tag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:/blogs/press?p=2Press2023-10-16T10:56:58-04:00Bossa Nova Music Productionsfalsetag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663442012-06-11T20:00:00-04:002023-12-10T11:32:43-05:00Star Ledger<p><strong>Drummond and Levy in West Orange</strong></p>
<p><span class="goog_qs-tidbit-0 goog_qs-tidbit">You may not think you’d find superb live jazz at a supermarket, but if you stop by the Whole Foods in West Orange on a Tuesday, that’s exactly</span> what you’ll hear. This week, Teaneck bassist Ray Drummond will be joined by tenor saxophonist Jed Levy. Between them, they have played with a who’s who in jazz, including Stan Getz, Wynton Marsalis and Jaki Byard. The pair will sound off each other from 6 to 8 p.m., and like all events in the mart’s ongoing Baldwin Jazz Series, the concert is free. 235 Prospect Avenue in West Orange; visit <a href="http://wholefoodsmarket.com/" data-imported="1">wholefoodsmarket.com</a>.</p>Bossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663432011-02-07T19:00:00-05:002023-12-10T11:55:36-05:00Helio Alves will make a trip to the market, to play jazz, tonight.<p>Whole notes</p>
<p>It may be a stretch of the imagination to envision a grocery store as a hip jazz venue, but that’s precisely what Whole Foods Market in West Orange aims to do with its series of Tuesday evening performances.</p>
<p>This week, Brazilian pianist Helio Alves takes the “stage” with drummer Adriano Santos. The two will play Brazilian standards and original compositions. Alves’ excellent new CD, “Musica,” was released last year on the South Orange-based Jazz Legacy Productions label.</p>
<p>The store is at 235 Prospect Ave., and Alves and Santos will play tonight from 6 to 8. Call (973) 669-3196 or visit bossanovamusicproductions.com.</p>
<p> </p>Bossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663422010-08-22T20:00:00-04:002023-12-10T11:59:15-05:00Jazz at the Check-Out Counter - West Orange Patch<h2 class="NS_1itkqytomn category_list"><a href="http://westorange.patch.com/search/articles?cat=1998198912" data-imported="1">Arts</a></h2>
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<div id="geo1" class="geo" style="display: none;">Jazz at the Check-Out Counter</div>
<div class="geo" style="display: none;"><a href="http://westorange.patch.com/articles/jazz-at-the-check-out-counter" data-imported="1">Jazz at the Check-Out Counter</a></div>
</h1><p class="subheader"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;">Husband, wife team offer music at Whole Foods</span></span></span></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <span class="NS_2ft3852c7u vcard"><a class="fn author" href="http://westorange.patch.com/users/charles-paikert" data-imported="1">Charles Paikert</a></span> <span class="NS_2ft3852c7u divider">|</span> </span><a class="NS_2ft3852c7u link_to_email_authors_modal_dialog" href="http://westorange.patch.com/articles/jazz-at-the-check-out-counter" data-imported="1"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Email the author</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span class="NS_2ft3852c7u divider">|</span> <span class="NS_2ft3852c7u date">August 23, 2010 </span></span>
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<div class="centering_div"><a id="photo_1285104" title="Paul Abler strums his guitar during a show Tuesday at Whole Foods in West Orange. The jazz program started with Abler's wife, Yashim, in 2007 in New York. " href="http://o3.aolcdn.com/dims-shared/dims3/PATCH/resize/600x450/http://hss-prod.hss.aol.com/hss/storage/patch/8c97e6fbc1df4ec93723b148d5848726?1282526327" data-imported="1"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <img src="http://o3.aolcdn.com/dims-shared/dims3/PATCH/resize/273x203/http://hss-prod.hss.aol.com/hss/storage/patch/8c97e6fbc1df4ec93723b148d5848726?1282526327" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Paul Abler strums his guitar during a show Tuesday at Whole Foods in West Orange. The jazz program started with Abler's wife, Yashim, in 2007 in New York. " height="182" style="visibility: visible;" width="273" /> <span class="new_tag">new </span> </span></a></div>
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<div class="caption"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Paul Abler strums his guitar during a show Tuesday at Whole Foods in West Orange. The jazz program started with Abler's wife, Yashim, in 2007 in New York. <span class="credit">Credit Elliot Rubin </span></span></em></span></span></div>
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<div class="add_your_own"><a class="link_to_login_modal_dialog " href="http://westorange.patch.com/articles/jazz-at-the-check-out-counter#modal_dialog:add_asset_modal_dialog" data-imported="1"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></em></span></span></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">It's an incongruous sight — but a very cool one — a jazz trio playing a lilting bossa nova tune behind the check-out counters and in front of the plate glass windows overlooking the parking lot of the Whole Foods store on Prospect Avenue in West Orange.</span></em></span></span></span>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Not exactly a smoky jazz club, to be sure, but every Tuesday night at 6 p.m. first-rate jazz musicians play a two hour set for an appreciative audience, some of whom are surprised to encounter jazz riffs while buying tofu and soy milk in the check-out line, and others, including some regulars, who listen attentively at tables in what is normally the store's dining area, nodding their heads and tapping their feet.</span></em></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">The idea for the jazz series at Whole Foods came from Yashmin Abler, a Brazilian-born bossa nova singer and West Orange resident who works at Whole Foods in Montclair.</span></em></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">In 2007, Abler was helping Whole Foods open a huge new store in lower Manhattan on the Bowery and Houston streets. "The space was so beautiful that it deserved some jazz," she recalled.</span></em></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Abler proposed a jazz series to Rob Twyman, the store's manager, who agreed.