Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Santi Debriano's Magic Circle tonight at Gillespie Auditorium, NYC

Get on board for a swingin’ jazz experiment with a completely new sound when Bassist Santi Debriano brings his “Magic Circle” to Jazz Tuesdays in the Gillespie Auditorium tonight, January 29. Set one at 8:00 pm will be a duo performance of Roni Ben Hur on guitar with Santi on bass. Set two at 9:30 will be the premiere of a quartet project with 2 other well known jazz bassists - Esiet Okun Esiet and Ira Coleman, with Ray Spiegel on tablas, vibes, and marimba. The concept of the group has its origin in music Mr. Debriano composed for the films Check the Changes and Tune In, Turn on, Drop Out (both directed by Marc Huraux) in which he used trios of basses performing improvisations based on the music of Jimi Hendrix. The Magic Circle performs original material written by all the members of the band, as well as Hendrix songs. The players explore the sonic possibilities of their instruments and the group in ways that will surprise you.

The son of a Panamanian composer, Santi Debriano is one of the busiest jazz bassists in the New York area. In addition to leading his own bands, Debriano has been a member of the Don Pullen Trio, the Pharoah Sanders Group, the Sonny Fortune Group, the Billy Hart Band, the Louis Hayes Quintet, the Larry Coryell Group, and the Archie Shepp Quartet. As a sideman, Debriano has performed with Chucho Valdés, Hank Jones, Cecil Taylor, Randy Weston, and Freddie Hubbard. A member of the Archie Shepp Quartet in the late '70s, he was featured on four albums and appeared in the documentary film Imagine the Sound. Moving to Paris, Debriano spent three years with the Sam Rivers Trio. Upon his return to the United States, he quickly made his presence felt on the jazz scene in New York, recording with such Brazilian musicians as Claudio Roditi and Deodato.

As a bandleader, Debriano has presented his music in a variety of contexts. In addition to his Quartet, he led a two-bass quintet and a trio during the late '80s and played Latin music as a member of the Panamaniacs. Debriano has been equally influential as a music teacher. As the music director for the performing arts program at Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, NJ, he placed an emphasis on African, Afro-Caribbean, Latin American, and African-American music. He received a jazz educator award from New York University in 2001.

Admission is 15.00, $10.00 for students.
Tickets will be sold at the door, or call 212-222-5159 for reservations and information.

Jazz Tuesdays
in the John Birks Gillespie Auditorium
The New York Baha'i Center
53 East 11th Street (between University Place & Broadway)
Two shows: 8:00 and 9:30 p.m.

No comments: