The Jazz Gallery - An International Jazz Cultural Center

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011 | The Jazz Gallery Presents John Ellis & Andy Bragen's MOBRO

The Jazz Gallery Presents John Ellis & Andy Bragen's MOBRO
A New Work Commissioned by The Jazz Gallery in 2011

Wednesday through Saturday, December 7-10
One set ONLY at 9:00pm (2nd set may be added if the 1st sets sell out)
Admission is $20.00, $10.00 for Members

Featuring:
John Ellis – reeds
Andy Bragen – lyrics
Mike Moreno – guitar
Ryan Scott – guitar
Joe Sanders – bass
Shane Endsley – trumpet
John Clark – French horn
Josh Roseman – trombone
Alan Ferber – trombone
Roberto Lange – sound design
Johnaye Kendrick - vocals
Becca Stevens - vocals
Miles Griffith - vocals
Sachal Vasandani - vocals
Chris Turner – vocals

The Jazz Gallery is proud to present saxophonist/composer John Ellis and librettist/playwright Andy Bragen’s work Mobro . The 90-minute through-composed piece, for nine musicians and five singers, was created at the Gallery in April 2011. Mobro was inspired by the intriguing 1987 journey of a garbage barge of the same name that became a national news headline, sparking intense interest in, and action on, a multitude of environmental issues. Ellis and Bragen composed, workshopped, rehearsed and performed Mobro at the Jazz Gallery in April 2011 (to sold out audiences), making use of the space on a prolonged basis, not only for the performance, but also as an integral part of their creative process. The work was commissioned by The Jazz Gallery as part of its 2011 Residency Commissioning Series, which was supported by grants from the Jerome Foundation and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. It was developed with additional support from The Playwrights' Center, Minneapolis, MN in partnership with the Network for Ensemble Theaters.

This epic work will enjoy a second staging at The Jazz Gallery over four nights,
Wednesday through Saturday, December 7-10. Mobro marks Ellis and Bragen's thirdbcollaboration (the others being Dreamscapes and The Ice Siren, commissioned by the Galleryin 2007 and 2008, respectively). The Jazz Gallery first presented Mobro in workshop format in April 2011. The concert premiere in December is the next step in this collaboration between the non-profit venue and the artists. The Jazz Gallery will continue working with Ellis and Bragen to develop the piece, and to support its future life, both at the Jazz Gallery, and in collaboration with other venues in New York City and elsewhere.

More on Mobro :
The Mobro 4000 was carrying the trash no one wanted, refuse from an overflowing city that sailed the seas for five months and 6,000 miles. Denied port repeatedly, the barge's contents were viewed as hazardous and infectious. This “Flying Dutchman” of garbage barges returned home close to twenty five years ago, but the questions it raises about what we consume, what we waste, and what we reject are still urgent and relevant.

The odyssey of our trash may also serve as a metaphorical microcosm for western society, with a particular focus on those that we expel or deny.

Ellis and Bragen use as a thematic launching point the journey of the infamous New York garbage barge which hauled over 3,000 tons of trash from Islip, New York to North Carolina in March 1987, then down to New Orleans, Mexico, Belize and ultimately back to Brooklyn where the trash was finally incinerated and hauled back, as ash, to where it started: Islip. This new work is a narrative chamber piece with song, jazz compositions and jazz improvisation. The musical ensemble consists of nine musicians and five singers. The piece also features sound design by Roberto Carlos Lange.

Bragen explains further: “There is a strong story behind this piece: the journey of the Mobro 4000. We’ve taken the real story, and re-imagined it as a kind of ODYSSEY type voyage, far out into the world, and ultimately back home, to be burned. We gave the trash a voice, and in a way, the trash stands in for all that we throw away and reject, all that we look past. The piece has a great emotional scope, and there’s something about a long sea journey that allowed us to find the epic nature of it all.”

Ellis adds: “I think it has the potential to resonate on a lot of different levels, including a global warming/consciousness of waste level. It’s a pretty intense rejection story, but it also has some comic relief. It really does feel like an amazingly satisfying ride.”

