Showing posts with label Teddy Charles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Teddy Charles. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

WORD FROM TEDDY CHARLES , Vibist.
En route to the Netherlands
, my friend of many years, Teddy Charles, called on the cell to tell me he had left his home on Long Island for Europe. A Concert tour of Paris, and the Netherlands,including the most prestigious Jazz Festival in Europe, had materialised, and he and his trusty Deagan vibes were on their way to set the world on fire again! With him are his hand picked Band from NY.

There is a tremendous interest in his music, and he has been in the Studios in NY recording a lot. He even recorded with Teo Macero a couple of weeks before Macero died.TC is a brilliant genius, and founder along with Mingus of the Avant Garde Jazz Movement in the world. Changed Jazz FOREVER. Changed the way we think of our instruments, and ourselves.

My group "Suezenne Fordhm Chamber JazzL is directly inspired by Teddy, as he was a close friend and teacher, helping me to clear my ears and see beyond what the others were doing...In addition toVibes, he played piano, and in return for Vibes and harmony lessons, I gave him lessons in piano tecnic, as I was a student at the time at the Juilliard, and had some great chops.{still do.}

A cat with a terrific sense of humor, and delving mind into all things intellectual, he was for many years the owner of the Schooner "The Mary E" until his real love, music called him back. He sold her, and gave his s0ul to his music wholeheartedly again, though the "business" of music Bugs him [still.]

Godspeed, Old Friend, and in spite of your fears, this is NOT the end,you'll be safe, it is just the beginning.

SUEZENNE
SUEZENNE FORDHAM CHAMBER JAZZ LA

I wish you the best, my friend, and safe travels, and i know how leery you are of planes, BUT if you are who YOU are, do it, and live up to your legacy... there many thousands out there who are waiting to hear what an 80 year old genius can do .SHOW THEM!!! Don't worry, you'll be safe.
God Love you.

Saturday, November 08, 2008

SUEZENNE FORDHAM CHAMBER JAZZ LA CONCERT Sunday Evening Nov.9th
"NEW ORBIT" SERIES

Original tunes by Bobby Bradford and MX Mitacek to be presented.
MX MITACEK
PASSACAGLIA "Nine for SF"
A mere nine measures is the content of the composition written for the Suezenne Fordham Chamber Jazz LA group. The basic melodic and harmonic structure is written, and the group extends and improvises extensively, creating variation after variation. It sometime rivals extended compositions in the Classical world, in intensity and inovation, truly an improvisors dream.

MXM uses the Equal Interval system of composition as created by Lyle "Spud" Murphy, and taught by MXM at Pasadena City College.

BOBBY BRADFORD< COMPOSER, CORNETist
"In The Arms Of Abraham" a Spiritual
A very soulful and melodic Spiritual in the most traditional sense, with traditional chamnes of harmony, but yet showing the melodic genius that flows from Bradford's pen.
"A Little Pain"
Written during an intense period of soul searching by Bradford, this is a standby for The Bobby Bradford Mo'Tet, and me performance would be complete of Bradford's without this tune. Once again presented to SFCJLA with just twelve measures written, it is a field day for us, recreating all the pain of existance for you to hear and identify with. Intimate,Soulful, Pain ridden with the b5s and we have a ball delving into the psyche of composer Bradford.

The remainder of the program will be devoted to Monk, Evans, Mingus and Asian Improvisations on Tibetan Instruments.

Suezenne Fordham Chamber Jazz LA
Sunday, November 9th 08 7 30 PM
South Pasadena Main Library Concert Hall
1115 El Centro
South Pasadena, Ca
818 371 7735
Complimentary admission

Suezenne Fordham, Steinway Piano
Charlie Domingo, Contrabass
Rochelle Coatney, Latin Percussion
Cassidy Turbin, Drumset, Percussion, Winds.
Ensemble plays Tibetan Percussion

Fusion of Classical Music, Jazz Avant Garde, with Tibetan Soul.
Our Muses are Bill Evans, Bartok, Stockhausen, played with fierce virtuosity. Truly passionate and yet intimate experience. The concert experience with Jazz Passion.

Myrna Daniels of LA Jazz Scene writes"Authentic Jazz sensibility that's so understated- but oh, so hip and knowing."

