Tag: The Green Room

Crosstown Arts presents Modern Masters: Paul Carr with the Ted Ludwig Trio in The Green Room.

The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Doors at 7 pm | Show at 7:30 pm
$25 | $20 in advance ($10 student tickets at the door)

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

Paul Carr, a Houston native and 1985 Howard University graduate, has dedicated his professional career to performing and promoting jazz through education and community outreach. He carries on the Texas tenor tradition espoused by great heroes such as the late Houstonians Arnett Cobb and Don Wilkerson who served as his early idols and mentors. He grew up in inner-city Houston, Texas and was a member of the Kashmere High School Stage Band, whose director, the late Conrad Johnson, is the subject of a documentary, Thunder Soul, produced by actor Jamie Foxx. Though never having had private music lessons, Paul has received several outstanding musician awards at high school and college jazz festivals.

Paul has recorded 8 CD’s, which have been well received by critics and jazz fans alike. His new CD “The Real Jazz Whisperer” features Allyn Johnson, Michael Bowie, Lewis Nash and will be released September, 2020. His CD “DC-NYC Organ Sessions” reached #9 on the Jazz Week radio play charts. His CD released in 2013, “Standard Domain,” reached #3 on the Jazz Week radio play chart and stayed on the chart for 16 weeks. Paul has toured Russia, Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Central and South America and has shared the stage with many of the greatest names in jazz. Paul was a favorite of President Clinton during his term in office and Paul performed at many of the Clinton’s private events. He also did a special performance for the late King Hussein and Queen Noir of Jordan at their residence in Aqaba, Jordan.

Paul is passionately committed to the education of children and young adults, particularly as it relates to the preservation of jazz. In 2002, he founded the Jazz Academy of Music, which hosts summer camps and jazz ensembles for kids throughout the year. Paul also serves the Director of the Gettysburg College Jazz Ensemble. Paul has changed the lives of hundreds of his students by selflessly sharing his knowledge of music and life. Several of his students have been admitted and even received full scholarships to some of the top music schools and conservatories in the country. In fact, five of Paul students have been admitted to the prestigious Julliard School of Music in New York. Many of his former students are touring and performing all over the world, sharing the stage with some of the top names in jazz music today. Paul’s work was acknowledged in 2012 by ABC Channel 7 News when he was selected as a “Harris Hero” for his amazing work with music students across the area. In March 2014, Paul received the prestigious, Howard University, “Benny Golson Jazz Master Award”, for his outstanding work as a performer, presenter and educator. He also served as a panelist at the 2014 Congressional Black Caucus where he spoke on the importance of jazz education and advocated for a Bill that was circulating in Congress that to offer federal support toward the advancement and preservation of traditional Jazz. In March, 2015 Paul received the County Executive’s “Education Award” for Montgomery County Maryland. Finally, in 2019, Paul was selected as a “Jazz Hero” by the Jazz Journalist Association.

In 2010, Paul re-established the East Coast Jazz Festival as the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, and serves as its Executive and Artistic Director. The festival enjoys over 3,000 attendees that travel from states across the U.S. and beyond. Held every Presidents Day weekend in Rockville, MD, the festival incorporates a strong educational component, with a high school band competition and free master classes for students as well as an entertainment component with performances by NEA Jazz Masters, such as Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, Ellis Marsalis, Roy Haynes and Branford Marsalis, just to name of few.

In 2015, Paul presented his teaching technique for improvisation, “The Theoryless Approach to Jazz Improvisation”, at the JEN Conference in San Diego, to a standing room only audience. The presentation was well received by the audience with many questions and request for a copy of the presentation. Paul also present the techniques at the 2015 Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival to the high school band directors in attendance.

When you think of an ambassador for jazz music today, you have got to include Paul Carr in that grouping, as his work touches all fronts including jazz education, performance and presentation.

The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
Doors at 7 pm | Show at 7:30 pm
$25 | $20 in advance ($10 student tickets at the door)

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

An exceptional guitarist with a beautiful sound and great fluidity, a unique composer that blends Brazilian music, classical music, and jazz, Chico’s been nominated twice for the American Grammy Awards (in 2019 & 2020).

