News – Page 3 – First Take PR

February 28, 2023September 28, 2023

Black Design Collective Designers Make an Impact with “Images: Fashion Moments in Time” at the 54th NAACP Image Awards.

Kevan Hall, Cross Colours, Kutula, In Earnest by Byron Lars & Sheila Gray, Harbison, House of Aama, & Kenneth Nicholson show their collections at the NAACP Image Awards, honoring the glam community.

March 1, 2023 – Los Angeles, CA

On Thursday, February 23, 2023, the NAACP hosted a fashion show luncheon, presenting the newest addition to the Image Awards, honoring hairstyling, make-up, and costume design. The Black Design Collective (BDC) followed the awards and wowed the audience with their most recent collections. NAACP president, Derrick Johnson, set the tone as he spoke about art and all its forms as a significant influence on the next generation. “There’s still protest in creativity, whether it is in the roles that we choose, the scripts that we write, or directions you give when you step out on the catwalk.” He continues, “So today, I want us to honor the accomplishments of the designers and nominees, because we recognize that it is very competitive in this environment. But I also want to challenge you to go further. We are here to celebrate Black essence, and let’s be proud of what we have accomplished in our journey in this country. Johnson concludes, “The fashion show was a new addition last year, because we want to make sure we embrace all of our creativity.” —Derrick Johnson, NAACP President

Karen Boykin-Towns followed up with these sentiments. “For the first time, we are recognizing the glam community with awards and their significant impact in the industry. It is an honor to celebrate all of you, because at one time, and even still often times our features, our body shapes, our hair, and even our style are harshly criticized. Yet, those very same characteristics are inspired for whole trends. Don’t they know you can’t mimic style? We set the culture.” —Karen Boykin-Towns, Vice Chair, NAACP National Board of Directors

Last year, the NAACP reached out to Kevan Hall about showcasing Black Design Collective talent on their runway for the Image Awards, which proved to be a huge success. The show featured top talent from the rapidly growing community’s hand-picked assemblage of designers, and was appreciated by a distinguished audience of celebrities, fashionistas, and influencers. Designers came from New York, Cincinnati, and Los Angeles as they wowed the crowd. And BDC returned for this year’s NAACP Image Awards.

Fashion Designer and President & Co-Founder of Black Design Collective Kevan Hall: “We’re thrilled to partner with NAACP for its second year to shine the spotlight on our talented Black fashion designers. ‘Images: Fashion Moments in Time’ presents Black fashion throughout history—Harlem Renaissance, hip hop, Motown, and more. NAACP recognizes the importance of showcasing this illustrious group of designers and bringing them to the forefront of American fashion.”

“Black Design Collective was built on the premise that our actions do in fact speak much louder than our words. Of greater worth is both the amplification and consistency of the symbiotic voices between the Black Design Collective and the NAACP as we drive the changes that are essential to our cultural and economic empowerment. Thank you for a spectacular event, and as always, we look forward to what the future holds.” –Designer TJ Walker, Co-Founder of Black Design Collective

Each runway show had pre-taped highlights that shared inspirations of this year’s designers’ most recent collections that served as PSAs for the Black diaspora. Each collection carried with it the spirit of American Black culture and it’s varied experiences.

The Designers . . .

Harbison:

“During covid, I found a renewed sense of connection to nature. I’m opening the scope of my life in Los Angeles in a way that I hadn’t since arriving here. For Spring/Summer 2023, I wanted the feel of open space. I wanted to optimize florals, the sky, and the rainbow through these clothes. And I really feel like we did that. The great thing about Black style is that it’s understanding the empowerment that Black people experience through style, through affecting a different reality for themselves through their dressing that they may not be experiencing in society. It’s nice that the NAACP understands its importance and wants to reinforce that, even through this modern era. That’s exciting for all of us.”—Designer Charles Harbison (harbison.studio)

Images: Fashion Moments in Time — Models walk the runway wearing Harbison designs for the 54th Annual NAACP Image Awards Fashion Show

