'BLUENOISE' Hot Jazz July 4, 2009

Downtown Piano Works is pleased to welcome Bluenoise to our Local Artist Concert Series, for an evening of hot Jazz. Admission is free, but seating is limited. Please RSVP (301) 631-1234.

Ronnie Burrage the leader of Bluenoise, and currently teaching at PSU a class he created for the Department of Arts and Architecture and Integrative Arts called "World Closer", which observes world art forms through music, literature, dance and art towards building a Global community. Burrage’s style draws elements from hard bop, bebop, funk, and soul. His credits read like the Who’s Who of jazz, as he has toured and or recorded with many of greatest artist of our time, from Duke Ellington, Wayne shorter, Woody Shaw, McCoy Tyner, Archie Shepp, Joe Zawinul, Jackie Mclean, Bobby McFerrin, Pat Metheny, Julius Hemphill, Jaco Pastorius, Michael & Randy Brecker, The Mingus Dynasty / Epitaph / Big Band to many, many others. More recently, Ronnie’s efforts have been directed at the exploration of new modalities that blend different media and diverse influences from the numerous cultures that he’s experienced from over 30 years of performing around the world.

Eric Delentes eclectic violin style stems from a broad experience that includes extensive classical training from classical masters Jacques Israelievitch and Fredryk Sadowski towards orchestral performance and composition, and later turning to Jazz studies with John Blake, Harold Danko and Didier Lockwood. In addition to a successful film and video scoring career in NYC, he has recorded and performed extensively in the commercial domain with the rock superstar Lenny Kravitz, the European pop-diva Vanessa Paradis, and Hip-Hop masters, Daddy-O and Scotty Hard. Now a Frederick, MD resident, Eric recently joined Ronnie Burrage in creating Bluenoise, a musical collaboration that experiments with combinations from uncharted territories. Eric’s current primary instrument is a custom John Jordan seven string electric violin that traverses a range that goes well below a cello, up through the normal range of a violin.

The fusion of world rhythms and straight-ahead jazz make this Passionate performer an audience favorite all over the world. Benito Gonzalez is recognized as an exciting pianist and composer for his well-received debut album, “Starting Point” (Christian McBride, Antonio Sanchez,Rene McLean, Ron Blake) and as winner of the 2005 Great American Jazz Piano Competition. After two years touring with jazz master, Kenny Garrett, he added numerous festivals and international jazz club dates to his credit. Benito has shared the stage with Curtis Fuller, Pharaoh Sanders, Bobby Hutcherson, Christian McBride, Ignacio Berroa, Billy Hart, Al Foster, Roy Hargrove,Rene McLean, Steve Turre, Hamiet Bluiett, AntonioSanchez, T.K. Blue, Nicholas Payton, Jackie Mclean and Kenny Garrett. His multi-cultural talents have led to frequent recording dates; from American jazz masters to West African musicians to Latin bands.

Widely Considered one of the top bassists in jazz today, Essiet Essiet first received critical acclaim over a decade ago in Bobby Watson's group Horizon. Born in Nebraska to Nigerian parents, he began studying violin at age 10 and switched to bass viol at 14. As a child, he traveled widely with his family and that early exposure to many cultures, folk- ways, languages, and religions fostered his world view of strength through diversity. ”Some musicians are purists”, says Essiet, but I like to mix styles. Essiet was Art Blakeys last bassist, playing with him for 2 years and on 3 CDs. He has also performed with Freddie Hubbard, Cedar Walton, Benny Golson, and the Blue Note All-Stars, to name a few. Essiet also leads IBO, a Nigerian jazz project.