Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Mike Longo Trio presents Tribute to Oscar Peterson at Gillespie Auditorium, NYC, Sep 27

Join us for a special concert when the Mike Longo Trio featuring Paul West (bass) & Ray Mosca (drums) presents “A Tribute to the Great Oscar Peterson” on Tuesday, September 27 at "Jazz Tuesdays" in the Gillespie Auditorium at the New York Baha'i Center at 53 East 11th Street (between University Place & Broadway). There will be two shows at 8:00 and 9:30 p.m. Reservations and Information: (212) 222-5159.

Mike Longo, a Steinway artist, studied with Oscar Peterson for an intense period in the 1960s. This experience changed Mike's music and his life. You won't want to miss this tribute by one of Oscar Peterson's students in a special concert dedicated to this great jazz artist.

Mike Longo has performed with a list of jazz legends that includes 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, 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 & President of the CAP (Consolidated Artists Productions) label, and his 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.”

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 in the heart of Greenwich Village. Beginning on January 6, 2004, the anniversary of Dizzy’s death, his former pianist and musical director, MikeLongo, began presenting weekly jazz concerts every Tuesday evening at 8:00 and 9:30 PM.

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

For more about acts at "Jazz Tuesdays", check out our websites a http://bahainyc.org/nyc-bahai-center/jazz--night and www.jazzbeat.com

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.

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