Philadelphia Natives and Jazz Greats Christian McBride and Odean Pope to Perform in the Third Annual Philly Jazz All-Star Night at the Kimmel Center
October 27, 2005
Christian McBride
Please Note the Previously Announced Saxophonist Michael Brecker will not be Appearing
On Friday, November 18, at 8pm, Kimmel Center Presents invites some of the most talented Philadelphia-native jazz musicians working today back home for the third annual Philly Jazz All-Star Night. Featuring international powerhouse bassist Christian McBride, local saxophone sensation Odean Pope, his nine-member saxophone choir and special guest Ravi Coltrane, son of the Philadelphia legend John Coltrane, this performance will have Verizon Hall swinging with brotherly love.
This performance is the third in the Mellon Jazz Fridays series. Upcoming performances in the series include: Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis on Sunday December 11, 2005 at 8pm; Brad Mehldau and Gary Burton’s Generations on Friday, January 27, 2006 at 8pm; Marcus Roberts Trio and the SF Jazz Collective on Friday, March 24, 2006 at 8pm; and Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Star Band on Friday, April 21, 2006 at 8pm.
Tickets for Philly Jazz All-Star Night are $71, $64, $59, $46, $30, and can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, online or at the Kimmel Center Box Office, open daily from 10am to 6pm and later on performance evenings. (Additional fees may apply) For group sales call 215-790-5883.
Christian McBride has made his presence known worldwide as one of the most innovative and dynamic acoustic and electric bassists working today. His appreciation for musical diversity has given him the opportunity to play with a variety of musicians in multiple genres including Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, D’Angelo, Diana Krall, Bruce Hornsby, Quincy Jones and Sting. He has also been featured on over 200 recordings with artist including David Sanborn, George Duke, Chaka Khan, Joe Henderson, Betty Carter, Ray Brown and Natalie Cole.
At age 17, McBride was introduced to the jazz world by saxophonist Bobby Watson, and stirred up the Philadelphia jazz scene with his skilled playing and heart-felt passion for music. Upon graduation from Philadelphia’s High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, he attended the Juilliard School in New York City to study under acclaimed bassist Homer Mensch. McBride chose to leave the school after one year of study to gain “experience with as many musicians as possible,” rather than a formal education. In the 90’s McBride joined various bands including the Benny Green Trio and SuperBass. By 1994, he was signed to Verge Records and has since released six albums under multiple labels including “The Philadelphia Experiment”, “Sci-Fi” and “A Family Affair.”
Tenor saxophonist Odean Pope grew up in Philadelphia where he studied with Ray Bryant. In the beginning of his career, Pope performed with rhythm and blues legends Marvin Gay and James Brown. Throughout the 70s, Pope recorded four albums with the group Catalyst, and in 1977 formed the Saxophone Choir. The group was inspired by Pope’s experience with the Baptist Church’s notion of mimicking the human voice with a saxophone. The Saxophone Choir has toured across the country and overseas.
Pope has also worked extensively with legendary percussionist Max Roach. The two toured with the Max Roach Quartet from 1967 to 1968, again in 1979, and continue to perform together today. Pope has also contributed to the band’s book and has been featured on seven recordings with Roach including Scott Free, Chattahoochee Red, and To The Max!.
The son of two jazz musicians (his mother is keyboardist Alice Coltrane), tenor saxophonist, bandleader and composer Ravi Coltrane grew up listening to popular ‘70s and ‘80s music long before venturing into the jazz scene in the late 1980s. A quest to know more about his father, who passed away when he was just an infant, piqued his curiosity and led to a transformation in the way that he thought about music. As he went through school at the California Institute of Art, Ravi expanded his list of sax influences to greats like Sonny Rollins, and was daunted by the heavy aura of other jazzmen he was investigating. After playing a few gigs around home, his big break came during a two-year stint with Elvin Jones, the man behind the classic John Coltrane Quartet. Learning how to separate his own name from his father’s continued to be part of Ravi’s career even as he took on several key sideman gigs and made a couple of CDs in the years to follow. Today, his extensive discography includes four critically acclaimed recordings as a leader (including In Flux in February of 2005), and more than 30 recording as a sideman. Ravi also launched his own recording company, RKM Music, and was the driving force behind his mother’s return to recording after a 26-year hiatus.
A Free in the Plaza performance featuring the Warren Oree and the Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble will be held at 6pm in Commonwealth Plaza prior to this performance. Named “the most innovative, progressive jazz band in our listening area” by Temple University Public Radio, Warren Oree and the Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble present a distinctive fusion of jazz, African, Brazillian, rhythm and blues, and hip-hop.
Tickets for Philly Jazz All-Star Night are $71, $64, $59, $46, $30, and can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, online or at the Kimmel Center Box Office, open daily from 10am to 6pm and later on performance evenings. (Additional fees may apply) For group sales call 215-790-5883.
A limited number of $10 tickets are available for every Kimmel Center Presents performance. Tickets go on sale the day of the event and can be purchased at the Kimmel Center box office beginning 2.5 hours prior to evening performances and 11:30am for matinees.
Sponsors of the 2005/2006 Kimmel Center Presents season include Mellon Financial Corporation, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Sovereign Bank, The American Express Company, and Verizon Foundation. Special Student Matinees at the Kimmel Center are generously supported by Merck & Co., Inc. American Airlines is the Official Airline of Kimmel Center Presents. Toyota is the Official Vehicle of Kimmel Center Presents Jazz and World Pop programming. In-kind support is generously provided by Deloitte and Southern Wine and Spirit.
NBC-10 is the offiical media partner of the Mellon Jazz series.
KIMMEL CENTER PRESENTS
Mellon Jazz Fridays
November 18, 2005 | 8pm
Verizon Hall
Christian McBride Band
Christian McBride, electric and acoustic bass
Ron Blake, tenor and soprano saxophone and flute
Geoffrey Keezer, piano
Terreon Gully, drums
Odean Pope’s Saxophone Choir
Odean Pope, bandleader and saxophone
Julian Pressley, first alto saxophone
Sam Reed, second alto saxophone
Louis Taylor, third alto saxophone
Elliott Levin, first tenor saxophone
Terry Lawson, second tenor saxophone
Seth Meicht, fourth tenor saxophone
Joe Sudler, baritone saxophone
Tyrone Brown, up-right bass
George Burton, piano
Craig McIver, drums
Special Guest
Ravi Coltrane, tenor saxophone
Free in the Plaza Commonwealth Plaza
6pm
Warren Oree and the Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble
Named “the most innovative, progressive jazz band in our listening area” by Temple University Public Radio, Warren Oree and the Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble present a distinctive fusion of jazz, African, Brazillian, rhythm and blues, and hip-hop.
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