Edwards

Thanks to Steve Dillon for providing us with the following details of the Alessi/Pryor recording project. Steve owns and operates Dillon Music. He can also be found educating the musical masses through his Twitter account at twitter.com/dillonmusic. All pictures are courtesy of Steve.

Steve Dillon is working on a recording project (one of many) with Joseph Alessi, principal trombonist of the New York Philharmonic. The project, called Slide Partners: 100 years of American Trombone Virtuosity, will honor trombone great Arthur Pryor. However, none of Pryor’s technical solos will be recorded. (A little known fact about Pryor: he was able to play simple songs in such a manner and with such beauty that he could, as put in the words of one ex Pryor Band member, “make the old ladies cry.”) Instead, they took some Pryor encores and recordings and brought them up to date with new arrangements.

Steve says that Joe Alessi was the perfect player to take on this project as his respect and understanding of this earlier trombone period is outstanding and “his playing is beyond words.” There is also a great possibility that Joe’s grandfather knew, and may have possibly performed with, Pryor.

Joe performs on Pryor’s trombone for most of the recording. (The horn resides in Steve’s collection.) They were able to record in some of the same venues in which Pryor played (i.e. the Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove New Jersey). The recording will also include some of the cornet/trombone duets that Pryor recorded. The cornetist is Phil Smith, principal trumpet of the New York Philharmonic. The recording is set to be released sometime in 2010.

Joseph Alessi

Phil Smith, Joseph Alessi and Steve Dillon

Phil Smith and Joseph Alessi

The following is a message from Brian Allen

To all the folks in Mexico and other concerned parties…

I’m playing several times in the Mexico City area this month, so please come out and say hello. Check my MySpace for last minute updates, additional concerts and information if you’re planning to attend.

• Festival Ollin Jazz Tlalpan w/Adrian Terrazas Quartet
  Aug. 12 @ 8PM
• Cafe ES3 w/Adrian Terrazas Quartet
  Aug. 13 @ 9PM
  Hotel Virreyes, Izazaga y Eje Central
• El Imperial w/Adrian Terrazas Quartet
  Aug. 14 @ 10PM
  Alvaro Obregon 293 esq. Oaxaca
• Festival Ollin Jazz Tlalpan w/Daniel Zlotnik Quintet
  Aug. 15 @ 7PM
• Casa Hilvana duo w/Hernan Hecht
  Aug. 18 @ TBA
  Colonia Roma
• Cafe ES3 duo w/Hernan Hecht
  Aug. 19 @ TBA
  Hotel Virreyes, Izazaga y Eje Central
• Zacatecas Jazz Festival, Zacatecas
  Aug. 27 @ 9PM
  Museo Manuel Felguérez?Calle Colón s/n esq. Seminario Col. Centro
• El 81 w/Adrian Terrazas Quartet
  Sep. 4 @ 10PM
  Ajusco No. 81 Portales Sur

For venue info on concerts at the Ollin Kan Festival, please visit www.ollinkan.tlalpan.gob.mx

There are so many great players in Mexico City. Adrian Terrazas (www.myspace.com/adrianterrazasgonzalez) plays woodwinds with Mars Volta and leads a energetic two horn quartet with me and Mexico City-based bassist Carlos Maldonado and drummer Hernan Hecht. Daniel Zlotnik is another fantastic woodwinds player that I met on my first trip to DF 2 1/2 years ago. And Hernan is in several projects with me now, including this duo and the Brainkiller Trio.

For more info, videos, sounds and more:
www.braintone.com (my website)
www.myspace.com/nellanairb (my solo MySpace)
www.youtube.com/gatotemus (my YouTube channel)

Congratulations to Christan and Beth on the arrival of Ava Brienne over the weekend! Ava’s vitals: 7 pounds, 15 ounces; 20.5 inches. Everyone is healthy and resting at home. As if we need to mention it… Christan will not be available this week.