Kutula by Africana

“At Kutula, we design clothes for the international business person and the very savvy fashionista who want pieces that stand for and celebrate the tribal beauty of Africa and its authentic nature. Most of our fabrics come directly from artisans and from all over Africa. We take those fabrics that are primarily adire and mud cloths and fuse them with cottons and silks to make every garment beautiful. Collectively, we try to elevate the culture for our clients to express themselves wherever they may be going in the world that most describes this line. What we’re trying to evoke is the ‘woo too’—the very raw nature of just being pure. All the designs are authentically sourced, and are ‘lifetime’ pieces. For Black fashion, what we really see is a rise to excellence where each of us are able to express ourselves with our unique backgrounds and our perspectives. –Bo Anuluoha of Kutula by Africana (shopkutula.com)

House of Aama (A Mother/Daughter Design Team):

“Our mission is to explore the folkways of the Black experience by shining light on nuance histories and unpacking family narratives. The garments are a vehicle for the stories that we tell. Our Bloodroot Heritage collection is the storytelling narrative centered on my family’s maternal lineage coming out of Louisiana, so it’s a Creole story. In this collection (and in our brand in general), we focus on the post-fallen South where you’re going to continually see at our core, silhouettes [with] touches of that. We’re also showing SALT WATER—a collection that pays homage to the seafaring legacy and water deities that come out of West Africa, but also to the lost but not forgotten resort communities that live in the Americas, specifically Oak Bluff, Idyllwild, etc. We are an Americana brand, focusing on specific themes dealing with the West. We consider ourselves to be filling our white cities and Americana fashion with these unexplored stories coming from the Black experience that are part of the fabric of America, not just fashion, but also part of the fabric of the country.” –Designer Rebecca Henry, House of Aama (houseofaama.com)

Cross Colours (Carl Jones and TJ Walker):

“Fashion always started with our communities. If they’re not willing to wear it, to push it, to style it, to rock it, then it’s not fashion. We wanted to make the statement very clear. It’s clothing without prejudice, but this is where it starts. When we relaunched the brand six years ago, it was mostly sweatshirts and sweatpants going back to the roots. We added some newer military looks as well.” –Carl Jones, Cross Colours Co-Founder

“It became very clear to us that hip hop was the huge influence of the brand, because it is so influential in the culture. And it’s a lifestyle. Hip hop brings a lot of things to it that many people don’t even understand. It was also important that we made sure that it was represented by us. All the advertisement, all the promotion were people of color.” –TJ Walker, Cross Colours Co-Founder (crosscolours.com)

In Earnest (Byron Lars & Sheila Gray):

“In Earnest is not just our name, but it’s also our mantra.” States Sheila Gray. Byron Lars adds, “Our point of view is women’s advocacy through the product itself, because no matter the theme, we never forget about her. There’s a lot of texture, lots of strong shoulders, really feminine shapes when people had a joy in dressing and dressed up. It’s about texture and color, pattern mixing. Harlem’s like the ham hock that flavored the whole pot American style.” Gray adds, “and that’s where Black culture . . . how it all started. Lars concludes: “We work and walk around Harlem every day and feel that history, so that’s what this collection evokes. When you think about Black fashion, it is fashion seen through a Black lens. And so often, Black people have had to go without, and have had to get extra inventive. And I think that is really the crucible of what makes us so fabulous!” (inearnestofficial.com)

Kenneth Nicholson:

