Jazzmobile@55 Presents TAYLOR MADE at Flushing Town Hall

On Saturday, October 19, Flushing Town Hall and Jazzmobile, Inc. will presentTaylor Made to celebrate the renowned Dr. Billy Taylor and Jazzmobile@55, bringing established NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Owens, Winard Harper & Jeli Posse, other jazz greats and rising stars to the stage together for a hard-swinging concert.

Music Director Winard Harper and Jimmy Owens will present a group of world class musicians, including the Jeli Posse and vocalists Vanessa Rubin and Charenee Wade, with bassist, Chip Jackson who like Harper, was a member of the last "Billy Taylor Trio," to celebrate NEA Jazz Master Taylor and his living legacy,Jazzmobile, as it celebrates 55 years of presenting, preserving, promoting and propagating America's classical music, jazz, followed by a conversation with the artists. The music starts at 7:00 PM.

Jazzmobile, which was co-founded in 1964 by Daphne Arnstein and NEA Jazz Masters Dr. Billy Taylor and Jimmy Heath, isthe first U.S. non-profit arts and cultural organization with the mission to present, preserve, promote and propagate jazz music.

Since 1964, Jazzmobile has presented free, outdoor, mobile concerts in the summer, bringing jazz musicians to the five boroughs of New York City and beyond. These have included jazz icons like John Coltrane,Jimmy Heath, Dizzy Gillespie, Horace Silver, Sarah Vaughan, Pharoah Sanders, Monty Alexander, Albert Ayler, Mary Lou Williams, Archie Shepp, Cecil Taylor, Wynton Marsalis, and hundreds of other greats, including Wycliffe Gordon, Diane Reeves, Bobby Sanabria, and Akiko Tsuruga.

Among Jazzmobile's numerous awards and special citations are the Jazz Legacy Awardfrom the Congressional Black Caucus, the Award for Excellence from the National Jazz Museum in Harlem and the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, and the Conspicuous Service Awardfrom the New York State Council on the Arts.

You can watch Jazzmobile perform here.

"We are thrilled to welcome Jazzmobile and the return of Jimmy Owens to Flushing for an evening of celebration, of legacy, and of hard swinging jazz," says Ellen Kodadek, Executive and Artistic Director of Flushing Town Hall.

Robin Bell-Stevens, Jazzmobile's Director and Executive Producer stated, "We are looking forward to taking to the stage at the iconic Flushing Town Hall as we continue celebrating our 55thAnniversary. All of the artists have a connection to Billy and Jazzmobile and their performances will 'rock the house!'"

The concert will feature:

(click on name to visit website)

Winard Harper(music director, drums): A brilliant, talented drummer and former member of the Billy Taylor Trio, Winard Harper was encouraged to pursue music from an early age by his parents. At age 27, Winard Harper already played like a veteran, a virtuoso on the cymbals, as well as the drums and today is one of the hardest working drummers out there. He is also an established composer, educator and band leader touring nationally and internationally.

Jimmy Owens(trumpet, flugelhorn): A legendary NEA Jazz Master with over forty-five years of experience as a jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger, lecturer, and music education consultant, is a native New Yorker who played with Lionel Hampton, Hank Crawford, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Duke Ellington, and Billy Taylor among others. Today Jimmy also leads his own group performing in nightclubs, festivals and concert halls here and abroad.

Vanessa Rubin(vocalist): Revered as both a torchbearer and a storyteller, the jazz vocalist possesses a voice hailed for crystalline clarity, hearth-like warmth and playful lioness sass. The Cleveland native brings a wealth of diverse influences to her vocal performance from both the Trinidadian/Caribbean roots of her mother and traditional jazz by way of her Louisiana-born father. A highly regarded artist and educator, Vanessa has recorded and/or performed with Billy Taylor, Clark Terry, Pharoah Sanders, Wycliffe Gordon, and others; and performs with her own band at home and around the world.

Charenee Wade(vocalist) a national and international touring performer, is the first artist ever to enter two Thelonious Monk Vocal competitions. Known for expert vocal improvisational ability and her seriously swinging groove, Charenee Wade evokes a classic jazz sound akin to Betty Carter and Sarah Vaughan, two of her musical touchstones. Also, she served as a judge in Jazzmobile's vocal competition along with Dr. Billy Taylor and Grady Tate and as an educator, Wade is helping to train the next generation of jazz singers.

Flushing Town Hall will present Taylor Made by Jazzmobile@55 on Saturday, October 19 at 7:00 PM. The performance will be followed by a Q&A with the artists. Tickets are $20, $15 for members, $10 for students, and free for teens, and can be purchased atwww.flushingtownhall.orgor by calling (718) 463-7700 x222.

Once again, Flushing Town Hall is opening its doors to teenagers-for free. Under the "Teen Access Program," all 13- to 19-year-old teens (whether a member or not) will be welcomed to attend any performance for free. The program is designed to appeal to students and help foster a greater love for arts and culture.

Flushing Town Hall is accessible by car, bus, train and foot-located a short distance from the 7 train-at 137-35 Northern Blvd. in Flushing, Queens. Access for wheelchair users and individuals with limited mobility is available.