October 10

Festival Opener

Danilo Perez Trio

Asylum Hill Congregational Church

814 Asylum Avenue

Hartford, CT

(860) 525-5696

Pianist and composer Danilo Pérez has made an indelible mark on contemporary jazz as a leader of his own ensembles, and as a member of the new Wayne Shorter Quintet and other acclaimed jazz groups. Notable for his insightful and innovative treatments of the standard jazz repertoire and as a leading exponent of Pan-American jazz music, Danilo is a shining beacon among the current generation of jazz and Latin jazz musicians. He has earned three Grammy® nominations, numerous awards, and critical acclaim for his recorded works and passionate live performances.

This extraordinary Panamanian pianist and composer is among the most influential and dynamic musicians of our time. In just over a decade, his distinctive blend of Pan-American jazz (covering the music of the Americas, folkloric and world music) has attracted critical acclaim and loyal audiences. Danilo’s abundant talents and joyous enthusiasm make his concerts both memorable and inspiring. Whether leading his own ensembles or touring with renowned jazz masters, Danilo is making a decidedly fresh imprint on contemporary music, guided, as always, by his love for jazz.

“… but there are still amazing musicians – like Danilo Perez, who plays piano with Wayne Shorter’s quartet. He is not afraid of anything.”

--- Herbie Hancock ---

"There's nobody like Danilo. What I especially like is his sense of rhythm, color and form. He's studied, he's open, he's flexible, generous and sweet. This guy's got everything, all the qualities are there."

--- Steve Lacy ---

"Danilo Pérez has all of the attributes of a performer, conductor, impresario, and purveyor of musical expression greatly needed in these uncertain times. His effort to bring to the world a beacon of hope and inspiration … is a prime example of confidence in a future laden with cornucopian gifts for all humanity."

--- Wayne Shorter ---

October 10

Badal Roy's Full Moon Quartet with Special Guests

Sweet Jane's

88 Pratt Street

Downtown Hartford

(860) 882-6754

Badal Roy - Tablas
Kenny Wessel - Guitar
Steve Gorn - Bamboo Flute
Daniel Moreno - Percussion

Special Guests:
Dave Liebman - Sax
Michael Henderson - Bass

Badal Roy is one of the world's leading tabla players. Although his musical roots reflect the influence of Indian classical music, Badal has taken the Indian hand drum from its traditional role and placed it in the realm of jazz and improvisational music. In addition to recording with John McLaughlin and Miles Davis, "Sweet Hands", as he is called, has performed with such stellar jazz and world music players as Herbie Mann, Dave Liebman, Don Cherry, Pharoah Sanders, Dizzy Gillespie, Lonnie Liston Smith, Andreas Vollenweider and Yoko Ono. Since 1988, Badal has been a member of Ornette Coleman's Prime Time band. A native of Pakistan, Badal emigrated to the United States in 1968, to seek his fortune as a musician. Arriving in New York with eight dollars and his tablas, he quickly attracted attention with his virtuosic playing. Although he was working as a busboy and waiter at an Indian restaurant, he caused a sensation when he began performing for customers. Miles Davis heard about him and stopped in one night. The jazz superstar liked what he heard and began to spread the word about the tabla player with a free-flowing style. A call from guitarist John McLaughlin came shortly thereafter. McLaughlin invited Badal to record with him and later he got an invitation from Miles Davis to also join him in a recording session. For a non-traditional jazz musician, Badal has remained busy performing with some of the jazz worlds best since those days. On October 10, Badal Roy brings his Full Moon Quartet to Sweet Jane's with very special guests and former Miles Davis band-mates, Dave Liebman and Michael Henderson.

October 10

One For All

Black-Eyed Sally's

350 Asylum Street

Downtown Hartford

(860) 278-7427

This New York City based band is comprised of six talented and successful musicians who with their own individual bands have the ability to fill jazz clubs and concert halls. Put them together and they are a powerhouse sextet made up of Eric Alexander/Tenor Sax, Steve Davis/Trombone, Jim Rotondi/Trumpet & Fluglehorn, David Hazeltine/Piano, Peter Washington/Bass and Joe Farnsworth/Drums. Having released 11 CD's collectively, they have individually been sidemen to jazz greats Lionel Hampton, Art Blakey, Chick Corea, Ray Charles, Louis Hayes, George Coleman, Benny Golson, Chet Baker, Freddie Hubbard, Elvin Jones, Jackie McLean, Tommy Flanagan, Kenny Barron, and Cecil Payne, among others. Having achieved exceptional musicianship individually,each member of this jazz sextet possesses his own singular style. Together they have created a rare, unique sound that has become the signature of ONE FOR ALL.

