Garde Arts Center
Garde Arts Center |
Jean-Luc Ponty, Al DiMeola, and Stanley ClarkeJazz Legends Reunite at the GardeFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 17, 2007 (New London) Three jazz pioneers – guitarist Al DiMeola, the father of electric jazz violin, Jean-Luc Ponty, and bass legend Stanley Clarke – join forces as THE RITE OF STRINGS in a unique evening of acoustic jazz, at the Garde Arts Center Sunday, September 30, 2007, at 7:00 pm. Jul 17, 2007 10:27 AM - The concert is part of a new music initiative presented by the Garde with local music promoter, Kitchings Productions. Al DiMeola holds the most prestigious guitar awards (of any guitarist in the world) from the highest rated guitar poll in the world, Guitar Player Magazine. He has been known throughout the world for the past two and a half decades as one of the most prominent virtuosos in the contemporary instrumental jazz field. Jean-Luc Ponty is a pioneer and undisputed master of violin in both jazz and rock. Born in France of a family of classical musicians, the classical prodigy cut his first jazz album at 21 followed by the live album Violin Summit with Stephane Grappelli and Stuff Smith. In 1969 Frank Zappa collaborated on Ponty’s solo album King Kong, contributed to Elton John’s #1 hit album Honky Chateau, toured with Zappa’s Mothers of Invention, and performed and recorded in John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra. Ponty recorded 12 consecutive albums for Atlantic – all reached the Billboard Top 5 on the Jazz Charts. Upon graduating from the Philadelphia Academy of Music, the teenage Stanley Clarke arrived in New York City in 1971, where he played with famous bandleaders such as: Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson, Pharaoh Saunders, Gil Evans, Stan Getz, and a budding young pianist composer named Chick Corea, with whom he formed the seminal electric jazz/fusion band Return to Forever. RTF recorded eight albums, two of which were certified gold, and won a Grammy award.” He was Rolling Stone’s very first Jazzman of the Year, and bassist winner of Playboy’s Music Award for ten straight years. As a film composer, orchestrator, conductor and performer his hits include, Boys N the Hood, What’s Love Got to Do With It (the Tina Turner Story), Passenger 57, Higher Learning, Poetic Justice, The Five Heartbeats, Little Big League, and Romeo Must Die. THE RITE OF STRINGS trio had two previous tours and albums in 1995 and 2004. * * * * * * What: When: Sunday, September 30, 2007, 7:00 pm Where: Garde Arts Center, 325 State Street, New London, CT 06320 Ticket Prices: Orchestra: $48; Garde Circle: $60; Loge: $56; Balcony: $40. Box Office Phone: 860-444-7373, ext. 1 On-Line Sales: www.gardearts.org * * * The Garde Arts Center is Southeastern Connecticut’s non-profit center for the performing arts. The Garde owns and operates the historic Garde Theatre where it presents musicals, opera, orchestras, contemporary music, dance, and family events. The Garde produces the annual New London Film Festival, and provides after-school programs and matinee performances to more than 10,000 young people. Under the leadership of Steve Sigel, Executive Director, since 1988, the Garde has become a major catalyst for the cultural and economic revitalization of New London. # # |