Boston Symphony Orchestra Concert Programs, Summer, 1992
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Kattl hlCL^WOOD I ? 7 2 W Toofc ofExcellence In every discipline, outstanding performance springs from the combination of skill, - vision and commitment. As a technology leader, GE Plastics is dedicated to the development of advanced materials: engineering thermoplastics, silicones, superabrasives and circuit board substrates. Like the lively arts that thrive in this inspiring environment, we enrich life's quality through creative excellence. GE Plastics -> Jazz At Tanglewood WM Friday, Saturday, and Sunday August 28, 29, and 30, 1992 Tanglewood, Lenox, Massachusetts '-•' Friday, August 28, at 7:30 p.m. THE MODERN JAZZ QUARTET RAY CHARLES Koussevitzky Music Shed Saturday, August 29 at 4 :30 p.m. CHRISTOPHER HOLLYDAY QUARTET REBECCA PARRIS and the GEORGE MASTERHAZY QUARTET Theatre-Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. MAUREEN McGOVERN and MEL TORME with the HERB POMEROY BIG BAND Koussevitzky Music Shed Sunday, August 30 at 4 :30 p.m. GARY BURTON AND EDDIE DANIELS Theatre-Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET WYNTON MARSALIS Koussevitzky Music Shed ARTISTS The Modern Jazz Quartet Gibbs in the Woody Herman Second Herd. The following year he rejoined the Gillespie band, eventually becoming a founding member of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Among the many compositions Mr. Jackson contributed to the group, "Bags' Groove" has become a classic. During the members' annual vacation from the MJQ, Milt Jack- son assembles various groups of musicians to record albums under his own name and to play occasional engagements. Recently he returned to his bebop roots for an album aptly entitled Be Bop. Bass player Percy Heath was born in Making a return Tanglewood appearance, Wilmington, North Carolina, and grew up the Modern Jazz Quartet has a unique in Philadelphia. As a youngster, he played musical vision that draws on American jazz the violin in the school orchestra. After and blues as well as on European music serving in the Air Force, he returned to tradition. Pianist and musical director John Philadelphia and studied at the Granoff Lewis has arranged almost all of the group's School of Music. At the same time, he 47 albums. Born in La Grange, Illinois, he played bass in the city's jazz clubs. In 1947 grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Mr. Heath went on tour with Howard where he developed two strong loves: an- McGhee's sextet, an affiliation that brought thropology and music. After graduating the young bass player to New York and to from the University of New Mexico in 1943, the First International Paris Jazz Festival a Mr. Lewis chose music as a career. In 1946 year later. After playing steadily at New he joined the Dizzy Gillespie big band. York's Birdland, Percy Heath joined the Three years later he began playing with the Dizzy Gillespie band, where he met the Charlie Parker-Miles Davis Quintet while other members of the soon-to-be Modern simultaneously earning his bachelor's and Jazz Quartet. During his association with master's degrees from the Manhattan Gillespie and in the early days of the MJQ, School of Music. In 1952, with Milt Jackson, Mr. Heath became the house bass player Percy Heath, and Kenny Clarke, he formed for both Prestige and Blue Note Records, the Modern Jazz Quartet. Throughout the recording almost 200 jazz albums. When years, he has composed, taught music at the MJQ went on hiatus between 1975 and Harvard University and City College of 1981, he organized a group, called the New York, and served until 1982 as musical Heath Brothers, with his brothers Jimmy director for the Monterey Jazz Festival. on saxophone and Albert on drums. Recently John Lewis has been serving as When Connie Kayjoined the Modern musical director on a part-time basis with Jazz Quartet in 1955, he had just spent the non-profit American Jazz Orchestra, three years with the legendary saxophonist composed of well-known jazz musicians Lester Young. Replacing Kenny Clarke on who donate their services to perpetuate drums, Mr. Kay became renowned for original big band arrangements. In this using triangles, bells, and other percussion capacity he recorded the album Ellington instruments to enhance the quartet's sound. Masterpieces for the East-West label, distrib- Born inTuckahoe, New York, Connie Kay uted by Atlantic. grew up in Manhattan. He first studied Long regarded as a true master of the piano and then taught himself the rudi- vibraharp, Milt Jackson is also one of the ments of drumming. He had his first profes- most original and innovative improvisers in sional engagement, with tenor saxophonist the annals ofjazz. Born in Detroit, he "Fats" Noel, while