Jazz, one of the most revered and loved musical art forms around the world has inspired more artists and musical art forms than possibly any other musical art form in the history of American music.
Jazz has, from its early 20th century inception, helped to generate a variety of subgenres, from New Orleans Dixieland dating from the early 1910s, big band-style swing from the 1930s and 1940s, bebop from the mid-1940s, a variety of Latin-jazz fusions such as Afro-Cuban and Brazilian jazz from the 1950s and 1960s, jazz-rock fusion from the 1970s and later developments such as acid jazz.
Artist such as Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Thelonious Monk, Billie Holiday, John Coltrane, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Dizzy Gillespie and many other musicians and singers have become Jazz legends heralded by fans from all over the world.
In honor of the sounds and inspirations behind Jazz April is being heralded as Jazz month, and to help celebrate Fresno City College is bringing a whose who to the Fresno City College theatre.
On Thursday April 3, over two dozen high school jazz ensembles performed on the FCC, with a special awards concert with the FMCMEA Honor Jazz Bands and the Fresno City College Jazz Ensemble, featuring special guest trombonist Andy Martin.
Andy Martin is truly a world-class jazz musician. His sparkling bebop lines and consummate musicianship make him equally at home on the stage or in the studio.
He maintains a busy schedule in L.A. in bands led by Jack Sheldon, Louis Bellson, and Quincy Jones, among others.
Martin has long been one of L.A.’s first call trombonists for commercial recordings, television and motion pictures, and live theater.
He has contributed on albums for many popular artists, including the Pussycat Dolls, Coldplay, and Michael Buble. His television credits include major awards shows like the Grammy’s, the Emmys, and the Academy Awards.
On April 4th ,2008 Fresno City College brought acclaimed jazz vocalist Kevin Mahogany to fill the FCC Auditorium with beautiful music to continue the festivities.
As a student at Baker University, Mahogany performed with various instrumental and vocal ensembles and formed his own vocal jazz choir.
After graduating, he returned to his roots in Kansas City, attracting a huge following throughout the 1980s. Kevin has now started his own label, “Mahogany Jazz,” and has two projects scheduled for release: “Kevin Mahogany Big Band” and “To Johnny Hartman,” a tribute to the vocalist of the 1940-70’s who helped popularize jazz and swing.
With eleven CD’s as a leader, and quite a few as a sideman, Kevin has proved to be the quintessential jazz vocalist.
Newsweek describes him as “the standout jazz vocalist of his generation.” New Yorker magazine writer Whitney Balliet writes, “There is little Mahogany cannot do.”
Both performers gave rousing performances earning standing ovations on both nights.
One can only wonder how FCC can hope to top the performances that they managed to secure for this years Jazz month. One things for sure, it’ll be a joy to watch them try.
