likes of Downbeat magazine and The New York Times for his own diverse projects. Drawing on influences such as Sonny Rollins, Evan Parker and Anthony Braxton his most recent solo saxophone recording “Blue Soliloquy” was named one of the “Best CDs of 2010” by All About Jazz-New York.
NEA Jazz Master Jean ‘Toots’ Thielemans is the preeminent player of the jazz harmonica. With a musical career that has spanned nearly 70 years on both the radio as well as the big and small screen, Thielemans has taken a simple instrument and brought it into the contemporary jazz ensemble. From his collaborations with some of the biggest names in jazz such as Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Benny Goodman and Ella Fitzgerald and pop stars such as Paul Simon and Billy Joel, Thielemans has harnessed his ability to express both sweet and the bitter emotions with the harmonica, which has made him a favorite worldwide. In 1962, Thielemans recorded his most enduring composition, “Bluesette,” which remains a jazz staple and has been recorded by scores of artists over the years.
Sam Turvey, was a founding member and producer of the first edition of the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival from 1993 – 2002. Mr. Turvey was instrumental in inaugurating the Harlem version of the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival in conjunction with Jazz Mobile’s Johnny Garry in 2002. He remains a donor and informal advisor to the Festival. He previously served as a Board Chair for Manna House Jazz Workshops Inc. headed by Gloria DeNard located in East Harlem. Mr. Turvey is an attorney at law, and a frequent lecturer on Jazz. He is a graduate of Fordham College and Fordham Law School and a Managing Director at TIAA-CREF.
Christopher Washburne is an Associate Professor of Music and Director of the Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance program at Columbia University. He has published numerous articles on jazz, Latin jazz, and salsa topics, and his book, Sounding Salsa was published in 2008 by Temple University Press. He is leader of the highly acclaimed jazz groups SYOTOS and NYDNK. In addition to these bands, he has performed and recorded with Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Celia Cruz, Ray Barretto, Mark Anthony, Justin Timberlake, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, and the Duke Ellington Orchestra.
Start time: 6:30 pm
End time: 8:00 pm
Contact phone: (212) 360-1399
Location: Harlem School of the Arts