</span></em></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Produced by Bossa Nova Music Productions, run by Abler and her husband, guitarist Paul Abler, the concerts featured well-known jazz musicians like Yusef Lateef and Ted Curson and were an immediate hit.</span></em></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Other Whole Foods stores in New York and New Jersey picked up on the concept, including the West Orange store in 2008, where it has been running as the "Baldwin Piano Series" ever since.</span></em></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">"We love that it makes the grocery store more of a community gathering place," said Denise Dagnino, marketing team leader in the West Orange store. "Jazz appeals to just about everyone and all of our customers seem to be enjoying it."</span></em></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">And having a free concert series also gives the store "a bump on a slow night," said one store employee.</span></em></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">The Ablers see the concerts as a way to expose the public to an art form that is usually neglected by the mass media.</span></em></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">"You have to bring jazz to uncommon venues in this day and age," said Paul Abler. "You have to be creative."</span></em></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">During a break in a recent concert at the store performed by Paul on guitar, Yashmin on vocals and Tomoko Ohno on piano, a wide-eyed little boy came up to Paul and wanted to touch his electric guitar.</span></em></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">"We see that a lot," Yashmin said. "A lot of children are exposed to this music for the first time here, after they've been bombarded by bad music on TV and radio, and they're fascinated by it. We've seen hundreds of kids over the past two years, and it's really one of the benefits of doing this."</span></em></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">The series also benefits local musicians like Bob DeVos, Dave Stryker, Xavier Davies, Virginia Mayhew and Vic Juris.</span></em></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">"It's a good gig," Paul Abler said. "It's close to home and early enough so that they have time to play somewhere else later."</span></em></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">The series also attracts a group of regulars, including Nate Geiger and his wife Susan.</span></em></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">"Each week it's a delight," said Mr. Geiger, a retired business executive who lives in West Orange.</span></em></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">"We look forward to it every week," added Susan Geiger, a retired music teacher. "All the musicians that come in are top caliber, it's only a few minutes from our home and it's free."</span></em></span></span></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Paul Abler strums his guitar during a show Tuesday at Whole Foods in West Orange. The jazz program started with Abler's wife, Yashim, in 2007 in New York. <span class="credit">Elliot Rubin</span> </span></em></span></span></span>
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<div id="photo_1285104" class="NS_1tkc7q1iij thumbnail_size photo data_element thumbnail"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://o5.aolcdn.com/dims-shared/dims3/PATCH/resize/600x450/http://hss-prod.hss.aol.com/hss/storage/patch/5dc1140848f56e22c209a49aac34b539?1282526330" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Yashmin Abler, a Brazilian-born bossa nova singer and West Orange resident, started the jazz program. She is a worker at Whole Foods in Montclair." height="399" style="zoom: 1; display: inline;" width="435" /></span></div>
<div class="NS_1tkc7q1iij thumbnail_size photo data_element thumbnail"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://o1.aolcdn.com/dims-shared/dims3/PATCH/resize/600x450/http://hss-prod.hss.aol.com/hss/storage/patch/8a6e95da2af4d2a151939d27db7220fe?1282526326" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Tomoko Ohno on piano, with Paul Abler in the background, perform Tuesday at Whole Foods on Prospect Avenue in West Orange." style="zoom: 1; display: inline;" /></span></div>
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<div class="author"><span class="vcard"><a class="fn" href="http://westorange.patch.com/users/carol-selman" data-imported="1"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Carol Selman</span></a></span></div>
<div class="time"><a href="http://westorange.patch.com/articles/jazz-at-the-check-out-counter#comment_29650" data-imported="1"><span style="font-size: x-small;">12:09pm on Monday, August 23, 2010</span></a></div>
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<p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have heard jazz at this and other Whole Foods many times--performances that would carry substantial music charges in NYC. Paul Abler works tirelessly to bring in world class musicians. The local artists listed are only local in the sense that they are West Orange based: They all perform worldwide. <br>Of all the Whole Foods Jazz Venues, West Orange is my favorite. They have a beautiful Baldwin piano and a real following, a loyal audience there each week.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: courier new,courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thank you Charles for your wonderful article about all that Yashim and Paul have achieved. See you there, I trust! I will be there Aug 31 if any PATCH readers would like to say hello. <br>Carol</span></span></span></p>
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Bossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663412009-07-19T20:00:00-04:002022-07-23T16:55:28-04:00Jazz in the checkout lineJazz in the checkout line
By Matthew Oshinsky/The Star-Ledger
July 20, 2009, 6:51PM
Patti SaponeMontclair drummer Sylvia Cuenca will leads a powerful trio with rising organ star Jared Gold and the veteran guitarist Ed Cherry tomorrow at Whole Foods in Montclair.The robust alto and soprano saxophonist Steve Slagle continues the music scene Tuesday, 6-8 p.m., in the cafe at Whole Foods West Orange, 235 Prospect Ave., West Orange.
