Modern Renaissance Digital Magazine by Vena Jefferson

MODERN R ENAISSANCE

Philadanco @ The Kimmel Vol. 1 DEC 2014 Center Dec 12-14 Philadelphia Bariq Cobbs Art Show @ Indigo Bleu Design and Cultural Center Dec 14

Robert Randolph & The Keeping You in the Flow FamilyBand feat Big Sam Art Music Dance Culture Lifestyle Williams @ The Ardmore Music Hall Dec 19

George Burton Featuring Nadjwa Parkins @ Chris' Jazz Cafe Dec 20 Lil John Roberts Wynton Marsalis & Lincoln Debut Relaease Center Jazz Orchestra @ The The Heartbeat Kimmel Center Dec 21

John Roberts Featuring Avery Sunshine @ World Cafe Live, Philadelphia Dec 22

Modern Renaissance Vol. 1 Dec 2014 All Rights Reserved 2014. VCJ Media MODERN Welcome to Modern Renaissance Digital RENAISSANCE Magazine for all things Vol. 1 DEC 2014 ARTS--CULTURE-JAZZ- DANCE-LIFESTYLE Stay tuned for special Philadelphia discounts, invites and exclusive offers to shows and events. SUBSCRIBE Vol 2 Jan 2015. for updates and Keeping You In discounts on The Flow shows and events Bariq Cobbs

LIL JOHN ROBERTS Art WITH AVERY SUNSHINE 01 THE HEARTBEAT Music

PHILADANCO CHRISTOPHER HUGGIN'S Culture RISKY BUSINESS 02 Dance JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA W/ WYNTON MARSALIS & CECILE MCLORIN SALVANT Lifestyle 03 BIG BAND HOLIDAY TOUR Now BARIQ COBBS SKETCH BOOK 04 Creative Director/Editor Vena Jefferson ROBERT RANDOLPH & THE FAMILY [email protected] BAND FEAT BIG SAM WILLIAMS vcjmedia.com 05 LICKETY SPLIT Twitter @venas_world Instagram GEORGE BURTON FEAT venasworld NADJWA PARKINS Facebook CHRISTMAS YULE LOG 06 modernrenaissancemag

Lil John Roberts brings his fiery brand of soul to his hometown of Philadelphia with his debut release, The Heartbeat, with special guest "I am the vocalist Avery Sunshine to World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., HEARTBEAT of Philadelphia,PA 215.222-1400. the music" www.philly.worldcafelive.com

Avery Sunshine

Lil' John Roberts professional accomplishments in the the heartbeat of the song! Lol It's a complete honor to be a music world seem almost Matrix-like based on the list of part of this historical tour. " mega-star artists he has played with over the past 20 years. After two years of study at Berklee School of Music in Playing with the likes of Michael Jackson, Prince, Janet Boston, Roberts landed a tour with Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Jackson, George Duke, George Benson, NeYo, Jill Scott Prince (Will Smith) and after several successful tours and Wynton Marsalis, Al Jarreau and most recently Stevie recordings he got the gig on Janet Jackson's world tour at Wonder on the historic Songs in the Key of Life Tour the age of 23. Roberts makes his home in Atlanta and is a 2014 definitely puts him in an elite class of musicians true modern renaissance artist. He says "I want people to destined to make his mark in American music history. understand that I am more than just a drummer, but a Roberts explains his life-changing experience working musician and producer trying to combine my talents to create and infuse different genres and cultures together. I with Stevie Wonder, "Touring with Stevie Wonder was like making worlds collide into unity. It's much bigger an experience I will NEVER forget. First of all, it's than music, it's universal language." He is constantly freakin genius Stevie Wonder!! That alone is mind pushing the envelope looking for new ways to create, boggling. To be able to interpret his music live is a special combine and transcend music. Who do you know that can treat for me, playing his drumming ideas, that HE actually play with a hip-hop group (Goodie Mob), play straight- played a lot of, and the music that he produced, especially ahead jazz ((Wynton Marsalis), then to India to play with a for this particular record is a masterpiece, like all of his master tabla player (Zakir Hussein)? other works. Some nights I got lost hearing him Who? Lil' John Roberts. singing in my in ear monitors and had "out of body" - Vena Jefferson experiences to the point where I forgot I was actually - playing with him and and almost stopped to listen! - Modern Renaissance Vol. 1 Dec 2014 All Rights Reserved Hahahaha! Yikes! You better keep playing John! You're 2014 Vena Jefferson/ VCJ MEDIA Modern Renaissance Mag Vol. 1

