The COASTAL STAR Artspaper/Art & Music AT9
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March 2016 The COASTAL STAR ArtsPaper/Art & Music AT9 Must See www.palmbeachartspaper.com Art Nigerian artist’s works explore the ‘third space’ By April W. Klimley Theater ArtsPaper Art Writer It's Curtains for leading lady in musical mashup at Wick It isn’t often that an Theatre in Boca. Page AT12 artist comes along who says something new in an original way. But that’s just what Nigerian-born artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby has done. Her colorful mixed-media artwork makes big statements about the dualities of life, while intriguing the eye with their abstract structure and decorative rivers of transfer prints. Each monumentally sized painting lets the viewer glimpse a special moment — usually in a domestic scene where people are meeting, Music talking, or just reflecting, in a setting from the country of Cameron Carpenter to give Crosby’s birth, Nigeria. It’s debut performance of new almost as if the viewer were organ at Kravis Center. spying on the people — or a Page AT12 room waiting for people to arrive — in the same way Vermeer let us glimpse his 5 Umezebi Street, New Haven, Enugu (2012), by Njideka Akunyili Crosby. This painting is part wealthy patrons at home in the of an exhibit of Crosby᾽s work at the Norton Museum of Art. Njideka Akunyili Crosby 17th century. The Norton Museum who identified this 33-year-old apparent in Nwantinti (2012), canvas is almost entirely red is offering an exceptional rising star and brought her to a painting named after a love and black except for the blue opportunity to see the first West Palm Beach. Crosby is song from Crosby’s youth. in the transfers — the small survey exhibition of Crosby’s the youngest artist to receive You will find the painting pieces of fabric and paper that work. Titled I Refuse to Be the Norton’s Recognition of on the left wall as you walk ripple through the painting Invisible, this exhibition Art by Women (RAW) award into the exhibition. It shows a almost like a river toward the features 16 large-scale, early that began in 2011 and was man sprawled out on his back back of the room. It’s actually and recent mixed-media made possible by the Leonard on a bed, relaxing, with his a self-portrait of Crosby and works made up of painted and and Sophie Davis/MLDauray head in a woman’s lap. We are her husband, Justin Crosby, collaged elements on paper. Arts Initiative. The Crosby watching one of those special, who is white, and expresses It is a major achievement for exhibit runs through April 24. private moments Vermeer the duality Crosby strives to Cheryl Brutvan, the Norton’s The depth inherent in captured so many centuries See CROSBY on page AT10 Dance curator of contemporary art, Crosby’s work is immediately ago. Everything is silent. The Boca Ballet Theatre celebrates 25th anniversary. Page AT15 Music Jazz piano prodigy plays beyond his years, peers By Bill Meredith skills of jazz keyboard at age 10. ArtsPaper Music Writer legends from Art Tatum and If you’re rolling your Thelonious Monk to Chick eyes, you probably didn’t see Most people who watched Corea and Herbie Hancock. this segment, and/or you’ve the venerable CBS program That alone makes Joey — figuratively heard this tune 60 Minutes on Jan. 3 probably who performs March 11 as before. Prodigies come and go weren’t blind, and didn’t tune part of the Festival of the Arts in all musical genres, and in in right in the middle of a Boca — special, but why was jazz, they tend to be pianists. playing segment by jazz pianist he featured and interviewed Two who’ve emerged in the Joey Alexander. for the program by Anderson 21st century are 29-year-old, But if those possibilities Cooper? Primarily because Soviet-born Eldar Djangirov, Books aligned, anyone listening he’s only 12 years old. He’s also who started performing in Ocean Ridge resident tells how Joey Alexander will appear would’ve heard a musician shown wowing the crowd in the United States at age 10; running has been her salvation at Festival of the Arts Boca. playing with the creativity, 2014 at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s through life's challenges. Photo provided dexterity and improvisational annual gala in New York City See PIANIST on page AT11 Page AT17 March 2016 The COASTAL STAR ArtsPaper/Music AT11 Joey Alexander, just 12 years old, typically gets standing ovations for his performances. Photo provided PIANIST Continued from page 9 IF YOU GO The Joey Alexander Trio released his first CD in 2001, will perform at 7:30 p.m. and earned a 2009 Album of