Monday, July 11th, 2011 | Kickstarter Campaign for "The Woodshed at The Jazz Gallery"
"The Woodshed at The Jazz Gallery" to Provide Free Rehearsal Space for Artists

Beginning in January 2012, The Jazz Gallery will offer artists the free use of its facilities for rehearsal, research, and development.

In the midst of decreasing public arts funding and the increasing gentrification of lower Manhattan, affordable rehearsal space for musicians is growing scarcer than ever before. The Jazz Gallery is well known as a non-profit dedicated to addressing the needs of the jazz community, primarily younger artists who are most directly affected by the shortage of affordable rehearsal options. Recent coverage demonstrates that these artists tend to receive very low fees for their performances, meaning that even a $20/hour rehearsal cost often falls outside of their budget.

After fielding many requests from artists for the use of the space, and after noticing the impact of the recent closings of rehearsal facilities in the area, The Jazz Gallery announces The Woodshed at The Jazz Gallery, a new program designed to address this growing need. Beginning in January 2012, the Gallery will be making its space available during "dark" hours to artists each week for rehearsal, research, and development. All artists who have performed at The Jazz Gallery as a leader or sideperson will be able to sign out the space during available hours. The Gallery plans to offer fifteen hours per week (with limitations on the number of hours each artist may sign out) on average, with scheduling dependant on the timing of its artist residencies, which offer selected artists the unrestricted use of the space for a one-month period.

The space will be offered to the artists free of charge, and will be underwritten by The Jazz Gallery's local, national, and international supporters through a one-month Kickstarter campaign. Executive Director Deborah Steinglass says, "We are excited by the possibility of providing urgently needed rehearsal space to a large roster of jazz artists who make The Jazz Gallery a wonderful home for jazz lovers and musicians alike. We want the artists who perform and grow here to know that they can turn to us for help. Our audiences and members feel deeply connected to the musicians who play here and they enjoy following their artistic development. Now, they can directly contribute to the musicians' artistic growth by supporting this effort." The Gallery will aspire to raise upwards of $20,000 to offset administrative and overhead expenses associated with the project. From July 11th-August 11th, supporters will have the opportunity to underwrite rehearsal time for artists in exchange for rewards including personalized artist video thank-yous, private performances, lessons and listening sessions with Gallery artists, artist photographs, invitations to a private party featuring Gallery artists, and more. The list of artists contributing rewards will include Ambrose Akinmusire, Johnathan Blake, Steve Coleman, John Ellis, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Jason Moran, Aaron Parks, Gretchen Parlato, Antonio Sanchez, Becca Stevens, Miguel Zenon, and others. The complete list of rewards and associated artists will be posted on Kickstarter and on The Jazz Gallery website on July 11th. Interested parties may follow The Jazz Gallery on Facebook and Twitter for more details and special offers throughout the process.

Saturday, January 15th, 2011 | The Jazz Gallery Received the ASCAP Adventurous Programming Award
ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) will recognize eight festivals, presenters and chamber music and jazz ensembles for their adventurous programming at the 33rd Chamber Music America National Conference on Saturday, January 15, 2011. The ceremony will take place at 5:00 p.m. at the Westin New York at Times Square (207 W. 43rd Street) in New York City. Frances Richard, ASCAP Vice President and Director of Concert Music, will present the awards.

The ASCAP Adventurous Programming Awards have been presented for the past 24 years. They provide special recognition and encouragement to ensembles, festivals and presenter members of Chamber Music America that have prominently featured works written within the past twenty-five years during their previous season. The winners are chosen by a panel selected by Chamber Music America and receive cash awards and plaques.

Commenting on the awards, Richard said: "On behalf of the composer and publisher members of ASCAP, we recognize those members of Chamber Music America whose strong commitment to the music of our time was demonstrated throughout the past season. Their excellent performances re-energize their audiences, and ensure the continuity and vitality of our great music tradition."