“Growing up in Texas, I have found that it’s difficult to find pockets of community that are inspiring. One thing [in particular] is toxic masculinity. So, to me, the fully expressed man just means having more choices and more options to express a full sense of self. For instance, the red carpet . . . for the longest time, I would really only see women embracing and enjoying different silhouettes that are in color as it relates to fashion. As I began my work, I really wanted men to be able to engage in fashion in a way that felt enriching and exciting. With this collection, “From Grandmother’s Couch,” which was about sitting on your grandmother’s couch, and from that perspective, what did you see? Maybe a beaded lamp or a printed curtain or a ratchet rug, then taking all of these collage-like elements and making them exist harmoniously. This collection did invoke Sunday dinners, another sense of Black tradition. There’s a lot of love involved. I think it’s important to continue to tell these stories. And it’s very important to continue to highlight the work of Black Americans and our contributions, not only to American creativity, but to America as a whole.” –Designer Kenneth Nicholson (kennethnicholson.us)

Kevan Hall closes the show:

“My point of view as a fashion designer is to create clothes that are classic, beautiful, and made with the finest fabrics. I create designs that evoke a wonderful feeling of exuberance and excitement for women to wear throughout her day and night that become a part of her lifestyle. Growing up in the 60s and 70s, I looked back to my beginnings in Detroit with Motown, Diana Ross and the Supremes and Martha Reeves and The Vandellas. I was inspired by the glamour of these icons dressed in sequins, feathers and dramatic silhouettes.” –Kevan Hall, Creative Director for Kevan Hall. (kevanhalldesigns.com)

The Inaugural Award-Winners:

Outstanding Costume Design (Television or Film) Ruth E. Carter – BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER (Marvel Studios); Outstanding Make-up (Television or Film) Debi Young, Sandra Linn, Ngozi Olandu Young, Gina Bateman –WE OWN THIS CITY (HBO Max); Outstanding Hairstyling (Television or Film) Camille Friend –BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER (Marvel Studios); and the Vanguard Award Recipient Bethann Hardison (naacpimageawards.net)

“The act of not being inclusive, no matter what your intentions, the results are the same. Starting Bethann Management is a joy that I have out in the fashion industry. Fashion is no longer just on a little tiny island that nobody knows about. Now it’s part of popular culture. Now it’s influencing young people. It’s beginning to show people what things should look like. It’s giving you the idea of what we see, how we act when it comes down to race. You never can take your foot off the gas!”—NAACP Vanguard Award Recipient Bethann Hardison (Model and activist)

In-kind Sponsor: Beauty brand Black Radiance celebrates 30 years of uplifting the inner beauty and the outer allure of women of color. (blackradiancebeauty.com)

About the Black Design Collective:

Founded in 2018, the Black Design Collective is comprised of accomplished fashion industry professionals-of-color who seek to amplify the influence of and create opportunities for the community of Black apparel and accessory designers and costume designers within the US and abroad. The BDC mission is rooted in the promotion of Scholarship, Mentorship, and Entrepreneurship within emerging generations of Black fashion design talent. Through this work, the BDC aims at ultimately fostering an independent and self-sustaining Black fashion community. (blackdesigncollective.com)

By First Take PR, Sean McKenzie

January 10, 2023September 28, 2023

Black Design Collective Presents “Designing the Costumes of WAKANDA FOREVER” with Oscar-Winner & BDC Co-Founder Ruth E. Carter

Production Stills from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Discover the importance of costumes in storytelling as Ruth E. Carter gives a behind the scenes look into the costume design process. Proceeds support the Black Design Collective Creative Center and The Black Design Collective Scholarship Fund.

(By Sean McKenzie) Los Angeles, CA

On January 12, 2023, the Black Design Collective will host a conversation with Academy Award-winning Costume Designer Ruth E. Carter as she shares the design process of creating over 2000 unique costumes for Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER.

Film Costume Designer Ruth E. Carter — Ruth E. Carter (Black Panther & Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Costume Designer)

Carter introduces superheroes and the underwater world of the Talokan to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with hundreds of new looks and multiple builds for characters that are steeped in symbolism and storytelling from two civilizations that battle on land, in air, and underwater. She elevates the Afrofuturistic Wakanda with more brilliance and depth of culture, creating new costumes and super suits for the original characters from the film BLACK PANTHER (2018) for which Carter won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design.