Slagle, often heard in the company of West Orange guitar ace Dave Stryker, works tonight with pianist Bob Albanese. Call (973) 669-3196. Next Tuesday, the 28th, it's bassist Boris Kozlov and pianist Orrin Evans.
Tomorrow, 7-9 p.m., at the Whole Foods in Montclair, 701 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair, drummer Sylvia Cuenca leads a powerful trio with Jersey rising organ star Jared Gold and the veteran guitarist Ed Cherry, who played with Dizzy Gillespie. Call (973) 746- 5110.
Both shows are free. For more information, visit bossanovamusicproductions.comBossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663392009-04-21T20:00:00-04:002022-08-16T09:32:39-04:00Star Ledger NJMingus in MontclairThe legendary jazz bassist, composer, and bandleader Charles Mingus (1922-1979) would have been 85 tomorrow, and a free musical celebration of that anniversary takes place 12-2 p.m., at Whole Foods Montclair, 701 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair. On hand will be the powerhouse Mingus Dynasty Quartet, with saxophonist Craig Handy, guitarist Paul Abler, bassist Andy McKee and drummer Donald Edwards to play a wealth of Mingus favorites. Call (973) 746 5110. Another free Whole Foods event is set for Friday, 7-9 p.m., with guitarists Sheryl Bailey and Jake Langley at Whole Foods Millburn-Union, 2245 Springfield Ave., Union. Call (908) 688-1455.Bossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663382009-04-20T20:00:00-04:002022-05-31T07:01:36-04:00BaristanetHow About Some Mingus With Your Free-Range Chicken?
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
mingus dynasty.jpgOther grocery stores may be cheaper, but nothing beats Whole Foods for that pampered feeling. So for the ultimate in cool grocery shopping, you'll want to swing by Whole Foods Montclair with your shopping list tomorrow (Wednesday April 22) from noon to 2 pm for a little concert by Mingus Dynasty, the successor band to jazzman Charles Mingus, directed by his widow Sue Mingus. Free, of course. And here's a little pre-Whole Foods nibble: listen to the Mingus Dynasty here.
Posted by Debbie Galant on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 10:46 AM
Permalink | Talk back to the Barista! (15) | ShareThis | Get our daily newsletterBossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663402009-03-29T20:00:00-04:002019-12-14T16:14:03-05:00Jazz at the supermarket<h1>Jazz at the supermarket</h1>
<h3>by Zan Stewart/The Star-Ledger
<div style="margin-top: 6px;">Monday March 30, 2009, 2:45 PM</div>
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<p>West Orange-based saxophonist Virginia Mayhew and pianist Norman Simmons, of Montclair, have been developing a solid musical relationship over the past few years. The pair gets together as members of the Duke Ellington Legacy, and occasionally pop up in each other's ensembles. Tonight, from 6-8 p.m., in the cafe at Whole Foods Market, 235 Prospect Ave., West Orange, they'll pare things down to just saxophone and piano. Here's a fine opportunity to hear two top musicians intimately investigate standards and jazz classics in a pleasant, light-filled environment and for a great price: free. Call (973) 669-3196 or visit <a href="http://bossanovamusicproductions.com/" data-imported="1">bossanovamusicproductions.com</a>.</p>Bossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663372009-03-19T20:00:00-04:002021-12-19T15:16:28-05:00Star Ledger NJFor this couple, love is set to a Brazilian beat
by Zan Stewart/The Star-Ledger
Thursday March 19, 2009, 2:25 PM
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AMANDA BROWN/THE STAR-LEDGERYashmin Charnet-Abler and her husband Paul Abler will be performing at Trumpets in Montclair tomorrow night.
Yashmin Charnet-Abler and Paul Abler. When: 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Where: Trumpets Jazz Club, 6 Depot Square, Montclair. How much: $15 cover; $10 minimum. Call (973) 744-2600 or visit trumpetsjazz.com.
Singer and lyricist Yashmin Charnet-Abler and her husband, guitarist and composer Paul Abler, have two rock-solid affinities that bond them: their deep affection for each other and their love of Brazilian music.
