J a z z
RECENTLY
at La Maison Française
"Vivre la Nouvelle Orléans"
featuring Paquito D'Rivera
with Dr. Michael White
and the Original Liberty Jazz Band
Presented by La Maison Française and
About the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival
The Duke Ellington Jazz Festival (DEJF) is an annual celebration named in honor of musical genius and native Washingtonian Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington. Each year, thousands come together in the nation’s capital to share in the city’s rich jazz history, to see local and world-renowned jazz artists, and to pay tribute to legendary jazz greats.
The DEJF’s programming meets the diverse interests of jazz aficionados and families from Washington, DC and cities worldwide with its impressive mix of local, national and international jazz artists. Presenting a broad range of performances and events at venues throughout the city, the DEJF has established itself as a highlight of Washington, DC’s annual cultural calendar and is recognized as a world-class jazz festival. Annual featured events include free, all-day concerts on the National Mall, a student educational series, the Celebrating National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters concert, "Jazz 'n Families Fun Days" and the popular "Jazz in the 'Hoods" series.
Paquito D’Rivera (saxophone): A child prodigy and restless genius in his teens who is at home with both classical music and jazz – with nine Grammys in his collection to prove it – Cuban-born Paquito D’Rivera has been artistic adviser for the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival since its inception five years ago. In addition to being an extraordinary instrumentalist, D’Rivera is also a formidable composer and gifted author whose memoir "My Sax Life" and novel "Oh, La Habana" are bestsellers in the Spanish-speaking world. His extensive discography includes more than 300 solo albums in jazz, bebop, latin music and classical recordings (with the London Philharmonic, London Symphony, Warsaw Philharmonic among others, and the Buenos Aires String Quartet [another Grammy] as well as chamber orchestras).
A protégé of Dizzy Gillespie, he was musical director, with Slide Hampton, of the jazz legend’s Grammy award-winning United Nation Orchestra, and later assumed direction of the ensemble. He is a recipient of the National Medal for the Arts and is a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, among others. In celebration of its 500 year history, the Universidad de Alcala de Henares presented D’Rivera with a special award recognizing his contribution to the arts, his humanity, and his defense of human rights and liberties around the world.
Artist's website: www.paquitodrivera.com
Dr. Michael White (clarinet) is a multi-talented New Orleans-based musician acclaimed in the Crescent City and throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. A musicologist, jazz historian, clarinetist and educator he teaches New Orleans music and culture at Xavier University. It is Mr. White’s crystal-clear-toned clarinet that can be heard on Wynton Marsalis’ critically acclaimed "The Majesty of the Blues"; more recently he worked with Marsalis on "A Tribute to Jelly Roll Morton" in concerts performed for the Marsalis-led Jazz at Lincoln Center series.
Staunchly traditional, Mr. White cites as primary influences Sidney Bechet, Johnny Dodds, Willie Humphrey and Benny Goodman, but he never strays far from his musical roots. An avid collector of jazz artifacts and the historical memorabilia of New Orleans for more than 30 years, he lost nearly everything in the floods of Hurricane Katrina including the original sheet music of Dead Man Blues by Jelly Roll Morton, a clarinet mouthpiece owned by Sidney Bechet, and a collection of more than 5000 records and LPs. Joining Mr. White (clarinet) will be Gregory Stafford (trumpet/vocal), Lucien Barbarin (trombone), Detroit Brooks (banjo), Steven Pistorius (piano), Kerry Lewis (contrabass) Herman Lebeaux (drums).
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Paquito D'Rivera, Saxophone
Dr. Michael White, clarinet - Gregory Stafford, trumpet
Detroit Brooks, banjo