The NYC Jazz Record reviews “Mad About Thad”
What Derke and his players have done is revitalize and refresh the music of a composer whose work deserves to be heard and reheard. - The New York City Jazz Record (May 2012)
Rob Derke will be playing at the Jazzheads Jazz Festival on Friday, May 4 2012 at The Players Club NYC. Tickets available at the door.
Jazzheads Jazz Festival Line-up announced!
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Space is limited, so make reservations: reservations@theplayersnyc.org or call 212-475-6116
Jazzheads Artists Featured at Carnegie Hall!
As part of the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday, Jazzheads’ artists Rob Derke, Carlo De Rosa and Benny Koonyevsky from the NYJAZZ Initiative were guest soloists on the world premiere of Karl Jenkin’s latest work, The Peacemakers, including a 250 voice chorale performed at Carnegie Hall. The Peacemakers, using text by Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Mandela, the Dalai Lama, and Albert Schweizter as well as Shelley, the Bible, Quran, Hinduism etc, is a work of extolling peace. ‘He had a dream that all mankind could live together in peace and harmony’ - Elegy for Martin Luther King Jr.
Described as an ensemble that ‘plays with perfection’ and includes ‘some of the most expressive musicians on the New York scene,’ the NYJAZZ Initiative is a non-profit organization at the forefront of redefining the future of Jazz. From their latest release, Mad About Thad celebrating the music of Thad Jones, to their educational programs that reach thousands of students, NYJAZZ is committed to the future of Jazz as a vital part of the American cultural landscape.
The audience honored the performance with a well deserved standing ovation!
First review of ‘Mad About Thad’ by NYJazz Initiative
Twenty five years have come and gone since Thad Jones’ passing, but interest in his music has never waned. Audiences composed of faithful fans and those new to his work still flock en masse to the Village Vanguard on Monday nights to witness the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra exploring his legacy on the very stage where the trumpeter first brought many of his compositions to life. While a good number of Jones’ peers have passed on, those who remain still perform and record his music with the utmost care and respect, as demonstrated on One More: Music Of Thad Jones (IPO, 2005) and One More: The Summary-Music Of Thad Jones, Vol. 2 (IPO, 2007), and subsequent generations of jazz artists continue to keep his work alive with albums like Mad About Thad.
In many ways, the collection of musicians who make up this band reflect the very goals of the organization they represent. The NYJAZZ Initiative was founded in 2008 and aims to keep jazz alive and thriving through education and performance, creating a climate of positive energy around jazz education and promoting the on-the-bandstand learning style that helped so many artists reach their potential. With this in mind, it’s nice to see that practice what they preach, with Vanguard stalwart Ralph Lalama providing a direct connection to Jones for the younger musicians in the group.
The eight tracks on the program cover well-worn classics (“A Child Is Born”) and material that’s often overlooked (“Evol Deklaw Ni”), and the band manages to be faithful to Jones’ vision, while remaining creative with the arrangements and avoiding slavish imitation. The pas de deux between Rob Derke’s soprano saxophone and Sam Burtis’ tuba brings out the best in “Bird Song” and the horn writing on “Elusive” makes this band sound far bigger than they actually are. Six other tracks reside between those two pieces, and each one offers great musical riches. “Three And One” seamlessly moves between an odd-metered Latin groove and straight swing in four and “A Child Is Born” provides pause to admire trumpeter David Smith’s unique phrasing. Burtis and bassist Carlo De Rosa are in cahoots at the outset of “Evol Deklaw Ni,” and both men burn on their respective solo spots. With performances like these, plenty of people will be extremely happy that the NYJAZZ Initiative took the time to put together Mad About Thad.
New release on Jazzheads: NYJazz Initiative - Mad About Thad
New release on Jazzheads, Mad About Thad showcases the astute talents of NYJAZZ artists performing their progressive arrangements of Thad Jones repertoire, whose songs are a staple for jazz education institutions. It’s time to be Mad About Thad!
‘Thad Jones had a sound that is timeless. On his horn and through his music his ideas were profound and personal, and it is evident that his impact and inspiration are strong and clear on Mad About Thad. NYJAZZ plays with perfection, as the new orchestrations by Rob Derke of some of Thad’s most beautiful compositions are full of wonderful solos by some of today’s most expressive musicians on the NY scene’ - Joe Lovano.