still a teenager. Soon studied guitar, piano, drums, timpani, after he worked with trumpeter Rex violin, and vibraharp as a youngster. In Stewart. In 1944 he became house drum- 1945 he began playing in Dizzy Gillespie's mer at Minton's, one of the birthplaces of big band. The first proponent of bebop to bebop, where he played with Charlie play vibraharp, Mr. Jackson became an Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, and early leader of modern jazz in the late Miles Davis. He also played in Cat Ander- 1940s. Following short stints with other son's band and went on to work with groups groups, in 1949 Milt Jackson replaced Terry led by Coleman Hawkins, Stan Getz, and , mmm, Charlie Parker. During these years, he he was honored by the Los Angeles County served as Atlantic Records' studio drummer Board of Supervisors and the L.A. County for a wide range of recordings, from jazz to Library as the 1992 Black History Month rock and roll. During the MJQ's hiatus, honoree and was presented with the Connie Kay worked as house drummer at County's Distinguished Service Medal in Eddie Condon's and toured with "Soprano recognition of his "outstanding contribu- Summit." For four years, he also worked tions to music and the entire Los Angeles with Benny Goodman. community." Also in February he was in- ducted into the Florida Artist Hall of Fame at the State Capitol in Tallahassee, as one "who has made a significant contribution to Ray Charles the arts in Florida, either as a native or as A national one who has adopted the state as home." IV treasure and an Last year 50 Years ofMusic Making—A Tribute international to Ray Charles was taped for airing on the phenomenon, Fox Television Network and a documentary Ray Charles was entitled Ray Charles: The Genius of Soul was born in Albany, produced for the "American Masters" series Georgia, into a on PBS. His series of commercials for Diet poor family. Pepsi, which debuted in 1990, continues to Having gradually earn praise. In 1990 he received his lost his sight as a eleventh Grammy, for his duet "I'll Be child, he was Good to You" with Chaka Khan, from accepted as a charity student at St. Augus- Quincy Jones's Back on the Block album, and tine's, the Florida state school for the deaf was awarded an honorary doctorate from and blind. He remained there until his the University of South Florida in Tampa. mother's death, developing his musical Ray Charles is making a return appearance gifts. Then he set out as a struggling profes- atTanglewood, having performed in the sional musician, ending up in Seattle, 1989 Jazz Weekend. where he became a minor celebrity in local clubs and formed the McSon Trio. From Seattle he went to Los Angeles to cut his Christopher Hollyday first professional recording. He toured with Lowell Fulsom's band, formed a group and ^^^^ Born in 1970, played with singer Ruth Brown, and per- Jk Bl Christopher formed at the Apollo. During these years Hollyday was he also formed his first band and had his raised in Nor- first big hit record, "I Got A Woman." By f wood, Massa- -^ ^^^^^ the early 1960s, he had made his Carnegie chusetts, the son Hall debut, had a string of hit records, and of Richard Holly- made his first triumphant European con- day, a salesman cert tour. He had taken virtually every form and avid bebop of popular music and broken through its listener. Chris- boundaries with such achievements as the topher began albums Genius Plus Soul Equals Jazz and playing saxophone at age nine and by Modern Sounds in Country &f Western. Along fourteen had not only learned most of the way Ray Charles was instrumental in Charlie Parker's solos by heart, but also the invention of rock and roll. To this day made his professional performance debut. he selects and produces his own recording A year later, in 1985, he recorded Treaty, his material with utter disregard for trends. first album as a leader on his own Jazzbeat Among the social causes he has supported label, followed in 1986 by Oh, Brother! are the civil rights movement (providing which featured his brother Richard on moral and financial support to the Rev. trumpet. By May 1988, Christopher Holly- Martin Luther King, Jr.) and the State of day recorded Reverence with Cedar Walton, Israel (he was named "Man of the Year" in Ron Carter, and Billy Higgins, and in July 1976 by the Beverly Hills Lodge of the of that year he headlined a weeklong en- B'nai Brith). Now recording exclusively for gagement at the Village Vanguard in Man- Warner Bros. Records, Ray Charles released hattan, becoming, at that time, the young- his first album on that label, Would You est leader to perform there. In 1989 Mr. Believe?, in September 1990. Recent years Hollyday made his major label debut on have brought unusual honors.