XRIJF Putting Tickets on Sale Early for Two Headliner Concerts - Jeff Beck to Play on Friday June 18, 2010 & Bernie Williams to Play on Thursday June 17, 2010
Nov 16, 2009
Rochester, NY November 16, 2009 The Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival will put tickets on sale early for two major headliner concerts in the Festivals 9th Edition Eastman Theatre Series, June 11-19, 2010.
Tickets go on sale Friday November 20th at 10 a.m. for Jeff Beck and Bernie Williams.
Williams, critically acclaimed guitarist/songwriter and famed NY Yankees star, will perform on Thursday June 17th. Jeff Beck, phenomenal guitarist, two-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and creator of two landmark jazz-fusion albums, will play on Friday June 18th. Both concerts will be at 8 p.m. at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.
Tickets may be purchased at rochesterjazz.com, Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 and all Ticketmaster locations and in person at the Auditorium Theater Box Office, 885 East Main Street Rochester, NY 14605. Tickets are $50 to $125 plus service charges. The service charge is only $1 per ticket at the Auditorium Theatre Box Office.
Its a thrill and a privilege for us to present these two musicians, who are both legends in very unique ways, said John Nugent, Producer and Artistic Director.
And this is the just second time in XRIJF history, since Woody Allens performance here in 2006, that advance tickets for headliner performances have been available before the lineup announcement in the spring, said Marc Iacona, Producer and Executive Director.
The Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival Club Pass is currently on sale and selling at record pace. Two additional Club Pass venues are being added in 2010.
About Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck grew up in Wallington, England. His mothers piano playing and the familys radio tuned to everything from dance to classical made sure Beck was surrounded by music from a young age.
For my parents, who lived through the war, music was a source of comfort to them. Life was tense and music helped them forget about their troubles. Im sure that made an impression on me, recalls Beck. I was really small when jazz broke through in England and I can still remember sneaking off to the living room to listen to it on the radiomuch to my parents disapproval.
Inspired by the music he heard, it wasnt long before Beck picked up a guitar and began playing around London. He briefly attended Wimbledons Art College before leaving to devote all of his time to music. Beck worked as a session player, with Screaming Lord Sutch - the British equivalent to Screaming Jay Hawkins - and the Tridents before he replaced Eric Clapton as the Yardbirds lead guitarist in 1965.
Beck left the band in 1967 and formed The Jeff Beck Group, which featured Rod Stewart on vocals and Ron Wood on bass. The band released two albums - Truth (1968) and Beck-Ola (1969) - that became musical touchstones for hard rockers in the years to come.
Stewart and Wood left to join the Faces and Beck disbanded the group until 1971 when he formed a new version of the band and recorded two albums - Rough and Ready (1971) and The Jeff Beck Group (1972). Beck again dissolved the group and formed a power trio with bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice, which released Beck, Bogert and Appice (1973).
Veering away from hard rock, Beck created two landmark two jazz-fusion albums - Blow By Blow (1975) and Wired (1976). The all-instrumental albums shattered peoples preconceptions of what a rock guitarist was supposed to sound like, were a critical and popular success and remain two of the top-selling guitar instrumental albums of all time. The live album, Jeff Beck with the Jan Hammer Group Live followed in 1977.
Music may have been one of Becks earliest passions but it has always shared space with a love of hot rods that began as soon as he could see over the dashboard. After the success Blow By Blow and Wired, Beck began devoting more time to his fleet of hot rods. I like the studio because its delicate; youre working for sound. I like the garage because chopping up lumps of steel is the exact opposite of delicate, explains Beck. The garage is a more dangerous place though. Ive never almost been crushed by a guitar, but I cant say the same about one of my Corvettes.
In the summer of 2004 Jeff Beck undertook his first UK tour since 1990. Fresh from the success of picking up his fourth Grammy award (for Plan B from the album Jeff), the groundbreaking guitarist delivered a set that reflected the eclectic musical mix that is his trademark. His shows at the Royal Albert Hall in London featured guests including Ronnie Wood, Imogen Heap and Nancy Sorrell.
As a warm-up to performing at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Festival in Chicago (July 2007), Jeff undertook a short tour of Europe including a headline slot at Montreux Jazz Festival and his favorite venue Les Nuits De La Guitare in Corsica.
New ground was broken by a week's residency at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club featuring the 2007 line-up of Vinnie Colaiuta, Jason Rebello and young bassist Tal Wilkenfeld. They were joined on the run by the likes of Joss Stone, Imogen Heap, old mates The Big Town Playboys and another long time pal, Eric Clapton. The phenomenal performances were recorded in high definition for DVD and Blu-Ray (a first ever for Jeff) entitled Jeff Beck: Performing This WeekLive At Ronnie Scotts, which is to be released in March 2009.
