Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Arts and Philosophy Department will continue its successful jazz series, Jazz at Wolfson Presents featuring Wolfson Jazz Ensembles, directed by Dr. Michael Di Liddo. Performance is at MDC Wolfson Campus Auditorium, Room 1261, 300 NE Second Ave.
Three groups comprise the jazz ensembles at Wolfson Campus. The Horace Silver group takes its name from the legendary pianist and composer of 1950s and ’60s jazz. The Blue Note group pays tribute to the famed jazz record label of numerous classic and groundbreaking recordings. Both groups help young jazz musicians develop by presenting a wide range of jazz styles.
The program’s most mature group, the Hard Bop Jazz Ensemble, has included some of South Florida’s finest emerging musicians. The ensemble has performed at major jazz festivals in Switzerland, Italy and the Netherlands, and has received DownBeat magazine awards.
Students from this ensemble have performed with Arturo Sandoval, David Liebman and Pit Bull.
“It’s been a productive term,” Dr. Di Liddo said. “The students have explored a variety of jazz styles from several composers. Works by Horace Silver, Charlie Parker, Benny Golson, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington and Sonny Stitt were of particular interest and will be included in their performance. The students are anxious to share their experience of studying and developing jazz improvisational technics necessary for performing compositions of these jazz greats.”
MDC’s Jazz at Wolfson Presents features live performances that run monthly from September through April. All Jazz at Wolfson Presents events are open free to the public.
Jazz at Wolfson Presents Hammond organist Brian Charette on Nov. 8
Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Arts and Philosophy Department continues its successful jazz series, Jazz at Wolfson Presents, with Hammond B-3 organist Brian Charette at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 8, at MDC’s Wolfson Campus. All Jazz at Wolfson Presents concerts are open free to the public.
Charette, a New York City organist/pianist, has established himself as a leading voice in modern jazz. He is a Grammy-nominated, Hammond-endorsed artist who topped the 2014 DownBeat magazine Critics Rising Star Poll for Organ and climbed to fourth place in the 2016 Critics Poll main organ category. This year, Charette also won The Hot House magazine Fan’s Decision Jazz Award for Best Organist in New York.
Besides being a critically acclaimed composer and bandleader, Charette has performed with notable artists such as Joni Mitchell, Chaka Khan, Paul Simon, Cyndi Lauper and many more.
He is an active author and educator, writing for Keyboard magazine, New York City Jazz Record, DownBeat and the Czech magazine, Muzikus.
Charette teaches master classes worldwide and is on the faculty of the Czech Summer Jazz Workshop at Jesek Conservatory in Prague. His first book, 101 Hammond B-3 Tips has earned widespread popularity.
Performance is at MDC Wolfson Campus Auditorium, Room 1261, 300 NE Second Ave.
For a complete list of concerts, visit www.mdc.edu/main/jazzatwolfsonpresents.
