Astrid Hepner and Said, “In the Club, the First Bruce Lundvall

12 MARCH, 2016 NEWS NEWS MARCH, 2016 13 Janfelix Vista photography Janfelix Vista photography a career spanning half a refused to put out because as she recalled the parking century, Bruce Lundvall it was ‘crap’. It was a bold nightmares in Brooklyn. had signed artists, includ- move to take with a new After a couple of years ing Willie Nelson, Herbie artist but producer Mar- at home it was time to get Hancock, Dexter Gordon, din took a much simpler, back into music again. Woody Shaw, James Taylor, sophisticated approach Astrid formed the Hamilton Stan Getz, Wynton Marsa- in working with Jones and Music Collective—a not- lis, Dianne Reeves, Natalie the subsequent success of for-profit that produced Cole, Cassandra Wilson, the album bolstered EMI’s concert series like Jazz at Anita Baker, and Norah fortunes. the Corktown and since Jones. “Bruce was a won- Things were going swim- 2014 Jazz at the Gasworks. derful man,” recalls Astrid, mingly in New York for Later the Collective staged “he was very well respected Astrid and Darcy, a couple Jazz in the Hubs which in the industry, and one of hot young musicians became the launching pad of the few who came out living the dream; but then for Astrid’s current pas- of the payola scandals came September 11, 2001. sion—An Instrument For untouched. He was a true By then the couple had Every Child. The unique mentor to me.” The job had moved to the gentrify- program is aimed at inner some exciting moments, ing Park Slope district of city public school stu- like telling husband Darcy Brooklyn. “I was on the “F” dents. The children enter on the phone, “I have train coming to work when the program at age 6 and Astrd 2nd from left and Grooving Vibe Astrid (centre, back) and her new passion: Steve Miller on the other the first tower was hit,” receive a new instrument An Instrument for Every Child line, I have to go.” The job Astrid remembers. “ By the and then are given weekly involved a lot of parties and time I got to the office in music instruction. “The receptions and other op- Chelsea I was able to look purpose of the program is portunities for rubbing el- right down Park Avenue not necessarily to create bows with the diverse likes and see the destruction.” musicians, it is to give them of Stevie Wonder, Isabella Because the subway system the benefits of music,” said Rosselini, Nicole Kidman, was shut down after the Astrid. “It makes them feel Hugh Jackman and the late attack, Astrid had to walk proud and accomplished. ABC anchor Peter Jennings. back to Brooklyn that They get the discipline “One of the wonderful night. “We walked over the of practicing,” adding, Astrid perks of my job was that Williamsburg Bridge, and “the product (music) is so I got to attend so many I remember being nervous pleasant. It’s not math. It’s great concerts,” said Astrid. that it might get attacked. more fun to master a song I saw operas at the Met, That changed things for than to master an equa- Astrid with Funkmeister. Drummer Keith Sir Simon Rattle and Sting me. I never felt safe again. tion.” The wheel has come Carlock (lower right) at Carnegie Hall, Wynton I was kind of freaked out” full circle for Astrid--the Marsalis at Lincoln Center, That and the fact that by concept of An Instrument Astrid (left) and baby Camilla meet Jazz Norah Jones at the ‘Living 2003 the Hepners now had For Every Child takes Astrid legend Ron Carter Room’ before she became a a young daughter, Camilla. back to her school days in Hepner: ‘star’ and not to mention all “That changed everything Cologne and her training With Blue Note President Ian Ralfini (l) the amazing jazz concerts for us. I started to think in music and arts manage- and producer Arif Mardin in the clubs involving many more about having a house ment. “Music has been a of our Blue Note artists.” and family,” Astrid said. big part of my life since I Astrid was in the studio That is where Hamilton was young….it has taken when legendary producer loomed into the picture. me places that I would nev- Arif Mardin first recorded Darcy’s father Lee Hepner er have imagined,” Astrid still finding her Astrid playing with Latin greats Tito Norah Jones whose sales had been the conductor for said. “It has connected me Puente and Celia Cruz really made Blue Note Re- the Hamilton Philharmonic with incredibly inspiring cords. Mardin had recorded Orchestra and his mother, and interesting people and them all-- The Rascals, Patricia Rolston, was an has broadened my horizon Carly Simon, Petula Clark, internationally acclaimed in many ways. But most grooving vibe Bette