Music is on the Fall Menu in Downtown Tulsa
By CHUCK CISSEL
CEO, Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame
OLIVIA DUHON & DEVRE JACKSON
Courtesy Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame
Now that August has rolled around and the kids are back in school, it’s time to look forward to a history-making Autumn season in Green Country. It looks as though September and October of 2008 will be the moment in time when downtown Tulsa begins the journey of getting its swagger back.
With the Jazz Hall of Fame celebrating its one-year anniversary in the new Jazz Depot, and the opening of the new BOK Arena with concerts galore on tap, things are looking up for downtown Tulsa. There are also new eateries on the menu and many businesses are setting up shop in the heart of the city. In the near future, the Brady District will also get a face-lift with new projects. There will be new halls of fame, museums, restaurants and KOTV Channel 6 will begin construction soon in the area on their new Griffin Communications Media Center. It’s about time. Tulsa’s downtown deserves to be alive again, filled with cool people and good energy. Everywhere I go, people are talking about downtown Tulsa coming back. Now that’s good news!
As we gather our sweaters, corduroys and jackets for the Fall season, concerts will be on the menu at the Jazz Depot. On Sunday, Sept. 14, the Jazz Hall of Fame begins a new Autumn season of concerts, with the stunning songstress and TU grad, hot new jazz vocalist Ms. Olivia Duhon. Accompanying Ms. Duhon is Tulsa’s own legendary pianist, Sonny Gray, with TU grad George Toumayan on drums and Vernon Howard on bass. Mr. Howard is the professor of jazz studies and musical director of TU’s Big Jazz Band One, and he has been an outstanding jazz educator and certainly responsible for mentoring, educating and presenting a number top-notch jazz musicians here in Tulsa. Some of these stellar jazz musicians include bassist Ed Garcia, Jr. (Mezclave), trumpet player/vocalist Jeff Shadley, trombonist Steve Ham (Jambalaya Jass Band), trumpeter Mike Bennett, trombonist Rich Fisher, the late saxophonist Bill Brown, librarian for Tulsa Signature Symphony, Tulsa Ballet and Tulsa Symphony Orchestra Ed Morse, trumpet player David Moore, bassist Nigel Frye and many other jazz professionals and educators. National artists touched by Vernon’s musical gifts are multiple Grammy-award winner Norah Jones and trumpet master Byron Stripling. Drummers Russell Grant, Wade Robertson and Russ McKinnon, who was the drummer for Tower of Power, were also under his musical leadership. Trombonist Matt Leland and pianist/composer/ arranger Brian Haas of Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey are two other alumni. Congrats to Vernon Howard for making all of us proud of his significant contributions to the fabric of music in our community. Howard is also a board member of the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame.
“Autumn Jazz at the Depot”
(All sessions begin at 5 p.m. in the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, 111 E. 1st St. in downtown Tulsa.)
September 14 – Songstress –
Ms. Olivia Duhon
Ms. Duhon is a TU grad and hot new jazz vocalist with trio, Sonny Gray, Vernon Howard and George Toumayan.
September 21 – Two Gents of Song – Jason De Long and Devre Jackson
Two of the Jazz Hall’s favorites, Mr. De Long and Mr. Jackson are planning a knock-out performance, with Mike Leland on piano, Spike Gore on drums and Nigel Frye on bass.
September 27 – From Kansas City, Mo. The American Jazz Museum All-Stars
Pianist and vibraphonist Greg Carroll (Executive Director of the American Jazz Museum), sax man Gerald Dunn and other Kansas City jazz all-stars make their debut appearance at the Jazz Depot with a knockout performance. Special guest vocalist will be Jazz Hall CEO and entertainer, Yours Truly.
October 5 – Still Jazzin’ Our Way’ With the Midnight Social Club Quartet
Ms. Pam Van Dyke Crosby, local jazz vocal favorite sings up a storm with Bill Crosby on bass; guitarist, Frank Brown; drummer, Wade Robertson drums and Jeff Newsome on piano.
October 12 – Amy Cottingham and Friends
Pianist/vocalist Amy Cottingham brilliantly plays jazz, classical, pop and practically any other style of music. She will be joined by her special musical friends.
October 19 – Chuck Gardner “Music From My Heart”
Pianist Chuck Gardner is a jazz standard at the Jazz Hall and plans a special concert featuring original compositions of his, never heard before in Tulsa. He’s joined by Bill Crosby on bass and Tony Yohe on drums, with special guest vocalists.
October 26 – An Evening with Janet Rutland
The always top-notch Ms. Rutland will blow the roof off the Jazz Depot with her powerful vocals, accompanied by guitarist Randy Wimer with her special blend of elegance and style.
Hope to see you at the concerts and hope you get the chance to explore T-Town downtown – it’s on the move baby! The mayor is in her new digs at 2nd and Cincinnati and seems to be digging it too. McNellie’s is still poppin, as well as El Guapo Cantina for lunch and dinner. Exit 6C, First Street Music Hall, the Blank Slate and Capellas are still making good music on 1st Street, and you can always catch Jazz on 1st Street at the Jazz Depot. Looking for a cool lunch spot, try the eatery Elote Café and Catering between 5th and 6th on Boston – check it out!
Updated 09-15-2008
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