Production Stills from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Featuring Angela Bassett

In the summer of 2020, Ruth Carter was approached by director Ryan Coogler, who informed her that the sequel would be introducing underwater dwellers—the Talokanil—inspired by Mesoamerican cultures. When Chadwick Boseman died in August 2020, the question was how would Wakanda continue. WAKANDA FOREVER is not only a tribute to Boseman, but an evolution of the world that was created in the first film.

The event, “Designing Costumes of Wakanda – A Conversation with Ruth E. Carter,” will be held at the Black Design Creative Center, located at The New Mart Building/Black Design Collective Creative Center 127 East 9th Street Los Angeles, CA 90015.

Bartender Melodie Murphy, owner of MIXED BAR SERVICES will craft 3 Signature cocktails honoring “Wakanda Forever”, Ruth E. Carter and Chadwick Boseman for the evening with UNCLE NEAREST, the Most Awarded American Whiskey or Bourbon of 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. The brand is named for the first known African American master distiller: Nearest Green. Whisky Magazine’s American Icons of Whisky Awards named Nearest’s great-great-granddaughter Victoria Eady-Butler as Master Blender of the Year in both 2021 and 2022, the first person in history to take home that honor two years in a row. Led by Founder and CEO Fawn Weaver and CBO Katharine Jerkens, the all-female executive team of Uncle Nearest is changing the face of American whiskey while honoring the best whiskey maker the world never knew.

For Tickets, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/designing-the-costume-of-wakanda-forever-a-conversation-with-ruth-e-carter-tickets-498523676737

Date & Time:
Thursday, January 12, 2023
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM PST

ABOUT:
Ruth E. Carter is the Academy Award-winning film costume designer, known for turning the BLACK PANTHER superhero into an African King; making history as the first Black person to win in the category, and earning Marvel Studios their first Oscar recognition. Over three decades in film, television, and theater, Carter has earned seventy credits and collaborated with prolific directors, including Spike Lee, Steven Spielberg, Ava DuVernay, and Ryan Coogler. Carter’s costumes based on real and imaginative characters provide an arc to the narratives of African Americans. From DO THE RIGHT THING, MALCOLM X, WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT, AMISTAD, THE BUTLER, MARSHALL, SELMA, DOLEMITE IS MY NAME, COMING 2 AMERICA to BLACK PANTHER; her devotion to retraining the eye to see beauty through costume design and telling stories that enrich the humanity of the Black experience cements her legacy as a preeminent voice and expert on period genres and Afro aesthetics. Carter’s outstanding costume design work has been honored with Academy Award nominations for MALCOLM X (1993) and AMISTAD (1998), and an Emmy nomination for the miniseries reboot of ROOTS (2016). The impact of her career in filmmaking has been recognized with the Costume Designers Guild’s Career Achievement Award (2019) and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2021). Carter is a member of the board of governors for the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

Black Design Collective (BDC) Founded in 2018 is comprised of accomplished fashion industry professionals of color who seek to amplify the influence of and create opportunities for the community of black apparel and accessory designers and costume designers within the US and abroad. The BDC mission is rooted in the promotion of scholarship, mentorship, and entrepreneurship within emerging generations of black fashion design talent. Through this work, the BDC aims at ultimately fostering an independent and self-sustaining Black fashion community. BDC Founders are Ruth E. Carter, Kevan Hall, TJ Walker, and Angela Dean. Visit: blackdesigncollective.com.

December 26, 2022December 26, 2022

Bobby Lyle’s Single “Nujazzy” on Sirius XM Watercolors!

“Nujazzy” by Bobby Lyle features the dynamic rhythm section of bassist Nathan East and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta playing this mid tempo groove track. John Calderon is on guitar. This recent single release is still going for radio adds and can be heard currently on Sirius XM radio, Watercolors.