The couple, who met in November 2003 and were married about six months later, did their first gig together in New York in January 2004. Naturally, the music was all bossa novas and sambas.
"That was the only thing we had musically in common," says Rio de Janeiro-born Charnet-Abler, 48.
"I had always wanted to play with someone who had that authentic Brazilian expression," says Saginaw, Mich., native Abler, 51. He's also an ace modern mainstream jazz guitarist who plays as a leader and with the Jersey-based Spirit of Life Ensemble -- with which his wife sings.
The musically dynamic pair perform Saturday at Trumpets in Montclair. They both fell in love with the music they share when they were children.
For Abler, it was visits to his grandfather's home in Pontiac, Mich., and hearing such records as Stan Getz's breakthrough "Jazz Samba." Of course, growing up in Rio, Charnet-Abler was surrounded by sambas and bossas.
Abler dug deeper into Brazilian after "being hit" in the 1990s by greats like singer-songwriter Milton Nascimento. Charnet-Abler grew musically by working in groups in her native clime before moving to the United States in 1987.
Today, both find Brazilian sounds irresistible. "It's something that's very magical, has character, is fun and can reach people," says Charnet-Abler, whose latest CD is "Remember Me" (Bossa Nova Music) and whose website is yashmincharnetabler.com.
"I love the rhythms, the subtleness of the music, and the sound of vocals in Portuguese," says Abler, whose fourth CD is "Fearless" (also on Bossa Nova Music) and whose website is paulabler.com. "And it's very melodic, too," adds Charnet-Abler.
At Trumpets, the couple will delve into numerous originals with music by Abler and lyrics by his wife. His tunes -- which unfold for the composer in an organic fashion, one phrase leading to another -- and his guitar sound inspire his wife to write.
"Paul has a very expressive way of playing. It's like he's saying words, like his guitar is singing," she says.
One song they will offer will be "Remember Me," which Charnet-Abler, a lyrical alto, sings in English. "It's about how different people who have been in one's life add something, and even now they will be remembered with tenderness, with gratitude." Then there's "Cinco Minutos ("Five minutes"), which Charnet-Abler says, "was the amount of time I could stay away from Paul after we first got together."
Also on tap will be classics by Jobim and others. Sharing in the festivities will be the first-rate rhythm section of pianist Tomoko Ohno, bassist Santi DeBriano, and drummer Sylvia Cuenca.
The Ablers also produce free jazz events at Whole Foods markets in New Jersey and New York. Charnet-Abler is an executive for the grocery chain. For lineup information, visit bossanovamusicproductions.com.
"I feel really happy to be able to do this for the community, for new fans, people who don't go to clubs," she says of the store events.
Zan Stewart may be reached at zstewart@starledger.com or at (973) 324-9930.Bossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663362009-01-31T19:00:00-05:002022-02-18T00:17:58-05:00Jazz Improv - NYJAZZ AND WHOLE FOODS – PERFECT TOGETHER
By Joe Lang
In July of 2007, jazz vocalist Yashmin Charnet-Abler happened into the Bowery location of the Whole Foods Market, and found her way into the food court. It immediately struck her that this would be a great venue for presenting live jazz. She made a few inquiries in the store that led her to contact Rob Twyman, the Regional Vice President of Whole Foods, who was open to the concept of presenting jazz at the Bowery store.
Charnet-Abler and her husband, jazz guitarist Paul Abler, had a production company named Bossa Nova Music Productions that was primarily involved in producing and promoting their recordings. Paul Abler, who plays and endorses Gibson guitars, explored the idea with Gibson about possible sponsorship involvement with presenting live jazz at Whole Foods. They were open to this concept, and also included support from their Baldwin Piano subsidiary. Since arriving in New York from his hometown of Detroit about five years ago, Abler had performed with many New York area musicians, and was in position to also handle the booking arrangements for the proposed Whole Foods concerts.
The upshot was the First annual Gibson/Baldwin Jazz Festival at Whole Foods. Twyman stated: “I believe that food and music comforts the soul, and when the opportunity came to work with Gibson/Baldwin and their roster of talent, I naturally thought the Bowery store was the perfect location for this groundbreaking event.” The initial event took place on November 3-4, 2007 in the Bowery Whole Foods Market. Among the featured performers were the guitar duo of Jack Wilkins and Howard Alden, guitarist Joshua Breakstone, pianists Allen Farnham and John DiMartino, and the Spirit of Life Ensemble led by trumpeter Ted Curson, with special guest Yusef Lateef. The festival was an artistic and critical success.
Whole Foods was pleased with this initial foray into the presentation of live jazz, and has subsequently retained Bossa Nova Music Productions to expand the marriage of Whole Foods and live jazz.
