Tuesday Jazz Project

Each term the Tuesday Jazz Project brings in several guest mentors who each lead one rehearsal and impart their wisdom to the TJP students. On Tuesday, January 12, 2010, we are absolutely thrilled to have Tony Dagradi -- saxophonist of the wildly popular New Orleans contemporary jazz group Astral Project and saxophone professor at Loyola School of Music in New Orleans -- as our guest mentor. Bring your parents, your friends, and your band directors to this TJP session -- it is not to be missed!

As a side note, Dagradi is performing at the Afterthought on Monday, January 11, as the headliner for the Monday Jazz Project along with TJP faculty member Dave Rogers on drums and Joe Vick on bass.

Tony Dagradi has always been leading the way to higher dimensions, whether as an educator at the renowned Loyola School of Music in New Orleans, or as the originator of the city's most revered contemporary jazz group, Astral Project. The saxophonist has always kept good company, whether with his compatriots in Astral Project, or the many fine musicians with whom he has played. Professor Longhair, Ellis Marsalis, James Booker, Dr. John, Johnny Adams, Larry Coryell, and Nat Adderley are just some of the artists that he has gigged with on alto and soprano sax. He is nothing if not versatile. For years, he toured with Carla Bley, and still sits in with the New Orleans Symphony.

But it is his work with Astral Project, a group he founded in 1978, for which he is best known. A student of Eastern religion, Dagradi named the group as part of his vision for music that would carry the artists and listeners alike out of the small self into the higher self. Many will attest to the success of Astral Project in facilitating an out-of-body experience. Comprised of Dagradi on saxophone, along with David Torkanowsky on piano, James Singleton on bass, Steve Masakowski on guitar, and Johnny Vidacovich on the bass, the ensemble is famous for its combination of cerebral riffs and street-music tapestries. The group's CDs Elevado and Voodoo Bop, with tunes like Masakowski's "Paladia" and Dagradi's composition "Protecting Circle," display the range and synergetic force of these musicians who are also all composers.

On Astral Project's 2002 effort, Big Shot, the vibrant piano of Torkanowsky is missing, as he left the group to explore other directions. But all members of the aggregation have always had other projects and commitments. The sound of the new CD is different, but just as compelling.

Dagradi formed his own group and in 1995 recorded a highly regarded CD, Live at the Columns: The Tony Dagradi Trio. The Columns is a venerable old hotel on St. Charles Avenue. Its intimate and elegant interior is the perfect setting for Dagradi's hot, but meditative sound, accompanied by fellow Astral Project colleagues Johnny Vidacovich and James Singleton.

Dagradi, in his incarnation as a university professor, has brought a lot of life to the jazz music educational scene in New Orleans. He started the Jazz Underground program at Loyola, where gifted musicians, including himself, pay homage to some of the greats, such as Thelonious Monk, Horace Silver, and John Coltrane. Or he may be found over at Snug Harbor, sitting in with Rick Margitza. But wherever one finds the talented saxman, you know he's going to take you to a higher level. ~ Bio written by Rose of Sharon Witmer, All Music Guide

Born and raised in Vilonia, Arkansas, Will Dougherty has been living, studying, and working in Memphis as a jazz pianist since 2005. He's joining the Tuesday Jazz Project for one Tuesday in December as our special guest!

We are thrilled to announce that pianist Lee Tomboulian will be the Tuesday Jazz Project's special guest on December 15, 2009! He will be joining TJP following his December 14 performance at The Afterthought as part of the Arkansas Jazz Heritage Foundation's Monday Jazz Project.

Mr. Tomboulian teaches jazz improvisation, jazz small group performance practice, and applied jazz piano. He has performed on piano, accordion, and keyboards with noted jazz artists Airto, Nat Adderley, Doc Cheatham, Larry Coryell, Jack DeJohnette, Herb Ellis, Eddie Harris, Marc Johnson, Sheila Jordan, Dick Oatts, Bucky Pizzarelli, Pharoah Sanders, and Steve Swallow. He was also a member of the world-famous University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band and is a founding member of the Brazilian and Uruguayan ensemble Circo.

Mr. Tomboulian earned his B.A. in composition with a minor in Theater Arts from the University of Arkansas, his M.M. in Jazz Studies (piano performance) at the University of North Texas, and studied privately with ECM giant Art Lande and Giorgio Della Terza at the Naropa Institute. He also studied African-American gospel music at St. Andrew Church of God in Christ in Texas.

Tomboulian previously served on the faculties at Texas Wesleyan University, Cedar Valley Community College, the University of Dallas, and North Central Texas College. He has also worked as an instructor at the University of Texas at Arlington Jazz Camp, the University of North Texas Jazz Combo Camp, and served as a UNT graduate teaching fellow for two years

Show your Facebook friends that you're passionate about jazz and care about keeping jazz alive for the next generation of musicians. Become a fan of the AJHF Tuesday Jazz Project on Facebook!

It's really fast and easy. Just log in to your Facebook account, search for "AJHF Tuesday Jazz Project" or click here to get to our page, then click on the "Become a Fan" link. That's it!

Please be sure to suggest our page to your Facebook friends, and tell your jazz-loving friends, any band directors or high school musicians you know about the Tuesday Jazz Project. We are grateful for your support and help in making this program a success, and for making a positive difference in the local jazz community.

Our young jazz musicians have worked hard over the last nine weeks studying jazz performance, practicing improvisation, and reading many jazz charts. Come listen to the students perform with Dave Rogers, Dave Williams and special guests as they play the tunes they've learned.

This will be the first jazz performance for several of our musicians. A couple of them had their first performance at the Afterthought last week during the Monday Jazz Jam session. 

Bring your family and jazz-loving friends to the concert and support the jazz community!