Born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, he started playing the guitar when he was 6 years old. At 14, he started working as a studio session guitarist and soon began to be called to collaborate with a wide range of artists in his hometown, then in Brazil, then abroad. In 2002 Chico put together a band of his own and started recording as a leader. His first album, ‘Meia Noite Meio Dia’ (Sony Music/ 2003), was released in 2003 with great reviews at all the most important newspapers and music magazines in Brazil and abroad and was included in the ‘Top 10 Brazilian albums of the year’ in the major newspapers of Brazil: ‘O Estado de São Paulo,’ ‘A Folha de São Paulo’ and ‘O Globo.’ This well-received debut included special guest vocalists Lenine, Ed Motta, Chico César, and Maria Rita.

His second release, ‘Chico Pinheiro’ (Biscoito Fino/ 2005), enjoyed great critical and audience acclaim, once more being included in the ‘Top 10 Brazilian albums of the year’ by newspapers’ O Estado,’ ‘O Globo’ and ‘Folha de São Paulo.’ The third album, NOVA, was released in Dec/ 2007 in collaboration with the American guitarist and composer Anthony Wilson. It was, again, celebrated by critics and the audience.

His fourth album, There’s a Storm Inside (CT Music Japan/ Sunnyside Records, NY, 2010), was released in 35 countries. It included guests such as Dianne Reeves and Bob Mintzer. It was featured on the downbeat, Revista Veja, O Estado de São Paulo, Folha de São Paulo, Jornal O GLOBO, and Revista Rolling Stone among the ‘best albums of the year.’ This record also won prizes as Best Brazilian Jazz Álbum of the year and Best Latin Jazz Composition of 2010 with ‘Mamulengo’ in the Latin Jazz Corner Association, USA. Chico also won as Best Latin Jazz Guitarist in the same association.

In 2012 he released the CD’ TRIZ’ in partnership with the pianist and composer André Mehmari and singer and composer Sergio Santos. Meanwhile, in the Downbeat Magazine Annual Critics Poll, Chico has been listed (three times) as “Rising Star – Guitar.” In 2017 Chico released “Varanda,” a unique collaboration project which all major papers and magazines in Brazil and abroad included as ‘best of the year’ again. His composition “Varanda” is performed by Vince Mendoza and the WDR Big Band on the Project “Focus on Brazil”, along with Milton Nascimento, Edu Lobo, Gilberto Gil, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Villa Lobos.

Today Chico is considered a leading figure in – and outside the Brazilian music scene, who has distinguished himself as a guitarist, composer, and arranger. Alongside with his main projects as leader, he also has collaborated with artists such as Placido Domingo, Brad Mehldau, Dave Grusin, Dianne Reeves, Kurt Elling, Danilo Pérez, Nnenna Freelon, Bob Mintzer, Herbie Hancock, Brian Blade (IJD), Ron Carter, Chris Potter, John Patitucci, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, The Israel Chamber Orchestra, The Bob Mintzer Big Band, The Paris Jazz Big Band, The Swiss Jazz Orchestra, The Danish Radio Big Band, The Seasons Guitar Quartet with Anthony Wilson, Julian Lage & Steve Cardenas, Esperanza Spalding, Joyce, Ivan Lins, Rosa Passos, Dori Caymmi, Danilo Caymmi, João Donato, Johnny Alf, Chico César, Ed Motta, César Camargo Mariano, Elza Soares, Luciana Souza, Monarco, Mark Turner, Tom Scott, Joe Lovano, Terri Lyne Carrington, Eddie Gomez, Gary Novak, Lee Ritenour, Abraham Laboriel, Paulinho da Costa, Sammy Figueroa, Cachaíto Lopez (Buena Vista Social Club), Roberto Fonseca, Ari Hoenig, Claudio Roditi, Duduka da Fonseca, Peter Erskine, Giovani Hidalgo, amongst others.