The Bowery store has subsequently hosted a second two-day festival in August of 2008, as well as other occasional events, including live music, and two book signings by Sue Mingus, the widow of the legendary jazz bassist Charles Mingus. Festivals have also been held in the Montclair and West Orange locations in
New Jersey. Weekly concert series are currently being held in the Tribeca store in Manhattan, as well as in the West Orange store. New weekly series are planned starting in January in the recently opened Union,
New Jersey location and starting in February in the Madison, New Jersey store. Weekly concerts will also resume this Spring in the Montclair and Ridgewood, New Jersey Whole Foods Markets. A new Whole Foods store will open in March in Paramus, New Jersey, and jazz programming is also planned for that location. All of the concerts are presented free for the customers of Whole Foods.
Having Whole Foods as a committed supporter of live jazz is exciting for jazz enthusiasts and for the dedicated musicians who help to keep this art form alive and well. The Whole Foods organization is devoted to wellness for its customers, and their presentation of this great music adds a special dimension to that devotion.
Following is the jazz schedule for Whole Foods.
Whole Foods Market - Tribeca, 270 Greenwich St., New York, NY, (212) 349-6555
Gibson/Baldwin Jazz Series - _ Tuesdays, 7-9 P.M.:
Whole Foods Market, 235 Prospect Avenue, West Orange, NJ, (973) 669-3196
Baldwin Jazz Solo Piano Series - Tuesdays, 5-7 P.M.
The Osteria @ Whole Foods, 2245 Springfield Avenue, Union, NJ, (908) 688-1455
Gibson Jazz Series - Fridays, 7-9 P.M.:
For future Whole Foods concert information you can check the Bossa Nova Music Productions website (www.bossanovamusicproductions.com).Bossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663352009-01-20T19:00:00-05:002022-05-27T07:59:44-04:00Star Ledger NJLive jazz in aisle five, as supermarket hosts concert series
by Zan Stewart/The Star-Ledger
Wednesday January 21, 2009, 3:19 PM
<a href="http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=267619603&albumID=1068127&imageID=15961692" data-imported="1"><img src="http://hotlink.myspacecdn.com/images02/105/33ae3c22f6f74eae9d3185d446df3929/m.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Daniela Schachter" /></a>
JENNIFER BROWN/THE STAR-LEDGERJazz pianist Daniela Schachter plays solo in the cafe, just behind the cash registers, at the Whole Foods supermarket in West Orange.
As pianist Daniela Schachter explored her beguiling original, "Dark Blue," early Tuesday evening, a few people listened intently, savoring the notes as they ate and drank.
But Schachter, a native of Messina, Italy who lives in New York, had many other casual fans, like the fellow who passed by her, pushing his full grocery cart, smiling at what he heard. Or the young girl who sat on a shelf at the end of the check-out counter, while her mother paid for their purchases.
Schachter was performing solo in an unusual place for jazz -- the dining area of the Whole Foods Market in West Orange. The concert was staged adjacent to the check-out counters, where customers often sit to eat take-away cooked foods or drink coffee.
A number of jazz series have been held since November 2007 at various Whole Foods stores in New Jersey and New York. The music fits the market chain's core philosophy, says singer Yashmin Charnet-Abler, who produces these events with her husband, guitarist Paul Abler. (Full disclosure: This writer played on one such series last July.)
"Whole Foods wants to offer things that are healthy, that will help people, so the music is one more aspect of that," says West Orange-based Charnet-Abler, whose day job is Whole Food's regional associate coordinator for "Whole Body" -- the chain's departments that sell vitamin supplements and body care products.
"The music is kind of a gift of art," Charnet-Abler continues. "And it adds to the atmosphere of the store, so it's good for everybody."
Indeed, Schachter's efforts could be heard, though quietly, at the far-reaches of the store, lending an aesthetic touch to the shopping experience.
The pianist's "Dark Blue," which hints at a blues feeling in a very modern way, was drawn from her CD, "I Colori Del Mare," on Splasc(H) Records. The song revealed Schachter's virtuoso technique, crisp-to-warm touch and ability to create an engaging sonic portrait via lines and textures. She buoyed her essay with percolating left-hand thoughts.
Harry Warren's ace waltz, "Summer Nights," found the pianist delivering the lovely theme in single-note lines, and in multi-note voicings. In her solo, she again employed contrast, going from soft confidences to louder, direct ideas. She began "Darn That Dream" with a long, expressive introduction, a song of its own. Her improvisation touched on the timeless theme at points, and she dropped in some alluring chordal passages boasting tonal color.
Schachter's first set also offered Dave Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way," in 5/4 meter, and Monk's challenging "Four in One," which mimicked the composer's unique approach in a personal way.
The piano series continues at Whole Foods West Orange, 235 Prospect Ave., with Tomoko Ohno, Tuesday; John DiMartino, Feb. 3; Allen Farnham, Feb. 12; John DiStefano, Feb. 17; and Sharp Radway, Feb. 24. All performances are 5-7 p.m., and are free. Call (973) 669-3196.
