You'll groove on some exciting new compositions and arrangements with straight ahead, burnin', foot stompin' jazz when Mike Longo's swingin' 17-piece Big Band, the NY State of the Art Jazz Ensemble returns to "Jazz Tuesdays" this Tuesday, November 30 in the Gillespie Auditorium at the New York Baha'i Center at 53 East 11th Street (between University Place & Broadway). There will be 2 shows at 8:00 and 9:30. Call 212-222-5159 for reservations and information.This is the big band that thrilled a sold-out house this past October at Dizzy Gillespie's birthday celebration and was voted "Band of the Year" in the 2004 Jazz Station Poll. You will be delighted by the NYSAJE's repertoire from their latest CD "Oasis", that topped the charts at # 7 in December 2004 and remained in the top 20 for an unprecedented 16 weeks. And you won't want to miss fantastic vocalist Ira Hawkins’ renditions of some jazz and blues classics.
Mike Longo has performed with a list of jazz legends that include Cannonball Adderley, Henry Red Allen, Coleman Hawkins, George Wettling, Gene Krupa, Nancy Wilson, Gloria Lynn, Jimmy
Witherspoon, Joe Williams, Jimmy Rushing, James Moody and many others.
It was in the mid-60s when Longo’s trio was playing at the Embers West, that Roy Eldridge told Dizzy Gillespie about this new pianist he had heard. Dizzy came to hear him play and soon asked him to become his pianist. This started a life-long musical relationship and friendship.
From 1966 through 1975, Longo worked exclusively as Dizzy’s pianist and musical director. Mike left the Gillespie group officially in 1975 to venture out on his own, but continued to work
for Gillespie on a part-time basis until his death in 1993. Since that time Mike has recorded numerous albums and CDs on various labels with some 45 recordings with artists such as Gillespie, James Moody, Astrud Gilberto etc.
At present he has over 20 solo albums to his credit. He is sought after as a music instructor and is in demand for jazz clinics and concerts at universities and music schools throughout the world, and has appeared at the Lincoln Center’s new jazz room “Dizzy’s Club Coca- Cola.” Longo is founder and President of Consolidated Artists Productions (CAP), an independent recording label. Longo’s latest venture, Jazz Tuesdays, is dedicated to allowing artists to retain creative control of their work and providing students and the general public with an opportunity to hear “world class jazz at affordable prices.”
Mike Longo is a Steinway artist.
Admission is 15.00, $10.00 for students.
Tickets will be sold at the door, or call 212-222-5159 for
reservations and information.
The John Birks Gillespie Auditorium, dedicated to the late jazz great Dizzy Gillespie, who was a Bahá'í, is located within the New York City Bahá'í Center. Beginning on January 6, 2004, the anniversary of Dizzy’s death, his former pianist and musical director, Mike Longo, began presenting weekly jazz concerts every Tuesday evening at 8:00 and 9:30 PM.
The John Birks Gillespie Auditorium is located in the heart of
Greenwich Village within the Baha'i Center.
NYC Baha'i Center
53 East 11th St. (Between Broadway and University Place)
New York, NY 10003