The 2011 recipients are listed below by category:

Large Presenter - Mixed Repertory
Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (College Park, MD)

Large Presenter - Contemporary
Contemporary Museum's Mobtown Modern Music Series (Baltimore, MD)

Large Presenter - Jazz
Jazz Gallery (New York, NY)

Small Presenter - Mixed Repertory
Ojai Music Festival (Ojai, CA)

Small Presenter - Contemporary
Present Music (Milwaukee, WI)

Ensemble - Mixed Repertory
Voxare String Quartet (New York, NY)

Ensemble - Jazz
John Escreet Project (Brooklyn, NY)

Ensemble - Contemporary
California E.A.R. Unit (Castaic, CA)

Monday, June 14th, 2010 | CareFusion Jazz Festival
For the next two weeks we are hosting concert events in coordination with New York's first CareFusion Jazz Festival, and the lineup is hot! This week we have Craig Taborn and his quintet, John Ellis in a return performance of "The Ice Siren," a special off-site event at Symphony Space with the Jazz Gallery All-Stars, and last but not least bassist Eric Revis and his remarkable quartet featuring Ken Vandermark, Jason Moran and Nasheet Waits.

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 | The Jazz Gallery is an Official Venue for the CareFusion Jazz Festival 2010
Please check our "music calendar" section for our complete offering for the CareFusion Jazz Festival!

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 | The Jazz Gallery presents New Voices: The Jazz Gallery Commissions 2009 - 2010
* Newly commissioned works by leading vocal artists Jen Shyu, Sachal Vasandani, Sofía Rei Koutsovitis and Amir ElSaffar
* Series underwritten by the Jerome Foundation, with support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Thursday, October 15th, 2009 | New Year's Eve at The Jazz Gallery
Gretchen Parlato will be at The Jazz Gallery come December 31st to celebrate the 2009 and to welcome the new year in style. Tickets will be available for purchase soon!

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009 | New Reservation Policy - Starting on November 1, 2009
In order to provide better service, beginning November 1, 2009, reservations will only be accepted through advance ticket purchase online. Unreserved tickets may also be purchased with cash at the door on the evening of the performance, subject to availability. These tickets will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

After November 1, 2009, The Jazz Gallery will no longer accept reservations over the phone nor via email. Thank you for your understanding.

Friday, August 21st, 2009 | OneCause - Support The Jazz Gallery by Shopping Online
The Jazz Gallery has just registered with OneCause.com. Now you can make contribution to The Jazz Gallery simply by going through the site when you shop online. It takes a minute to register and this will give you more excuse to shop, shop, and shop!

Sunday, March 1st, 2009 | Follow us on Twitter!
Follow The Jazz Gallery on Twitter and get up-to-the-minute updates.

Saturday, November 15th, 2008 | The Jazz Gallery's Large Ensemble Series Announced.
We are pleased to announce the second installment of The Jazz Gallery Large Ensemble Series, made possible with support from the Jerome Foundation, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, with additional funds from the New York State Council on the Arts and Meet the Composer.

Please follow the "Large Ensemble" link for more information.

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008 | The Jazz Gallery Participates in the Make Music New York for the 2nd Year.
The Jazz Gallery will participate in the Make Music New York for the 2nd year. This year we have obtained a permit for a street closing and we are planning to have an outdoor concert on the Dominik Street (between Varick and Hudson Streets). The event on the 21st will be the culmination of a week-long celebration dedicated to the late Miguel "Angá" Díaz. Please refer to the Music Calender section for the details.

Monday, January 7th, 2008 | "Steve Coleman Presents" - 4th Season Announced

Monday, December 10th, 2007 | Members' Holiday Party!
The Jazz Gallery will be hosting Members' Holiday Party. It will be on Wednesday, December 19th from 6 - 9 p.m. Membership is required prior to attending this festivity. If you would like to become a member, please follow the link. Please note that all donations are tax deductible.

Wednesday, November 21st, 2007 | Next Art Show is Scheduled
Our next art show will feature a Japanese artist, Takao Fujioka. It will open on Wednesday, February 20th, 2008 and run through the end of August.

Monday, November 19th, 2007 | New Year's Eve Tickets Available
Roy Hargrove and his lively organ quintet will be at The Jazz Gallery to help bring in 2008 in style. Sets are at 9:30 p.m., 11:30 p.m., and 1:30 a.m. Tickets price are $65.00, $90.00, and $40.00 respectively. The Jazz Gallery Members will receive $10.00 discount.

To purchase tickets online, please follow the link on the right.

Tuesday, November 6th, 2007 | Membership Link is Up
You can now sign up for our Membership online. Please follow the link on the right. You will find more information on the membership under the link "more more more."