There are other free jazz series at various Whole Foods. Pianist Helio Alves' trio performs tonight, and bassist Ugonna Okegwo's trio with pianist Xavier Davis, Jan. 29, both 7-9 p.m., at Whole Foods Tribeca, 270 Greenwich St., New York, (212) 349-6555. Guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli plays tomorrow, and guitarist Ron Jackson and bassist Bill Moring, Jan. 30, both 7-9 p.m., at The Osteria @ Whole Foods, 2245 Springfield Ave., Union, (908) 688-1455. Guitarists Gene Bertoncini and Roni Ben-Hur play Feb. 15, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., at Whole Foods, 222 Main St., Madison, (973) 822-8444. For more information, visit bossanovamusicproductions.com.
Zan Stewart is the Star-Ledger's jazz writer. He is also a musician who occasionally performs at local clubs. He may be reached at zstewart@starledger.com or at (973) 324-9930.Bossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663312008-08-16T20:00:00-04:002022-02-09T01:46:33-05:00Time OutThe Second Annual Gibson/Baldwin Jazz Festival
Whole Foods
95 E Houston St (between Bowery and Chrystie St)
Lower East Side | Map
212-420-1320
Subway: F, V to Lower East Side–Second Ave | Directions
http://www.wholefoods.com
Prices
Tickets: Free
Description
Venerable guitar-making company Gibson has chosen an odd venue for its annual jazz festival: Whole Foods on the LES. D.D. Jackson’s Organ Nation headlines tonight at 7pm, and at 5:30, catch Charles Mingus’s widow, Sue, signing copies of her memoir, Tonight at Noon. Sun 17’s festivities kick off at 3pm with saxist Charles Davis and the Spirit of Life Ensemble, and end at 6pm with pianist Joanne Brackeen.
When
Aug 17 3pm .Bossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663292008-08-13T20:00:00-04:002023-12-10T12:09:01-05:00The New York TimesGIBSON/BALDWIN JAZZ FESTIVAL (Sunday) For the second year, Gibson and Baldwin sponsor an afternoon of jazz performances, free of charge, at Whole Foods on the Bowery. Among those appearing are the alto saxophonist Charles Davis, with his Spirit of Life Ensemble, and the pianist Joanne Brackeen, in a duo with the bassist Ugonna Okegwo. At 3 p.m., Whole Foods, 95 East Houston Street, near Bowery Street, (212) 420-1320, wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/bowery. (Chinen)Bossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663302008-07-07T20:00:00-04:002019-12-14T16:14:01-05:00Star Ledger NJFree jazz
by Zan Stewart/The Star-Ledger
Tuesday July 08, 2008, 5:43 PM
With the arrival of summer comes a spate of free jazz events. Wednesday, saxophonist Bill Evans' band, Soulgrass, kicks off the 16th Annual Concerts in the Park Series at Flood's Hill, Meadowland Park, North Ridgewood Road at Mead Street, South Orange. The series also includes the Young Lions of Jazz on July 23, featuring such on-the-rise jazz talent as trumpeter Diego Urcola, trombonist Michael Dease and saxophonists Sharel Cassity and Jimmy Greene. Also in the series are non-jazzers Red Molly, July 16, and Jonny Rosch and Friends, July 30. All shows 7:30 p.m. Rain site is the South Orange Middle School, 70 N. Ridgewood Road. Call (973) 378-7754, ext. 1 or visit thebaird.org.
A new series opens Wednesday with the A-1 Jersey-based Spirit of Life Ensemble at the Allegro Cafe, Whole Foods Market, 44 Godwin Ave., Ridgewood. On July 16, it's guitarists Jack Wilkins and Carl Berry, with a trio including keyboardist Dan Kostelnik and bassist Tom DiCarlo, July 23, and guitarist Roni Ben-Hur and bassist Rufus Reid, July 30. All shows, 7-9 p.m. Call (201) 670-0383.Bossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663232007-12-19T19:00:00-05:002019-12-14T16:14:01-05:00All About JazzThursday, December 20, 2007
All About Jazz Review
Gibson/Baldwin Jazz Festival at Whole Foods Market
The first annual Gibson/Baldwin Jazz Festival organized by Yashmin Charnet-Abler took place on Nov. 3rd-4th in the unusual but ultimately jazz- friendly environment of Whole Foods Market, overlooking the intersection of Houston Street and Second Avenue through a panoramic picture window. Allen Farnham's piano trio served up a fired-up soufflé of standards, including "Witchhunt", "Bolivia", "Kids Are Pretty People", "Tangerine", "Tin Tin Deo", "El Gaucho" and an atmospheric original, "Days Gone By". The group vibe was as comfortable as old clothes; they probably could have played all day with no loss of luster. Sunday's festivities began with Ted Curson's Spirit of Life Ensemble (with altoist Bradford Hayes and trombonist Bob Ferrel in the frontline) with the Gentle Giant himself, Yusef Lateef, guesting on flutes. Five days short of his 87th birthday, Lateef was no slouch on the couch, playing with sweet, quavering tones that seemed to pose questions, even as they suggested answers; the crowd grew noticeably quiet in places, audibly touched by the healing spirit of this living legend. Curson and crew were full of spunk and spitfire, jamming over well- oiled classics with sophisticated abandon: Curson sang, scatted and articulated his ideas in a trumpet-ly fashion; Hayes interpolated humorous quotes ("Santa Claus is Coming to Town", "It Don't Mean a Thing", etc.) and Ferrel spun out mini-narratives in velvet legatos.