Midler, Barbra Strei- pianist, choral conductor, importantly, music - play- sand, the Bee Gees, Diana and teacher who until 1989 ing it, hearing it, studying Ross, Queen, Patti Labelle, had been the founding chair it - has always given me a Aretha Franklin, Lulu, Anita of the Mohawk College tremendous amount of joy s long as she can It may have been rock of a model for the “An Banff School of fine Arts, Baker, Judy Collins, Phil music program. There was a and has kept me centered remember Astrid that got Astrid into the Instrument for Every Child” which then was operated Collins, Culture Club, Rob- vacancy to run the depart- in difficult times. I hope Oelerich, now Astrid saxophone but it was jazz program that Astrid now by Darcy’s aunt and uncle. Celebrating with Norah erta Flack, Average White ment and Darcy won the that through initiatives Hepner, was playing that kept her there. “I was runs in Hamilton, which Something clicked be- Jones (extreme right) Band, Hall & Oates, Donny job. Moving to Hamilton like the An Instrument for some kind of an in- a jazz snob,” she admit- brings musical instruments tween the young couple. “I Hathaway, Jeffrey Osborne in 2005 Astrid became a Every Child program, I am strumentA in her native city ted. Still the money was and training to inner city was always pretty private Keith Carlock . Carlock has the recording industry. and many more. “It was a stay-at-home mom for a able to share some of these of Cologne Germany. For in pop and Astrid joined school children. “The about my personal life,” recorded and/or toured Through a contact she time of over-produced mu- couple of years. “I loved the experiences by introducing years it was the accordion a leather-clad, all-girl work I do now perfectly said Astrid, “but I sent my with Wayne Krantz, Sting, made while stringing for a sic,” recalls Astrid. Norah space—there was room for our children and youth, but coming into her teens band called the Grooving combines all of my former mother a postcard from Steely Dan, James Taylor, German magazine called Jones had already done an Camilla and most of all there who otherwise might not Astrid decided the squeeze Vibes. Before you knew it experiences as a teach- Banff and said ‘I’ve met the Donald Fagen, Walter Beck- Focus, Astrid heard about expensive $30,000 session was a PARKING SPOT!,” have the opportunity, to the box was decidedly un- the women were playing a er, performer and music guy I’m going to marry.” er, Diana Ross, Faith Hill, a job at BMG in New York which label boss Lundvall Astrid said, only half-joking magical power of music.” cool and she took up the mixture of funk, dance/pop industry executive,” says They were married in Co- The Blues Brothers Band, and a new career was be- saxophone. Even that was music with jazz elements Astrid recalling her earlier logne in 1996. It happened Paula Abdul, and Grover gun. Starting out as a junior a bit of an unusual choice all around Germany and teaching and learning that Darcy had been award- Washington, Jr. Carlock Marketing Assistant, Astrid With legendary of an instrument—at least getting some interest from experiences. ed a one-year sabbatical was the exclusive drummer rose to become Interna- producer Arif in Germany; but Astrid record companies like From the beginning from a music program in for every track on Steely tional Marketing Manager. Mardin and persevered; studying jazz BMG. “We were in par- Astrid’s mission in life was Nelson BC, which meant Dan's Everything Must Go The job lasted 5 years but some solid gold performance and compo- ticular demand in gay and to be part of the New York the couple could pool their album. Meanwhile Darcy, there was constant turno- sition and always being lesbian establishments,” City music scene. Some resources and move to New also a saxophonist was ver in management at BMG challenged to take risks Astrid recalls. In Cologne, of her musical contem- York. touring with Blood Sweat and Astrid, “saw the hand- by her mother—a teacher. during Astrid’s formative poraries had gone to New “It was the best time of and Tears. As exhilarating writing on the wall” and “I’m a very adventurous years, the city was a jazz York, and even though my life up to then,” Astrid as it was gigging in New moved over to Blue Note person and my mother en- hotbed with such initia- they would often return to recalls. “We found the ti- York music clubs, Astrid records which was part of couraged that.” “It was the tives as "Kölner Jazz Haus" Cologne broke, “they were niest apartment in Green- was also drawn to the the EMI recording colossus.

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