INTERGENERATIONS: Randy Weston Trio with Special Guest Ayanda Clarke

December 12, 2010

BAC presents Brooklyn's legendary jazz pianist Randy Weston with his trio mates Alex Blake (string bass) and Neil Clarke (African percussion), with guest artists T.K. Blue (soprano sax), Billy Harper (tenor sax) and narrator Kim Weston Moran. As part of the Black Brooklyn Renaissance Intergenerations series, Mr. Weston has invited a special guest artist, percussionist Ayanda Clarke, son of Neil Clarke, to represent the next generation of Brooklyn jazz. Join Randy after the concert to celebrate the release of his autobiography, African Rhythms (Duke University Press, 2010) with a book signing.

$15 (includes museum admission)

BK Art Lovers get in FREE! Visit brooklynartscouncil.org/bkartlovers to join
Co-Presented by the Brooklyn Museum and BAC

ARTIST BIOS

Randy Weston has contributed six decades of musical direction and genius, and remains one of the world's foremost pianists and composers today, a true innovator and visionary. Encompassing the vast rhythmic heritage of Africa, his global creations musically continue to inform and inspire. Weston's first recording as a leader came in 1954 on Riverside Records' Cole Porter in a Modern Mood. His music in the 60's drew in prominent African elements, showcased in albums such as Uhuru Africa and Highlife: Music From the New African Nations. The 1990's witnessed a string of recordings on Verve Records that exhibited Weston's pioneering musical aspirations. Weston has garnered numerous awards, including an honorary Doctor of Music from Brooklyn College, tributes and residencies at New York University and Harvard, a Jazz Masters Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Arts Critics and Reviewers Association of Ghana's Black Music Star Award, The French Order Of Arts And Letters, and a five-night tribute at the Montreal Jazz Festival. He was named Composer of the Year three times by Down Beat Magazine, and in 2009, Weston was added to the ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame.

Ayanda Clarke is a second-generation African American percussionist accomplished in his own right. Over the past twenty years, he has had the opportunity to study with master musicians from around the world, and continues to research a wide range of percussion styles and traditions. As a student of African Diasporic percussion, Ayanda's research has included musical traditions of Guinea, Mali, Sengal, Ghana, Angola, Cuba, Brazil, the West Indies, and the African Americas. As a well-rounded percussionist, Ayanda takes pride in his ability to proficiently approach, participate, and contribute to the music of different genres. He has recorded with artists and groups including Abraham Adzenyah, The Amistad Project, and Palms Down among others. Television appearances include The Late Show with David Letterman with pop-artist Jewell and Good Morning America with Batoto Yetu. Ayanda seeks to always further his study of the percussive arts, and to continue the creative implementation of musical traditions.

Neil Clarke, born and raised in Brooklyn, has been a student of African and other percussion styles for more than forty years. In this time Neil Clarke has had many great opportunities to study, perform and collaborate with percussion masters worldwide. Neil Clarke's skill and artistry has taken him on numerous occasions to North, West and South Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, the South Pacific and the majority of the United States. Regardless of where or what the musical genre: folkloric, jazz, pop, rhythm and blues, gospel or classical orchestra Neil Clarke is equally at home. Neil Clarke also had the opportunity to perform in the Broadway production of Timbuktu and in the feature film Beat Street. Over the span of his career, Neil Clarke has made numerous television appearances on both network and cable presentations as well as being featured on recordings with many of the artists mentioned earlier.

T.K. Blue met the great pianist and composer Randy Weston during his stint with Abdullah Ibrahim. He began working with Mr. Weston in 1980; Randy Weston was living in France at that time. After moving to Paris in 1981, T.K. re-established his working relationship with Randy, and has since become his musical director. Since 1990, T.K. has worked constantly in a wide range of musical setting. He was musical director, arranger and composer with the Spirit of Life Ensemble at the world famous jazz club called Sweet Basil in NYC. He also formed a band with James Weidman called TaJa. TK Blue is currently an adjunct professor of jazz history at Montclair State University, and is the official fulltime professor and director of jazz studies at Long Island University-CW Post Campus.

View the event flyer Randy_Weston_Flier.pdf