“Nujazzy” is an upbeat track with a catchy melody and a seductive groove anchored by bassist Nathan East and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta. Guitarist John Calderone (who trades licks with Bobby halfway through) and percussionist Tony Axtell round out the rhythm section. – This is an amazing song and looks like it will make a serious mark on the charts!

(Just a side note, Bobby Lyle’s first single release “Living in the Flow” remained #1 on the billboard charts all of 2021!)

December 8, 2022September 28, 2023

Editor at Large Bunny Brunel Features the Legendary Ron Carter on the Cover of VIRTUOSO BASS, Issue 2.

Inside this long-awaited second issue includes the following: “Bunny Brunel Moments” and his time with the late Chick Corea; interviews with Ron Carter, Buster Williams, Forbassplayersonly.com founder Jon Liebman and his new book FUNK/JAZZ/BASS, and Roger Linn of LinnStrument; a spotlight on Tal Wilkenfeld and a retrospective on Chick Corea that includes Corea’s last interviews; CD reviews with Bakithi Kumalo, Buster Williams, and reviews of “Unconventional Releases” by Paul Chambers, Ray Brown, and Ron Carter (including Carter’s documentary FINDING THE RIGHT NOTES)!

By Sean McKenzie

Since the official launch of Virtuoso Bass back in the fall of 2020, a lot has happened. The pandemic held up plenty of editorial calendars and the legendary Bunny Brunel waited for just the right time to put out the second issue of the much-anticipated lifestyle magazine for iconic jazz bassists. Virtuoso Bass seized the moment to retain Ty-Ron Mayes (America’s Next Top Model, Daymond John, Agenda) and NY photographer Udo Spreitzenbarth (Catherine Zeta-Jones, John Legend) to create the fashion/lifestyle editorial of Ron Carter titled, “Ode to the Upright.”

“A lot has happened since the launch of the first issue back in 2020. I was all geared up to feature some amazing bass talent. Sadly, when covid came, it destroyed a lot of people’s plans and Virtuoso Bass was not immune. But we’re glad to be back with a brand new issue, featuring phenomenal bass players. Being a bassist is not just about supporting the band, even though that is definitely the main purpose, but there is a level a player reaches when suddenly people sit up and take notice. My vision is still to put a spotlight on bass players who’ve made a real impact, are at the top of their game, and even created their own sound and style. Ron Carter is one of those bassists. Buster Williams, another great bassist who plays the upright is such a great musician and another player with an impressive number of performances. And we will always include women bass players just like in our first issue when we profiled female bassist Carol Kaye. This issue we chose another talented woman, Australian-born bassist Tal Wilkenfeld.” —Bunny Brunel

Ron Carter is highly featured throughout the issue with his recent release of the PBS documentary, Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes. The timing couldn’t have been better. Virtuoso Bass was able to feature a review.

“The most recorded bassist in history tells his story in this intensely moving documentary. This detailed biography gives us an insight into the life of the revered jazz icon.”—Virtuoso Bass

Carter is also included in the reviews of unconventional album releases: Ray Brown Jazz Cello; Ron Carter Dear Miles; and Paul Chambers Bass On Top.

“Working with Bunny Brunel to help him realize his vision for Virtuoso Bass is not only exciting, but it’s a real education. To be able to co-curate such a beautiful periodical and learn about jazz bass on such a deep level is compelling. I met Ron Carter after seeing him perform at the Catalina Jazz Club in Los Angeles back in 2015. Virtuoso Bass has given me the opportunity to experience this legend again. After exploring Carter’s music, watching his documentary, and poring over the images to make the final selection for his lifestyle editorial, I am unbelievably honored to be a part of this incredible history in the making! —Kaylene Peoples, Executive Editor

“What an honor it was to add a little extra sparkle to double bassist Ron Carter’s star. The maestro of jazz has got swag all day long and I wanted to show that he is still ‘mad fly.’ The moment I saw that woven, wool military-style suit with black iridescent flecks intricately peppered through the ensemble by Cillian Atelier, paired with that classic beret, I knew our cover would not only capture the look of the moment, but would also successfully define the tone of Virtuoso Bass, exemplifying the strength of this multi-Grammy Award-winning musical soldier. Carter’s editorial also highlights his “ageless” spirit that has experienced a life that still has so much to offer.” –Ty-Ron Mayes