Friday, November 07, 2008

EMERITUS MEMBERS
SUEZENNE FORDHAM CHAMBER JAZZ LA

TEDDY CHARLES {Theodire Cohen] Vibist, Deagan Artist
Longtime friend and legendary composer and collaboraror of Charles Mingus, and founder of the Avant Garde Movement in NY in the '50s,60's and 70s. Still doin'it in NY, with recordings, and appearances at such huge venues as the Vangard, and the Iridium. Still a sea faring man, of Schooners. AND a DOGIST!!!

NOAH GARABEDIAN, Contrabassist
Sent to me by the first Bassist with my LA group, Roberto Miranda, Noah arrived at the door of my studio begging for a chance to play with my Avant Garde Trio, Noah was a knock- kneed kid with a toothy grin, and chops that wouldn't quit.His first gig with the group was so difficult his fingers bled, as he was a student at UCLA, and wasn't prepared with adequate callouses to endure strenuous playing fo extended periods of time Of course he had BIG EARS, and a heart to match.. He was with my Trio for four years, wending his way into my psyche and being. A very intuitive player, he had the uncanny ability to read my mind musically and personally.He eventually left for the Jazz Life in New York.[Brooklyn.] I am hoping he will freeze his buns off, and return to LA,to rejoin SFCJLA....He was actually my Scotty La Faro...Awsome Dude.

RICHARD DAVIS, CONTRABASSIST
The one Bassist who literally changed the entire way of playing Jazz on the Contrabass, using the Bow with a scrupulous Classical tecnique, and Bowing genius. When he first arrived in NY at the Embers on E 64th Street, he was fresh out of Northwstern University in Chicago, and the more knowledgable musicians in town were knocked out, He had the ultimate career in NY, all the best Jazz gigs, sometimes playing with the NY Philharmonic when their Bass section couldn't get horrifically difficult passages together on compositions by Stockhausen, Varese, or Stravinsky. Richard was my FIRST Bassist in forming a duo and Trio in NY, At one point we even had a DUO with just Contrabass and Vibes.. I LOVED his Contrabass, which was a majestic instrument with a carved wood Lion's Head as the scroll. He now is the head of the String Dept at the University of Wisconson in Madison, and in very active in Human Rights movements... The Consumate Musician, Friend and Humanitarian.
Suezenne Fordham,SFCJLA

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

SUEZENNE FORDHAM CHAMBER JAZZ LA

PERMANANT MEMBERS OF SFCJLA 08 09 Season

SUEZENNE FORDHAM, Founder, Pianist[Steinway]Gu Zheng, Chromatic Harmonica
Charlie Domingo, Contrabass
Michael Alvidrez, Contrabass
Rochelle Coatney, Drums and Percussion
Cassidy Turbin, Drums, Winds, Composer

PLAYERS EMERITUS
DON LITTLETON, Drums, Exotic Percussion
BOB CARR, BASSOON, WINDS

SPECIAL ICON PLAYER EMERITUS
TEDDY CHARLES, Vibes[Deagan Artist
SUEZENNE FORDHAM CHAMBER JAZZ LA CONCERTS THROUGH THE END OF 2008

Steinway Hall
12121 West Pico Blvd at Bundy
West LA, Ca.
818 371 7735
Free, Donations accepted
Thursday, October 30th 7 30 PM-10PM

PERMANANT ENSEMBLE INCLUDES:
SUEZENNE FORDHAM, Steinway, Gu Xheng
Charlie Domingo, Contrabass
Rochelle Coatney,Drums Percussion
Cassidy Turbin, Drums, Percussion

SPECIAL GUEST ARTIST
Bob Carr, Bassoon, and Saxes

MEMBER EMERITUS
Teddy Charles, Vibist and Deagan[vibes] Artist

Entire Ensemble plays Tibetan Percussion

Upcoming concerts in 2008:
South Pasadena Library Chamber Music Concert Hall
1115 El Centro,
South Pasadena, Ca.
Sunday,November 9th 7 30 PM
SPECIAL GUEST ARTIST
Bob Carr, Bassoonist, Saxes

Tibetan Percussion is played by the entire Ensemble

Steinway Hall at Fields Pianos
12121 West Pico Blvd at Bundy
Thursday December 4th 08