In November 2008 Jeff renewed his friendship with Harvey Goldsmith at the Classic Rock Awards where both were being presented with awards, and in December 2008 Jeff asked Harvey to manage him. In January 2009 Jeff embarked on a tour of Australia and New Zealand, the first there for over thirty years, where he received rave reviews with a lineup consisting of Jeff, Tal Wilkenfeld, Vinnie Colaiuta and David Sancious. This was followed by a sellout tour of Japan climaxing with two shows with his friend Eric Clapton and his band.
In April 2009 Jeff was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in his own right. This was followed by a tour in USA with Jason Rebello back on keyboards. In June and July 2009 Jeff will tour the UK and Europe together with three concerts in Canada. http://www.jeffbeck.com
About Bernie Williams
Recently nominated for a Latin Grammy Award, critically acclaimed guitarist/songwriter and famed NY Yankees star, Bernie Williams, is perhaps more recognized by baseball fans for playing all 16 years of his career for the New York Yankees, during which time, winning 4 World Series, 4 Golden Gloves, 5 American League Championships, the 1998 American League Batting Title, and holding an overall .308 batting average. However, Bernie Williams is now wowing fans and fellow artists in musical venues. Bernies first album, garnered critical acclaim and was featured on the Billboard Top 100.
Bernie signed a recording contract with Reform Records for his sophomore album Moving Forward was released April 14, 2009. The Puerto Rico native and five-time All Star is a classically-trained musician who developed his love for playing guitar alongside baseball, while listening to salsa, merengue and 80s rock. Moving Forward embraces those early influences, while also reflecting a unique mixture of classical and jazz guitar topped-off with additional Latin rhythms. It features performances by Dave Koz, Jon Secada and a live performance with Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa.
With the release of Moving Forward Williams is said to use his music as a way to communicate his emotions, particularly to those close to him. Almost all the songs on the CD are from my experiences, things with my wife, my son and my father, things like that, he says. I think its a very powerful form for me to express my feelings, more than I could express by words. Everyone that knows me knows I dont really talk that much.
You can also hear Bernies humorous, introspective, and loyal Puerto Rican side on other tracks. I grew up listening to salsa, thats the main rhythm we have. With all the musical influences I have, I wanted to make that tune more of a celebration or tribute to the way I see salsa. The title means The Salsa in Me, but it can also be interpreted as The Salsa in E the song is in the key of E, and its like do-re-mi, the musical note.
The Babe Ruth equivalent of the music world, Sir Paul McCartney, even enthusiastically endorses his musical flair. When I heard this CD, I was blown away by his talent, says the former Beatle. Go Bernie, its a home run!
Williams recent performances include the Latin Recording Academy 2008 Person of the Year Awards honoring Gloria Estefan, the 2008 Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards in New York City, and at the 2008 MLB All-Star Gala.
When I was in school I was more into the classical guys, he says. We listened to Bach and Mozart, Haydn, Scarlatti, Vivaldi. And a few years after I graduated from high school I picked up an electric guitar in New York and got hooked, astounded the way I could change the sound with pedals and all that. Then I got into the blues and started listening to Muddy Waters, the Kings B.B., Albert and them, Eric Clapton, Robben Ford. Then I was introduced to jazz by way of the blues, listening to the big guys, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker. As far as pure guitar people I listen to a lot, its been Robben Ford, Pat Metheney, George Benson, Alan Holdsworth, Mike Stern, Scott Henderson, people like that. Theyre not afraid to try different things. I always want to keep my mind challenged with the music I listen to. http://www.berniewilliams.com/
XRIJF is sponsored by Xerox, the City of Rochester, M&T Bank, the Democrat and Chronicle, Eastman School of Music, Rochester Plaza Hotel, Monroe County, The Community Foundation, 13WHAM TV, Brooklyn Brewery, Michelob, Spaten Beer, Visit Rochester, Mercury Print Productions, AirTran, Harris Interactive, DownBeat Magazine, Max of Eastman Place, SUNY College at Brockport, House of Guitars, and Presentation Source.
About XRIJF
The Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival presented by M&T Bank was founded in 2002 and is produced by John Nugent, Artistic Director and Marc Iacona, Executive Director. The 2009 Festival drew more than 133,000 music lovers to hear some of the finest artists in the world perform. Nugent, a noted tenor sax player, has traveled the world with many jazz artists including Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, Clark Terry, The Woody Herman Orchestra and The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Iacona, a Rochester native, business and community leader, avid trumpeter and supporter of the arts, is President of Simcona Electronics.
