...to talk about Revive Music Group and the Harlem Evolution Series Jam Session. I mentioned some of the other things I've been involved in with Revive in my last blog; the Revive Da Live Big Band/Carefusion Jazz Fest 2010, and "The Revivalist" video feature on Okayplayer. In addition, my album release event in 2009 was booked & promoted by Meghan Stabile (CEO & co-founder of Revive Music Group). Meghan Stabile & Igmar Thomas started this weekly jam about 2 years ago, to create a session that showcased the best players on the scene & created a setting that encouraged creativity and improvisation across multiple genres of music. I've attended this session many, many times, and have had the pleasure of running the session a couple times (most recently with EJ Strickland, Curtis Lundy & Chris Rob), and consider it to be the best jam session in New York City. So I was surprised to see this announcement on Facebook today:
First i want to say, thank you to all of the musicians that come out on a weekly basis to Jam at Creole. This night has grown into something very special for our community of players and now to sustain the night and in order to keep this night going we have to start charging. Over the past year we have taken pride in keeping the event free for all .... however, it's killing the night... we don't want to be another live music event or jazz venue that fails and we also don't want to charge people $20 cover charges either - this night is a very special night - We have a community that supports this night and we need to keep it going so if that means spending a little change to see and play w/ some of the top musicians in the jazz scene today... then would hope all would understand why we have to charge now. Starting Feb. 1st - Cover charge is $5 for general public and $3 for musicians, every week.
Thank you for taking the time to read and see you tomorrow night !
~Meghan
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT SESSION! There aren't any other places or situations I know of where anyone can show up and see cats like Curtis Lundy, Marc Cary, Robert Glasper, Roy Hargrove, Nicholas Payton, Maurice Brown, Orrin Evans, Lawrence Fields, John Davis, Ben Williams, Burniss Travis, Joe Blaxx, etc. play for FREE, let alone sit in with them. And the beautiful thing about this session, whether you are in the audience or sitting in, is that the rhythm section is different every week, so you will not hear the same cats playing the same music every week (like most jam sessions in NYC). So first off, I want to give credit to & thank Meghan & Igmar, along with all the musicians in the RDL/Creole family that have made the Harlem Evolution Session such a great success- thank you for giving musicians a place to play (when everything else was whack) and for all the great music our ears have been blessed with. And secondly, I urge anyone reading this post who loves & appreciates truely great live music (of ANY genre) to come out to Creole and ENJOY what's happening there.
The Harlem Evolution Series Jam Session presented by Revive Music Group, every Tuesday, 9pm-12am at Creole, located at:
Welcome to the first official Chelsea Baratz music blog!
Welcome to my music blog. If you don't know anything about me, click here to read my full bio. I'm 24 years old, I'm from Pittsburgh, and I live in Brooklyn. I'm an independent artist & a Revivalist; a jazz musician in a hip-hop world. I've been living & working in New York for 5 years. I came here to attend the New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music in 2006 on a scholarship, and recorded my album In Faith (produced Maurice Brown), which I released in September 2009. Since I released the album, my life has been non-stop excitement. As you can see, 2010 was an amazing year, and 2011 is already gearing up to be even better.
Chelsea Baratz artist interview with Skopemag.com:
"Prepare yourself as Chelsea Baratz brings to you her invigorating style of Soul Jazz. This young virtuoso is partial to her trusty sax, but she also sings & produces, plays drums, clarinet, piano and flute. This multi-talented & multi-dimensional musician doesn’t just give you the same old jazz; Chelsea throws in elements of hip-hop, R&B, gospel, contemporary jazz, blues and be-bop swing. It’s nothing but good, old-fashioned Soul Jazz with a fresh twist baby and Chelsea Baratz delivers big time!"Click here to read the full interview at Skopemag.com
In Faith review by Brent Faulkner, "The New Voices of Today", TheUrbanMusicScene.com:
"It is always a ‘breath of fresh air’ to hear a young, new voice in jazz. This time, the new voice comes from über talented saxophonist and composer, Chelsea Baratz, who sounds like a seasoned veteran at the ripe ‘old’ age of twenty four. On her debut effort, In Faith, creativity runs rapid whether it be funk-oriented numbers or more cerebral, neo-traditionalist cuts. Regardless of what vein Chelsea Baratz’s consummate ‘restlessness’ treats her fans to, She easily proves herself as a worthwhile new talent in jazz and more generally, in the music business."Click here to read the full review at TheUrbanMusicScene.com
In Faith review/feature, "Music Up Close October 2010", Skopemag.com:
"I’m so excited about this next artist. I’d like you to meet Chelsea Baratz from New York City. She’s a rare commodity. She’s a risk-taking player and a creative composer. With an innovative ear, she produces a new kind of jazz, combining 1960’s soul, hard bop, with blues and gospel into something truly soul-felt."Click here to read the full review at Skopemag.com
In Faith review by Brad Walseth, JazzChicago.net:
"Saxophonist Chelsea Baratz takes her listeners into an urban groove setting with music and it is a pleasure hearing this talented young lady's hip musical direction.A musical disciple of Sean Jones and Branford Marsalis, Baratz is also an associate of young stars like trumpeters Corey Wilkes and Maurice "Mobetta" Brown and bassist extraordinaire Richie Goods - all of whom appear at times on her debut In Faith."Click here to read the full review at JazzChicago.net
In Faith review by saxophonist & producer Greg Osby:
"Chelsea Baratz plays with the spirit and conviction of someone who has lived a lifetime of change and discovery. She possesses a musical voice and sure-footed musical sensibility that is impossible to not be affected by. "In Faith" is a fitting announcement that Chelsea has arrived and is more than worth everyone's ears, time and attention."
