The Queen of Hang: Sheila E. Anderson

Jon Lucien January 8, 1942 - August 18, 2007

"Joy and Love"
A celebration in music and words for Jon Lucien

Sunday Sept 30, 2007 - 7:30pm
St. Peter's Church
619 Lexington Ave at 53rd St
New York, NY 10022
212 935-2200

To Perform: Bill O'Connell, Kim Plainfield, Dan Carillo, Gregory Jones, Roland Guerrero, Mayra Casales, Lincoln Goines, Cliff Korman, Roy Ayers, and other special guests

"I would say my sound is a romantic sound...it's water...it's ocean...it's tranquility."
Jon Lucien

On August 18, 2007, Jon Lucien succumbed to respiratory failure and other complications in Florida where he had been residing for the last few years. By his side were his wife Delesa and his daughter Celesa.

More than any other singer, Jon Lucien captured the essence of romance. His voice was rich and expressive, his best songs were perceptive poetic tales of devotion, trust, hope, harmony and spirituality. Three dimensional parables of love lost and love found and relationships filled with the promise of a new day. He seemed to possess an innate ability to evoke an atmosphere and create images not only through his lyrics but the colors of his music.

Born in Tortola, Jon began performing professionally at 17 in the Virgin Islands. In 1970 he released his first recording in the United States, "I Am Now" on RCA. In the 37 years since the release of his debut album, connoisseurs and assorted in-the-know types have spoken his name with the utmost hushed reverence. His seamless melding of jazz, R&B, Caribbean rhythms and Brazilian music proved to be a decisive early influence on what would be simplified and marketed as the twin formats of "quiet storm" and "smooth jazz," although very few artists working in either format approach Lucien's level of artistry or innovation, not to mention originality.

Jon lucien is survived by his wife Delesa, daughter Celesa, son Hanis Lucien, step son Mark and grandchildren.

For a complete biography or to listen to Jon's music, please go to www.jonlucien.com.
His CDs are available through www.jazzcares.com.

Memorial plans will be announced soon. A book of Jon's lyrics will be published in the near future.

Antoinette Montague performs at NJPAC!

Don't sleep on this one...Antoinette and Bill are sounding terrific!  You are sure to have a great time!!!!!

Antoinette Montague with the Bill Easley Quartet
August 23, 2007
Time:  6:45pm - 7:30pm
Free Outdoor Concert

NJPAC / JP MorganChase Presents:
Sounds of the City with a WBGO Live Broadcast 88.3fm or stream it online
around the world

Bring a chair and prepare to swing to some good music.
Two other amazing groups performing that night starting at 5:00pm - 9:30pm
Check out NJPAC

Please consider a wbgo.org donation or membership or
Consider purchasing Antoinette's cd Pretty Blues

Sounds of the City
NJPAC (New Jersey Performing Arts Center)
1 Center Street, Newark, NJ 07102
1973-353-8046

Upcoming events:

Yonkers Riverfest 2007
Antoinette Montague w the Bill Easley Quartet
Saturday September 8th, 2007
Time:  4pm- 5pm

Across from:
1 Vanderdonk St.
Yonkers, NY

Max Roach and Mario Rivera

Max Roach:

On Friday, August 24 WBGO will commemmorate the life and music of Max Roach with 4 hours of music throughout the day.

9:00am - Jazz Profiles ... 75th anniversary Tribute in 1999 (One Hour)
12 Noon  - Max Roach Quartet in the WBGO Performance Studio, May, 1987
2:00pm   - Max on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz  1998
9:00pm   - Max Roach Quartet with the Uptown String Quartet in the WBGO Performance Studio, May 1987

Services for Max Roach will be held on Friday, August 24th, 2007 at 11:00 am at Riverside Church, NYC.

Viewing will begin at 9am at Riverside Church and end at 10:30pm.

The internment will be private.

The Riverside Church 490 Riverside Drive New York, New York 10027 212-870-6700 The Riverside Church is located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side near Columbia University. The church covers a two-block area extending from Riverside Drive to Claremont Avenue and between 120th Street and 122nd Street. (120th Street is also named Reinhold Niebuhr Place.) The Claremont Avenue entrance (91 Claremont Avenue) is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

After several years of illness Max Roach passed away peacefully on Wednesday evening.  I am thankful for having seen him perform a few times over the years.  Though not as a leader of a band but as a guest performer.  Not only did I see him perform I would often run into him dining at a restaurant on the Upper Westside or at the bar at the Village Vanguard.  Max was quite the gentleman, approachable and eager to smile.

AOL , complete with some video and msnbc have both provided decent writings about Max Roach. 

In memory of Max Roach, (89.9FM) will be broadcasting his music around the clock until 9:00PM next Wednesday.

Mario Rivera:

Last Week on August 10 we lost a Latin musical legend Dominican multi-instrumentalist Mario Rivera. Rivera was a gifted musician, composer and arranger that played 13 instruments, which included piano, vibraphone, drums, trumpet, timbales, congas, flute, and piccolo. But Rivera was known for how he kissed and caressed the tenor, soprano, alto and baritone saxophones.

Today I attended his wake.  The room was full of love and reverence for Mario.  Eddie Palmieri, Dafnis Prieto, Bobby Porcelli, Ray Vega were there to pay respects to Mario and his family.  Though Mario was not a household name he made quite an impact as a musician in not only Latin Jazz but also Straight-Ahead jazz as well.  I had the pleasure of hearing him in several musical settings and it was always a pleasure to see and to hear him!

For further information about Mario Rivera is the Post article.

A tribute to Mario's Life
Sunday, August 19
3:00PM

Donation:  $20.00

Nuyorican Poets Cafe 295 east 3rd St. Between B&C Avenues

*ALL STAR LINE-UP WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE*

If you can’t make it, please send all donations to Mario’s sister:

Lourdes Rivera
7 West 92 Street #73
New York, N.Y. 10025