| FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Mayoral
Proclamation Recognizes October 9, 2004 as Count Basie Day
Yehoodi.com's Basie Centennial Ball to Celebrate his Music through Dance
New York,
NY, July 13, 2004 -- New York City Mayor, Michael R.
Bloomberg recognizes the tribute paid by the swing and jazz fans
of William (Count) Basie by proclaiming October 9, 2004, "Count Basie
Day." Close to a thousand dancers and jazz aficionados are expected to
attend the Basie Centennial Ball to experience the transcendent power
of Basie's music and its reunion with the dance that it inspired, the
Lindy Hop.
Lindy Hop evolved
in the late 1920's in Harlem and has been continued in New York and around
the world since. This occasion also marks the 6th Anniversary of Yehoodi.com,
which has for the past six years dedicated its efforts to fostering the
global Lindy Hop community, online and off. With support from Jelly Roll
Productions and Columbia University Swing, Yehoodi.com will be hosting
the Basie Centennial Ball at Columbia University's Roone Arledge Auditorium
on October 9, 2004 to celebrate Basie's musical gift to his generation,
our generation and generations to come.
Following is an excerpt
of the Mayor's proclamation:
WHEREAS: In a fitting
birthday tribute to their musical hero, the Lindy Hop enthusiasts at Yehoodi.com
have helped organize The Basie Centennial Ball, which will be held at
Columbia University's Roone Arledge Auditorium. Channeling Basie's genius
will be the 12-Piece Frank Foster Swing Plus Band, which will feature
guests including such jazz legends as: Clark Terry, Frank Wess, Benny
Powell, Joe Wilder, Irene Reid, Dennis Rowland, and Junior Mance. Their
music will accompany one of the most recognized swing dance competitions
in the world, Hellzapoppin'. As if this were not enough, there will also
be dance tributes to the Count performed by nationally renowned swing
dance troupes. While it might be impossible to top seeing Basie himself
live at the Roseland, this year's festivities are sure to prove that while
musical styles have certainly changed in the last One Hundred Years, New
York City still knows how to swing.
NOW THEREFORE, I,
MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK, in recognition
of this important event, do hereby proclaim Saturday, October 9, 2004
as "Count Basie Day."
The Basie Centennial
Ball will celebrate the vitality of Basie's music that drives his audience
to dance. Hundreds of dancers of all ages will have the opportunity to
swing to the sounds of Basie recreated by his most trusted composer and
arranger, Mr. Frank Foster and an incomparable lineup of musicians consisting
of many Count Basie Orchestra alumni. "To have a beautiful ballroom filled
with hundreds of dancers of all ages dancing to the sounds of Basie is
something I did not think would happen again on this grand a scale. I'm
excited to be a part of it," says jazz historian and WKCR radio personality
Phil Schaap, who is also on the Basie Centennial Ball Advisory Board.
This is an evening not to be missed by any jazz or swing enthusiast.
Tickets and more information
about the Basie Centennial Ball are available at www.Basie100.com.
###
Contact: Frank Dellario,
Yehoodi.com, (718) 599-2591 / frankyboy@yehoodi.com
Yehoodi.com
www.yehoodi.com
Yehoodi.com is a website for the hardcore lindyhopper with the intent
of fostering the community online and off. Founded in Sept 1998 by Frank
Dellario and Manu Smith, it is now managed by a volunteer staff of over
six administrators (Yehoodistrators) and various technical advisors covering
news, calendar events, a discussion board, a biweekly talk show and a
24/7 internet radio show. Yehoodi also sponsors a weekly dance, the Frim
Fram Jam, every Thursday night in NYC.
Jelly Roll
Productions
www.jellyrollproductions.org
Jelly Roll Productions is an organization founded by Nicole Frydman, David
Jacoby, Christine Tse and Steven Wexler, committed to cultivating both
Lindy Hop and live jazz by providing high quality dance events at affordable
costs. Their ultimate goal is to reunite the music and the dance by making
great live jazz music accessible to dancers, and introduce (or reintroduce)
more jazz artists to the unique creative outlet of playing for dancers.
With the support of many volunteers, Jelly Roll Productions has produced
over 10 live music events since its inception in October 2002.
CU Swing
www.columbia.edu/cu/swing/
Columbia University Swing was formed in November 2001 to unify the swing
dance community of Columbia and promote dance as an exciting social endeavor
with strong ties to America's unique culture of jazz music and movement.
Led by their President, Ed Alfano and Vice President Michelle Lim, CU
Swing provides instruction and practice opportunities in East Coast Swing,
Lindy Hop, Balboa, and Charleston and organize and attend events throughout
New York City.
Basie Centennial
Ball Advisory Board
Phil Schaap
Phil Schaap is a leading scholar in the field of jazz, whose encyclopedic
knowledge about jazz has never dimmed his passion and enthusiasm for the
music. Born in New York City, Phil became an enthusiast early on and has
been living jazz 24 hours a day ever since, working as an audio engineer,
broadcaster, lecturer and teacher. Phil is also a multi Grammy Award winner,
and has been at WKCR since 1970 where he can be heard on seven radio shows
a week, including his notable Charlie Parker program "Bird Flight."
Frank Foster
Frank Foster is one of those rare triple threats: He's a master saxophonist,
creative composer and arranger, and skilled leader of both large and small
bands. As a saxophonist fluent on tenor, soprano, and alto saxes, he's
been a welcome addition on bandstands and recording studios of vast variety,
including a fixture in Basie's band from 1953-1964. As a composer and
arranger his efforts have become classics, writing such jazz standards
as "Shiny Stockings" and "Down for the Count" which became a Basie signature.
And as a bandleader, he led the Basie Orchestra, and many other bands,
including his own "Swing Plus Band."
Earl May
Earl May began his career in 1949 in New York City and honed his craft
in places like Minton's Playhouse with musicians such as Lester Young
and Mercer Ellington. He was also a protégé of the legendary Charles Mingus.
In 1951 Earl joined the Billy Taylor Trio and was his regular bassist
for many years. In addition, Earl has worked with many of the jazz greats,
including Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Foster, Cab Calloway, Lucky Millinder,
Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane, with whom he recorded
the classic "Lush Life." In 1959 he formed his own trio and then quartet,
which rapidly became the epitome of great music in the New York club scene.
Earl has many fans in the New York swing scene, having played at swing
dances multiple times in Junior Mance's Trio, Benny Powell's "The Gift
of Love" Quintet, and with his own Quintet.
Benny Powell
Benny Powell's bold trombone sounds bridge bebop and swing. His work employs
the vocal color of great swing trombonists and the technical fluidity
of bop practitioners. Primarily a sideman, Powell started adding his unique
sense of swing at the age of 18 with Lionel Hampton's band and, of course,
was a fixture in Basie's band for over a decade. Additional work includes
playing for the Merv Griffin Show, the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra,
and Randy Weston's big bands. Benny has also been active in teaching young
people about jazz and the roots of African-American music, including work
with the Jazzmobile in New York City. |