DEC PHILADANCO 12-14 DANCE @THE KIMMEL CENTER

Christopher L. Huggins has pulled no punches (or choreography, blending African American-based dance kicks) taking dance to new heights in his new work with ballet, jazz, and modern. Philadanco's repertoire "Risky Business" that promises to be a showdown of includes works by Talley Beatty, Ronald K. Brown, Donald some of the most dynamic movement makers in the Byrd, George Faison, and Gene Hill Sagan. city - Philadanco premiering Dec 12-14 @The Kimmel Center, Verizon Hall, 300 S. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19102. (215) 670-2300 www.kimmelcenter.org Last season proved to be A ground-breaking year for Philadanco and its founding Artistic Director Joan Myers Brown after winning two prestigious awards in one month with the honor of earning the National Endowment of the Arts, National Medal Award and in June, DanceUSA selected her as a 2013 honoree.

Philadanco has grown, since 1970, from a community arts organization based in West Philadelphia to a dance company celebrated throughout the world. Joan Myers Brown and her 17 dancers are famed for innovative

Modern Renaissance Vol. 1 Dec 2014 All Rights Reserved 2014. VCJ Media Info provided by company's' official website. Modern Renaissance Mag Vol. 1 JLCO WITH WYNTON MARSALIS & VOCALIST CECILE MCLORIN SALVANT JAZZ ORCHESTRA @THE KIMMEL CENTER

JLCO' Big Band Holiday Tour Swings tidings of expanded the vocabulary for jazz and Christmas & New Year's Joy to The Avenue of DEC created a vital body of work that places The Arts with famed trumpeter Wynton 21 him among the world’s finest musicians Marsalis and the and composers. sensational Cecile Cécile performs McLorin Salvant unique channeling Sarah, Billie interpretations of and Ella. Sunday, Dec unknown and 21st 8pm @The Kimmel scarcely recorded Center, Verizon Hall, 300 jazz and blues S. Broad St. compositions. She Philadelphia, PA focuses on a 19102. (215) 670-2300 theatrical portrayal www.kimmelcenter.org of the jazz standard Wynton Marsalis is an and composes internationally music and lyrics acclaimed musician, which she also composer, bandleader, sings in French, her educator and a leading native language as advocate of American well as in Spanish. culture. He is the world’s She enjoys first jazz artist to popularity in perform and compose Europe and in the across the full jazz United States, spectrum from its New performing in Orleans roots to bebop clubs, concert halls, to modern jazz. and festivals By creating and accompanied by performing an expansive renowned musicians range of brilliant new music for quartets to big like Wynton Marsalis, Jean-Francois Bonnel, bands, chamber music ensembles to symphony Rodney Whitaker, Archie Shepp, and Jonathan orchestras, tap dance to ballet, Wynton has Batiste. She is the voice of Chanel's "Chance" ad

BARIQ COBBS VISUAL ARTIST/WEARABLE ART DEC 14 thru @INDIGO BLEU DESIGN Jan 11 & CULTURAL CENTER

Sketch

Book, " The Evolution of Emotion Though MY PEN " U,S. Premier @Indigo Blue Design & Cultural Center. Sunday, Dec 14, 4pn-7pm 3911 Lancaster Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104. 215.300.1255