~ Tom GreenlandBossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663272007-10-30T20:00:00-04:002023-12-10T11:44:45-05:00SOJAZZSunday, October 21, 2007
SOJAZZ
Domingo, 21 de Outubro de 2007
EATRÉIA DO THE GIBSON/BALDWIN JAZZ FESTIVAL
Finalmente, após décadas de tortura do Muzak, grande música será apresentada em um Supermercado. "The Gibson/Baldwin Jazz Festival", ocorrerá nos dias 03 e 04 de novembro no "The Whole Foods Market of Bowery" em Nova York . Este ano será a estréia do festival.
"Eu acredito que música e comida confortam a alma, e quando a oportunidade apareceu para trabalhar com Gibson/Baldwin e sua lista de talentos , eu naturalmente pensei que a loja da Bowery era um local perfeito para abrigar este evento," declarou Rob Twyman, vice presidente regional da Whole Foods Market.
O festival ocorrerá das 17h às 22h30min do sábado(03/11) e das 14h às 20h30min do domingo(04/11), com a apresentação de jazzistas de nível internacional , tais como Jack Wilkins & Howard Alden(na foto) , Allen Farnham, Ted Curson com a " The Spirit of Life Ensemble" e John di Martino. Yusef Lateef também estará no festival autografando cópias do seu livro, "The Gentle Giant: The Autobiography of Yusef Lateef".
"The Whole Foods Market of Bowery" está localizado na 95 East Houston Street, entre as ruas Bowery and Chrystie em Manhattan.Bossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663242007-10-30T20:00:00-04:002022-01-21T08:51:48-05:00Star-Ledger NJWednesday, October 31, 2007
Star-Ledger
Gibson/Baldwin jazz fest
by Zan Stewart, Star-Ledger Staff
Wednesday October 31, 2007, 4:51 PM
Numerous top New Jersey and New York area jazz artists are set for the first Gibson/Baldwin Jazz Festival, taking place Saturday, 5 to 10:30 p.m., and Sunday, 2 to 8:30 p.m., in the second-floor food court, Whole Foods Market, 76 E. Houston St., between Bowery and Chrystie streets, New York.
The lineup includes ace groups led by guitarists Jack Wilkins and Howard Alden (their duo), Joshua Breakstone (with Eliot Zigmund), and Paul Abler (with Tomoko Ohno); pianists Allen Farnham and John DiMartino; and trumpeter Ted Curson, fronting the Spirit of Life Ensemble with Bradford Hayes and Bob Ferrel. Free. Call (212) 420-1320 or visit www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/bowery/calendar.Bossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663262007-10-29T20:00:00-04:002022-01-21T08:47:22-05:00EthereaTuesday, October 30, 2007
Etherea
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Yusef Lateef - Live at Whole Foods (NYC)
How strange is the music business getting? Now Whole Foods is hosting musical events?Anyway, thanks to our friend Andy Schwartz, check this out:
This weekend, as part of something called the "Gibson/Baldwin Jazz Festival" (as in Gibson Guitars and Baldwin Pianos), multi-instrumental jazz great Yusef Lateef will appear at the Whole Foods store on East Houston Street @ Bowery.
Beginning at 2:00pm, Dr. Lateef will be signing copies of his new book, The Gentle Giant: The Autobiography of Yusef Lateef. At 3:00pm, trumpeter Ted Curson and the Spirit of Life Ensemble will perform with Yusef as their special guest.
The Gibson/Baldwin Jazz Festival is free and open to the public.Bossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663252007-10-29T20:00:00-04:002019-12-14T16:14:01-05:00StupefactionTuesday, October 30, 2007
Stupefaction
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Yusef Lateef - Live at Whole Foods (NYC)
How strange is the music business getting? Anyway, thanks once again to our friend Andy Schwartz, check this out:
This weekend, as part of something called the "Gibson/Baldwin Jazz Festival" (as in Gibson Guitars and Baldwin Pianos), multi-instrumental jazz great Yusef Lateef will appear at the Whole Foods store on East Houston Street @ Bowery.
Beginning at 2:00pm, Dr. Lateef will be signing copies of his new book, The Gentle Giant: The Autobiography of Yusef Lateef. At 3:00pm, trumpeter Ted Curson and the Spirit of Life Ensemble will perform with Yusef as their special guest.