In Faith review by jazz pianist Benny Green:
Chelsea Baratz has a beautifully pure and personal sound on tenor saxophone, and her writing is distinctly captivating in it's emotional directness and honesty. The soul evident in her playing and writing reflect an authentic awareness and respect for the musical
traditions which have already been set forth, as well as being in tune and enthusiastically passionate & genuine about all that is happening in the present moment of collective musical evolution in celebration of today and cultivation of tomorrow. Chelsea's music speaks from and to the heart with a depth that is undeniable. She is a musician with a lot to contribute, and with all her innate fluency and musical eloquence, she somehow manages to impart her message with an absence of self-glorifying display, but rather with a voice which is unmistakably pure of sound and vibrant in rhythm.
Highlights of 2010
Orrin Evans, Captain Black Big Band
Captain Black Big Band at Sullivan Hall,
Winter Jazz Fest 2011
Performing & recording with Orrin Evans' Captain Black Big Band was one of the biggest highlights of 2010. This is a group of the best young players in the Philly/NYC jazz scene, featuring pros like Frank Lacy, Todd Bashore, Wayne Escoffery, Tim Warfield, and Jaleel Shaw (just to name a few). Keep an eye out for the album (recorded live at Chris's Jazz Cafe in Philly & the Jazz Gallery in NYC), which will be coming out on Positone.
Chelsea Baratz soloing w/ Captain Black Big Band at Iridium Jazz Club in NYC
I also had the pleasure of performing with Orrin in Pittsburgh after his album "Faith In Action" (a tribute to Bobby Watson) was released, and got to join him in the studio to arrange for and play on his holiday album. I'm very happy to say that Orrin is one of the musicians featured on my album In Faith: Orrin is one of the most exciting & creative players/improvisors/composers/bandleaders on the jazz scene; if you haven't seen him perform or heard one of his albums, I urge you to check him out today! Click here to check out Orrin Evans' music on iTunes
The Maurice Brown Effect
Performing with the Maurice Brown Effect at
Sullivan Hall for Winter Jazz Fest 2011
One of the most exciting things I became involved in this past year was playing & traveling with the Maurice Brown Effect (Maurice Brown, Chris Rob, Solomon Dorsey, Joe Blaxx), performing music from Maurice's latest album, The Cycle of Love. With The Cycle of Love being featured on NPR & rated as one of the top jazz albums of 2010, it's been an exciting year for the Effect. If you don't have it yet, click here to download The Cycle of Love on iTunes.
The Pace Report: The Maurice Brown Effect (Live at the Jazz Standard 12/8/2010)
Carefusion Jazz Fest with the Revive Da Live Big Band ft. Talib Kweli, directed by Nicholas Payton
Performing with Talib Kweli &
the Revive Da Live Big Band at
Carefusion Jazz Fest 2010
One of the greatest experiences I've ever had was playing at the Carefusion Jazz Fest with the Revive Da Live Big Band at Le Poisson Rouge, sharing the stage with both Nicholas Payton & Talib Kweli, two masters of their craft & two of my favorite artists. Add to that the wonderful arrangements by Nicholas, Igmar Thomas & Raydar Ellis, the all-star line up of the band, and the Tap Messengers, merging the big band idiom with modern jazz, hip hop and dance.
Performing with Nicholas Payton at
Carefusion Jazz Fest 2010
The Pace Report: Revive Da Live Big Band ft. Talib Kweli & Nicholas Payton (Live at LPR)
CB3 performing in Philadelphia for
the 2010 Jazz Bridge Concert Series
Through working with Orrin Evans, I met some great Philadelphia-based musicians in 2010, and with two of Philly's best young players, I started my trio project, CB3 (featuring Jonathan Michel on bass and Khary Shaheed on drums). We've been performing in & around New York, Philly & Pittsburgh we're looking forward to recording a trio project.
CB3 live at Prospect Pond in Brooklyn 6/27/2010
Other performance highlights...
Performing with Chris Rob at the Blue Note
Performing with Greg Spero in Chicago
Rockin' the stage with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band at B.B. Kings in NYC
January 2011 Highlights Winter Jazz Fest 2011/APAP
This year, I hit the ground running with APAP and Winter Jazz Fest 2011 performing with Mobetta & Soul'd U Out (1/7 at Brooklyn Bowl & 1/9 at Sullivan Hall), the Captain Black Big Band (1/8 at Sullivan Hall) and the Maurice Brown Effect (1/8 at Sullivan Hall).