March 11 at Mizner Park the Year nod in Jazziz for his Amphitheater, 590 Plaza Virtue CD; and 23-year-old Real, Boca Raton. American Matt Savage, an Tickets: $15-$100 autistic whiz who started his Info: festivaloftheartsboca. recording career before age 10, org and whose latest effort is It’s My Request: Live at Bar Request. Coltrane’s Giant Steps. Among There’s a major difference, several standards including though, between these jazz the title track, there’s even an musicians and the Indonesian original, Ma Blues, written by Alexander, who was born Joey at the ripe old age of 10. on the island of Bali. Both Yet prodigies are usually Djangirov and Savage had judged by their technique and to be indoctrinated into tone, if not their emotional improvisation, the lifeblood heft, or lack thereof. And with of the genre, following early Joey, that technique and tone studies of the more exacting get displayed through flurries forms of classical music. of notes that dazzle the listener. Joey studied neither jazz nor So some critics cite him as a classical music. As detailed prospective cautionary tale. on 60 Minutes, parents Denny “He’s not a fully formed and Fara Alexander gave up musician yet,” cautions Jason on his brief classical studies Olaine, who produced My once they realized his gift for Favorite Things. “We don’t improvisation. know who he’s going to turn “When I’m on stage, I never out to be.” plan, you know, ‘I’m going to It’s possible that he might do this,’” he told Cooper. “But turn out to be bored because his of course, you have a concept of natural abilities make things Walker Romaine Gallery what you’re going to do.” too easy, and/or that the public “So every time — it might gets bored if, at age 22, he’s still be different?” Cooper asked. “It a standout pianist but no longer FEATURED ARTISTS sounds really hard.” a prodigy. “It is kind of hard,” he The 2014 Jazz at Lincoln replied. Center performance, Joey’s Blackwood Classical and jazz are thus U.S. debut, was orchestrated by more demanding than forms of trumpeter and JALC artistic Chafetz popular music. But Joey already director Wynton Marsalis — Funk knows how to keep things in perhaps the world’s best-known perspective. jazz musician and one not Gordon “You have to work really prone to praise of other veteran hard,” he says. “But also have musicians, let alone child Reshevsky fun performing; that’s the most performers. important thing.” “I’ve never heard anyone Romaine Joey’s parents allowed the who could play like him,” phenom to start performing Marsalis says. “And no has Schmidt live in Bali when he was 6 years heard a person who could play Sebastian old. The closest he came to jazz like him. Oh man, somebody lessons came at age 8, when 12 playing like that. Why? We prominent Indonesian pianist don’t — we don’t know why.” and educator Indra Lesmana Joey didn’t even break a allowed him to repeatedly sit sweat while performing last Framing & Installation next to him at the piano bench month at the Grammy Awards by at his own Jakarta nightclub. in Los Angeles. And though Margaret Walker Milstead “He was very gifted,” he didn’t win an award, he lost Lesmana says, “and clearly had to jazz giants in guitarist John a huge potential to become a Scofield and bassist Christian great musician.” McBride. He was also, of Those abilities made Joey the course, the youngest nominee. Beauty Within youngest performer ever at the Gary Walker, artistic by Ellyn Chafetz 2015 Newport Jazz Festival. He director at New York City jazz also released his debut CD, My radio station WBGO, also acrylic/mixed media Favorite Things, on the Harlem- testified on 60 Minutes. based Motema label last year. “At any age, his language It received two Grammy is pretty special,” Walker 345 NE 3rd Avenue Open Thursday – Sunday 1-6pm nominations, one for Best Jazz says. “But at the age of 12, in Artists Alley [email protected] Instrumental Album and one you almost think, ‘You for Best Improvised Jazz Solo know, I might even believe in Delray Beach, FL 33444 561-716-7709 for Joey’s performance on John reincarnation.’” H14 Pets The COASTAL STAR March 2016 Paws Up for Pets WWII vet helps others get service dogs eet Irwin Stovroff, an energetic 93-year-old Mfrom Boca Raton. He regards himself as “the luckiest person there is.” Let’s add remarkable and inspiring. This decorated World War II fighter pilot and ex-POW built a successful furniture business career and is now known as the guy who gets things done for military veterans. When he retired at 75, he quickly discovered that the leisure life of playing cards, golf or tennis just wasn’t for him.