October 11

Eri Yamamoto Trio

Wadsworth Atheneum Aetna Theater

600 Main Street

Downtown Hartford

(860) 278-2670

In 1995, Eri Yamamoto visited New York for the first time, and by chance heard Tommy Flanagan performing. It was her first experience of a jazz piano trio, and she was so inspired that she decided on the spot that she would move to New York City and dedicate herself to this music. Later that year, Eri entered the New School University’s prestigious jazz program, where she studied with Junior Mance, LeeAnn Ledgerwood, and Reggie Workman. While still in school, she played many gigs around New York and in 1999 she started playing regularly at the Avenue B Social Club, a popular spot among jazz musicians in the East Village. There she developed a musical friendship with fellow pianist Matthew Shipp. Since 2000, the Eri Yamamoto Trio with bassist David Ambrosio and drummer Ikuo Takeuchi has been performing on Thursday's, Friday's and Saturday's at Arthur’s Tavern, a historic jazz club in New York’s Greenwich Village. The Trio has also appeared at several international festivals and concert halls, including Cheltenham, UK; Cardiff, Wales, and throughout her native Japan. Eri appeared as a featured soloist at the Jazz on Rafale concert series in Montreal and as a member of William Parker’s Sextet at the Roccella Jazz Festival in Italy. In 2006, she performed solo as part of the Hartford International Jazz Festival at the Hartford Downtown Library. October 11 marks the debut of the Eri Yamamoto Trio in Hartford.

"It almost sounds like she had no jazz training before she came here (New York) four years ago. How is that possible? Wow! I don’t know how anyone could get to this level in such a short period of time, but my hat’s off to her. It certainly took me longer than that. This is her tune, so that means that she can write, too. This is just the beginning and already she’s found her own voice".

--- Herbie Hancock ---

“As the denizens of Arthur’s Tavern in Greenwich Village undoubtedly know, pianist Eri Yamamoto is one of jazz’s most dynamic new talents. Her compositional style augments her deft, inventive playing.”

--- All About Jazz New York ---

October 11

Middle Eastern Magic
The Russell
103 Pratt Street (Pratt & Trumbull St)
Downtown Hartford
(860) 727-4014

The ever-popular music and dance ensemble Middle Eastern Magic returns for an eagerly awaited encore performance at one of downtown Hartford’s favorite restaurants, The Russell. Layla Isis and Sira, former members of the world renown Belly Dance Superstars, will capture the ancient art and sensual rhythms of belly dance with a mesmerizing performance. They will be accompanied by the Dick Barsamian Trio from New York City. Dick Barsamian/oud & vocals, Fred Elias/violin and Michael Gregian/percussion. Join us for an afternoon of traditional Arabic, Armenian, and Turkish music.

Free Concert

October 11 at 3:00 to 4:00 PM

Chris Bakriges Trio

Hartford Public Library
500 Main Street
Downtown Hartford
860-695-6300

Chris Bakriges combines jazz, Mediterranean elements derived from his Greek heritage, and the rich African - American cultural milieu in which he grew up, into a unique form of musical storytelling. He draws his compositional inspiration from art (the interplay of color and form in relation to sound), diverse multi-ethnic cultural expressions, and his own spiritual journey. His improvisations blend jazz, world music and creative storytelling into an inspiring mosaic. In their adventurous jazz, his ensembles often sends listeners on a musical journey transcending time and place. Bakriges creates his musical landscapes in a decidedly rich cultural matrix. His group's collective musical dialogue can skillfully cool down and heat up the music at a moment's notice. Chris’ music doesn’t copy traditional musical styles, but rather explores new, distinctive approaches. His background in world music as well as his own Greek cultural heritage lends a decidedly Mediterranean flavor to his work.

