Press Releases
"Jazz Bridges Kazakhstan" Concert November 8, 2006, 18:30 Presidential Cultural Center
November 03, 2006
ExxonMobil and the U.S. Embassy, together with the American NGO "American Voices" and the youth NGO "Astana Student Union," will present a gala jazz concert in Astana at the Presidential Cultural Center on November 8, 2006 at 6:30 pm. The concert is free and open to the public.
Entitled "Jazz Bridges Kazakhstan," the concert will feature the internationally renowned "American Voices" artists Deborah Brown and Mike Del Ferro. Brown and Del Ferro will perform "The American Songbook" jazz standards in the first half and in the second half will perform "Jazz Bridges," which are jazz renditions of Kazakh traditional music. "Jazz Bridges" will feature an ensemble of four musicians under the leadership of the world famous Dombra player, Alkuat Kazakhbayev.
Deborah Brown’s musical talents have propelled her from coast to coast in the U.S., eventually leading her to Japan, Indonesia and the Far East, culminating in a 12-year residency in Europe. Performing in concerts, jazz festivals, on television and radio soundstages, Deborah has made a name for herself with appearances in more than 50 countries around the world. Deborah has performed with trumpet star Clark Terry, Horace Parlan, Red Mitchell drum wizard Ed Thigpen, "Toots" Thielemans, Roy Hargrove and many, many others. Brown's website - http://www.americanvoices.org/artists/jazzblues/deborahbrown
Mike Del Ferro is one of the leading young American jazz artists of today. His reputation as a soloist, composer and arranger has led to performances in major venues around the world with jazz legends such as Toots Thielemans, Richard Galliano, Jack DeJohnette, Billy Cobham and Scott Hamilton. Del Ferro's website: http://www.americanvoices.org/artists/jazzblues/mikedelferro.
Other community oriented events of the project are a jazz workshop at the National Academy of Music on Monday November 6 at 12:30. Deborah Brown will lead a jazz workshop for vocalists and Del Ferro will lead a jazz workshop for young professional jazz musicians.
This concert is made possible by the generous support of ExxonMobil and additional support provided by the U.S. Embassy in Astana.
For more information please call Cultural Affairs Officer Inga Litvinsky, U.S. Embassy, 3172-702-316.
For more information about American Voices and the artists, please visit their websites: www.americanvoices.org and www.americanvoices.org/artists/jazzblues