After a successful show in Rome showcasing his visual and wearable art , Philadelphia native Bariq Cobbs elevates the local art scene with his hip-hop infused style in the U.S. Premier of "Sketch Book". Inspired by artists such as Jean Basquiat, Andy Warhol and Jacob Lawrence, Bariq has been laying the foundation for his art legacy since the late 80's with his original design companies Tribe Vibe, Funky Root and Meezhan. Recently, his work was featured as part of The Unflinching Eye: Works of The Tiberino Family Circle at the African American Museum in Philadelphia. - Vena Jefferson Modern Renaissance Vol. 1 Dec 2014 All Rights Reserved 2014. VCJ Media ROBERT RANDOLPH Modern Renaissance Mag Vol. 1 & THE FAMILY BAND WITH DEC BIG SAM WILLIAMS 19 ROCK, FUNK AND SOUL BAND @THE ARDMORE MUSIC HALL

New Jersey Native, Robert Randolph treats us to a crash course on the Sacred Steel on his fourth coming CD "Lickety Split"- an eclectic mis of Rock, Jazz and R&B that promises to keep you out of your seats. Friday, Dec 19, 9pm @ The Ardmore Music Hall, 23 E. Lancaster Ave, Ardmore, PA. 19003. 610.649.8389 www.ardmoremusic.com The new album showcases the unique chemistry of the Family Band—comprised of the guitarist’s actual family members Marcus Randolph, Danyel Morgan, and Lenesha Randolph, together with guitarist Brett Haas. The eleven original compositions, plus a stomping cover of “Love Rollercoaster” by the Ohio Players, were produced by Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Danyel Morgan, Marcus Randolph, Tommy Sims, Drew Ramsey, and Shannon Sanders; engineered by the legendary Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin); and feature special guest appearances from Trombone Shorty and Carlos Santana

“My thing is really upbeat, uptempo, with great guitar riffs,” says Randolph, summarizing his musical ambitions, “but also catchy choruses and lyrics that someday will make this music into classic tunes.”

“Robert Randolph is an American Original,” says Don Was, President of Randolph’s new label, Blue Note Records. “He has mastered what is, arguably, the most complex instrument in the world and developed a unique voice that is equal parts street- corner church and Bonnaroo. This album finally captures the energy and excitement of his legendary live performances.”

Modern Renaissance Vol. 1 Dec 2014 All Rights Reserved 2014. VCJ Media Info provided by artist's official bio. Modern Renaissance Mag Vol. 1 GEORGE BURTON FEAT VOCALIST NAJWA PARKINS DEC PIANIST, COMPOSER 20 @CHRIS' JAZZ CAFE

Deck the Center City halls with the sounds of Jazz & Strings for the holiday with George Burton's Christmas Yule Log. A genre-defying rhythm section complemented by a string trio featuring the virtuosic violinist Diane Monroe and the vocal stylings of Najwa Parkins. A Swingin' Christmas to remember. Sat, Dec 20th-Two shows-8pm & 10pm @ Chris' Jazz Cafe, 1421 Samson St., Philadelphia 19110. 215.568.3131 www.chrisjazzcafe.com

This is the 3rd installment of the "Christmas Yule Log" and each one garners its own unique character. This year features vocalist Najwa Parkins and violinist Diane Monroe. As George explains, “I've always thought holiday music was much bigger than how we are used to Najwa Parkins hearing it. I have heard so many versions of holiday music that makes it commercial-- losing the depth and feeling of the music itself and consequently, the feeling of the holidays themselves. It's a time when families get together not make it a 'jazz' project. With innovative original arrangements of holiday standards such as "Christmas Time is Here," "The Holly and the Ivy," and a hip take on "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy"," the group combines the best of holiday spirit with nostalgia, while also invigorating with swing and groove. Burton has worked with renowned artists as: Odean Pope, Jeff “Tain” Watts, the late Michael Brecker, Eddie Henderson, Me'Shell NdegeOchello, Walter Blanding, Joe Lovano and Wallace Roney. - Vena Jefferson

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