October 11

Armando Cairo

Sweet Jane's

88 Pratt Street

Downtown Hartford

(860) 882-6754

Armando Cairo - Tenor Sax
Johnny Tevreden - Bass
Clarence Becton - Drums

Armando Cairo, is a tenor saxophonist and artist from the Netherlands. He has a raw, large sound when he plays his horn and he sounds like Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins but most of all; like Armando Cairo. His compositions are influenced by the tradition of the all-time tenor saxophone heroes, yet are fundamentally enhanced by the spirit of the present.

Twenty years ago, Armando began playing tenor-saxophone because he loved jazz and to chase away his loneliness. He shares this characteristic with the great saxophonist, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. Thanks to his earthy and unusually skillful playing, the self-taught Cairo leaves countless school-trained saxophonists far behind. Armando Cairo does not imitate nor copy the old, great prototypical saxophone players, rather, he just understands them.

"One of Cairo's capital hallmarks is his big, billowing tone, in the tradition of such rococo soundmeisters as Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster. His solos light up with the bold, open-ended looseness and highly charged qualities of Bennie Wallace."

- Owen McNally -
Hartford Courant "Riffs"

October 11

Leslie Helpert with Special Guests

Black-Eyed Sally's

350 Asylum Street

Downtown Hartford

(860) 278-7427

Leslie Helpert is a radical and profuse songwriter with over 1000 pieces of composition to her credit. Primarily self-taught on piano, guitar and voice, she spent her academic years at The Berklee College of Music in jazz-luscious Boston, MA. Her music has been featured in Sun Dance Film Festivals, licensed to eco-conscious design companies, on ASCAP's Podcast and record tracks released by Universal/Motown records. Leslie is an adept spoken word poet, dancer, beat-boxer and novelist. She has a keen interest in American jazz music and has sung tributes internationally to legends such as Chet Baker, Tiny Grimes (Charlie Parker's cohort), Nina Simone, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. Leslie Helpert is able to pick up a mic and hold a room at a standstill in improvisation over a full band as well as play utterly intricate and captivating self-composed pieces on her guitar. She is her own jazz outfit, punk-southern solo belle, sticky-pop princess, retro-mc and more. We are extremely honored to present this multi-talented artist as part of our 2008 Hartford International Jazz Festival.

October 12

Sunday Jazz Brunch

ÁguaMarinha Trio

The Russell

103 Pratt Street

Downtown Hartford

(860) 727-4014

This unique ensemble brings together three of the finest Brazilian musicians around today. Nailor Proveta on saxophone and clarinet is the leader of the acclaimed, two time Grammy-nominated "Banda Mantiqueira". Multi-instrumentalist and composer, Arismar do Espirito Santo, was voted "One of the best guitar players in Brazil" by Guitar Player Magazine. Percussionist, Rogerio Boccato was featured on Kenny Garrett's 2006 Grammy-nominated album and is also a visiting professor in the jazz department of The Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford. Together, Proveta, Arismar and Rogerio play music rooted in the "Choro", a traditional Brazilian style that originated at the end of the 19th century. With lots of space for creativity and improvisation, the trio's modern take on choro is loose and open, surprising and full of unusual twists and turns and yet the music never loses the infectious groove. They are a unique and exciting direction in jazz and world music.

October 12

Festival Finale

Wallace Roney

City Steam Brewery

942 Main Street

Downtown Hartford

(860) 525-1600

Wallace Roney – Trumpet
Antoine Roney – Saxophones & Bass Clarinet
Rashaan Carter – Bass
Aruan Ortiz – Keyboards
Kush Abadey – Drums

Trumpeter, composer and bandleader Wallace Roney is one of the most exciting and innovative musicians on the creative music scene. His consummate artistry and eagerness to explore and transcend musical boundaries has led him to collaborate with such diverse musicians as Art Blakey, Miles Davis, Carole King, Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Prince, Herbie Hancock and Joni Mitchell, among numerous others. Praised by Time Magazine for his "amber tone and patient and considered phrasing," Wallace Roney has recorded over a dozen albums as a leader. Each recording illuminates the dynamic trumpeter's keen compositional chops and versatility as a bandleader and composer. It is rare to find a musician who can superbly execute and breathe new life into such juxtaposed musicians as Miles Davis, Kenny Dorham, Al Green, and Slick Rick. The Wallace Roney Quintet closes out the 7th Hartford International Jazz Festival with a "not to be missed" performance at City Steam Brewery on October 12. The HIJF's Festival Finale is always a sell out. Advance purchases are highly recommended.