Hugh Masekela Departs Royal Conservatory's 'Jazz Epistles' Concert Due to Illness

The Royal Conservatory of Music regrets to announce that, unfortunately, Hugh Masekela will be unable to join Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya for the Jazz Epistles concert at Koerner Hall on Saturday, April 21, 2018 due to complications from prostate cancer.

The Conservatory sends Hugh Masekela best wishes and hopes he is able to rehabilitate from this condition. Freddie Hendrix will be assuming the trumpet chair in place of Mr. Masekela for this concert.

The concert billing has now changed to Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya and special guest Freddie Hendrix in tribute to The Jazz Epistles. The evening will feature new arrangements of Jazz Epistles original compositions, including "Blues for Huey," "Scullery Department," "Carols Drive," "Vary - oo - Vum," "Dollars Moods," "Gafsa," and "Uku Janga Phambili," woven in a beautiful concert program with Abdullah Ibrahim's classic catalogue.

Over the past two decades, Freddie Hendrix has become one of the most in demand trumpeters in jazz and beyond. Also an accomplished composer, arranger, and educator, the Teaneck, New Jersey native's skill and versatility has resulted work with a wide array of performers such as the Count Basie Orchestra, the Christian McBride Big Band, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Alicia Keys.

In other news, the singer/songwriters for the upcoming SongBird North concert on Saturday, December 2, 2017, with Blair Packham, have been confirmed as follows: Keysha Freshh, the talented Toronto hip hop artist and songwriter, and the youngest Canadian female artist to have three songs in 12 months on the airwaves, who is also part of an all-female rap group, The Sorority; film composer, songwriter, founding member of Blue Rodeo, and a five-time Juno Award winner Bob Wiseman, who also discovered and/or produced many artists such as Ron Sexsmith; and Patrick Ballantyne, NOW magazine's Best Songwriter of 2014, whose style is informed by classic Detroit radio and whose songs seamlessly combine British rock and roll with country soul.SongBird North concert series presented in partnership with the Songwriters Association of Canada (S.A.C.)

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IF YOU GO:

SongBird North #1

Saturday, December 2, 2017 at 8pm | Temerty Theatre; $35

Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya
and special guest Freddie Hendrix in tribute to The Jazz Epistles

Saturday, April 21, at 2018 at 8pm | Koerner Hall; $45-$100

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Tickets and subscriptions are available online at www.rcmusic.com/performance, by calling 416.408.0208, or in person at the Weston Family Box Office.

Become a Royal Subscriber: select any 4-6 concerts and save 10%; select any 7+ concerts and save 15%; both levels receive special subscriber benefits,

A limited number of $15 BMO Rush Tickets are available starting 90 minutes before all performances presented by The Royal Conservatory.

Tickets to free concerts become available seven days prior to the date of the performance through the Weston Family Box Office.

All concerts take place at The Royal Conservatory of Music TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning, 273 Bloor Street West, Toronto.

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