The Gibson/Baldwin Jazz Festival is free and open to the public.
On Oct. 9, 2007, Yusef Lateef celebrated his 87th birthday. See:
http://www.yuseflateef.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yusef_Lateef
Whole Foods:
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/calendars/HOU.htmlBossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663322007-10-22T20:00:00-04:002022-03-19T01:06:42-04:00Hot House JazzA SUPERMARKET SUPERFESTIVAL
Can you believe it? A two-day jazz extravaganza held inside a high-end grocery store? It's the Gibson/Baldwin Jazz Festival slated for Nov. 3-4 at the newish Whole Foods outpost on the corner of Bowery and Houston, and it's free. Scheduled to appear, among others, are guitarists Jack Wilkins, Howard Alden, Paul Abler and Joshua Breakstone; pianists Allen Farnham and John DiMartino; and trumpeter Ted Curson's Spirit of Life Ensemble. Yusef Lateef will also be on hand to sign copies of his new autobiography. The hours? It'll be 5:00 to 10:30 PM on Saturday, then 2:00 to 8:30 PM on Sunday.Bossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663342007-10-20T20:00:00-04:002019-12-14T16:14:02-05:00Village VoiceGibson®/Baldwin® Jazz Festival
to be held at Whole Foods Market® Bowery
The Whole Foods Market at Bowery and Houston in NYC and Gibson/Baldwin partner for a free two day jazz event
A Bossa Nova Music Production
Whole Foods Market and one of the leading manufacturers of musical instruments, Gibson/Baldwin, have joined forces to present the first annual Gibson/Baldwin Jazz Festival.
The free festival features many international jazz artists including Jack Wilkins, Howard Alden, Allen Farnham, Joshua Breakstone, Ted Curson & The Spirit of Life Ensemble with special guest Yusef Lateef, Paul Abler, John DiMartino. Yusef Lateef will be signing copies of his book The Gentle Giant: The Autobiography of Yusef Lateef.
Saturday, November 3 (5 PM -10:30 PM)
Sunday, November 4 (2 PM-8:30 PM)
"I believe that food and music comforts the soul, and when the opportunity came to work with Gibson/Baldwin and their roster of talent, I naturally thought the Bowery store as the perfect location for this groundbreaking event," said Rob Twyman, regional vice president for Whole Foods Market.
The Whole Foods Market of Bowery is located at 95 East Houston Street - Between Bowery and Chrystie Streets, New York, NY.
For more details contact bossanovamusic@comcast.net or visit www.bossanovamusic.comBossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663282007-10-17T20:00:00-04:002021-12-15T03:06:16-05:00JazztimesThursday, October 18, 2007
Jazztimes
Gibson/Baldwin Jazz Festival Debuts at Bowery Whole Foods Market
Date: October 18, 2007
Written By: Roxana Hadadi
Finally, after decades of Muzak torture, some great music will be played in a supermarket. The Gibson/Baldwin Jazz Festival, which will take place Nov. 3 and Nov. 4 at the Whole Foods Market of Bowery in New York City, debuts this year.
"I believe that food and music comforts the soul, and when the opportunity came to work with Gibson/Baldwin and their roster of talent, I naturally thought the Bowery store as the perfect location for this groundbreaking event," said Rob Twyman, regional vice president for Whole Foods Market.
The festival, which will take place from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday and from 2 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, will feature international jazz artists such as Jack Wilkins & Howard Alden, Allen Farnham, Ted Curson (pictured) with the Spirit of Life Ensemble and John di Martino. Yusef Lateef will also be at the festival, signing copies of his book, The Gentle Giant: The Autobiography of Yusef Lateef.
The Whole Foods Market of Bowery is located at 95 East Houston Street, between Bowery and Chrystie Streets in Manhattan.Bossa Nova Music Productionstag:bossanovamusicproductions.com,2005:Post/61663332007-10-09T20:00:00-04:002022-05-23T06:15:03-04:00Downbeat.comGibson/Baldwin Jazz Festival Set for New York
Daily News Headlines
Posted 10/10/2007
A new jazz festival will be held at the Whole Foods Market of Bowery in New York on Nov. 3 and 4. The first Gibson/Baldwin Jazz Festival will feature the likes of Jack Wilkins, Howard Alden, Allen Farnham, Joshua Breakstone, Ted Curson with The Spirit of Life Ensemble, Paul Abler, John DiMartino and Yusef Lateef.
Music will take place at the Whole Foods Market of Bowery, at 95 E. Houston St., on Saturday, Nov. 3 from 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m., and on Nov. 4 from 2 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
“I believe that food and music comforts the soul, and when the opportunity came to work with Gibson/Baldwin and their roster of talent, I naturally thought the Bowery store as the perfect location for this groundbreaking event,” said Rob Twyman, regional vice president for Whole Foods Market.Bossa Nova Music Productions