Included in this issue is Bakithi Kumalo’s review of his CD “What You Hear Is What You See” and Buster Williams’s (& Something More) review of “Audacity. Journalist Sheryl Aronson interviews the revered bassist, Buster Williams, who has performed with a range of musicians including Thelonious Monk, Sonny Stitt, and Sarah Vaughan.

“You create something that is unconstrained; it doesn’t come from talking about this is what we’re going to create. You just start playing, you’re enjoying each other. Another thing is repertoire doesn’t necessarily change so drastically. You’re playing the same tunes, night after night, and because of your creative being, you strive to do something different. And you’re developing, you’re growing. So, the music develops and grows. What happened with Herbie [Hancock] The Sextet, is we were willing to let the music grow to the point where the music was the defining determinant of our actions. Rather than going on the bandstand and saying, ‘okay, this is what we’re going to play tonight.’ No, the music told us what we were going to play, and how it’s going to happen. This can’t happen without trust. And trust like that can’t really happen unless you’ve built a body that the collective reality of each one of you surrenders to. This collective body is what is determining things. This collective body belongs to the music. It wasn’t about any one of us, it was about the trust that we had.” –Buster Williams, Virtuoso Bass

Jon Liebman is the founder of the popular website Forbassplayersonly.com and has interviewed 800 bass players including Sting, Paul McCartney, etc. After publishing nine very successful instructional books for bass players, he recently put out Funk/Jazz/Bass endorsed by Bunny Brunel, Alain Caron, Carlitos Del Puerto, Bakithi Kumalo, and Chuck Rainey with the Foreword by Nathan East. Funk/Jazz/Bass is Liebman’s first non-instructional book that “illustrates the numerous possibilities of playing funk/jazz bass by analyzing how the bass greats have done it.” In Liebman’s interview, he talks about his background as a bassist, and what inspired his website and his latest book. “Funk/Jazz/Bass is ‘a play in the style of’ book. And I tried to get a good cross-section of some of my bass heroes. [There is] Richard Bona, Bryan Bromberg, Meshell Ndegeocello, there are 30 altogether.” –Jon Liebman, Virtuoso Bass

“Remembering Chick Corea” is a retrospective on the legendary keyboardist’s life. Anybody who knows anything about Bunny Brunel, knows his career was launched as a result of his nine years playing with Corea. It was Bunny’s desire to pay tribute to the brilliant fusion pianist who changed his life. Inside issue 2, Virtuoso Bass delves deep, profiling the 23-time Grammy-winning pianist and featuring highlights from Corea’s most recent interviews, his important releases, and his wildly prolific career. And in “Bunny Brunel Moments,” Bunny talks candidly about his time with the keyboard giant whose music will always live on.

Virtuoso Bass investigates two fast-growing Facebook Groups, For Bassists and Jazz Rock Fusion. And if you ever wanted to know who invented the drum machine, interviewed this issue is Roger Linn who tells the backstory that leads up to his latest technology, the LinnStrument.

Virtuoso Bass features contributions from Bunny Brunel (Editor at Large), Kaylene Peoples (Executive Editor), Florentino Buenaventura (Tech Editor), Sean McKenzie (Managing Editor), Sheryl Aronson (Buster Williams Interview); Udo Spreitzenbarth (Cover & Editorial Photographer), Ty-Ron Mayes (Stylist for Cover & Editorial), and Quintell-Williams Carter (Fashion Assistant for Cover & Editorial)

Advertisers: LaBella Strings, SIR Studios, and The Gibson Bass Book

Published by KL Publishing Group, a Verum Company

About Virtuoso Bass:

Bunny Brunel is the Editor at Large of the premier lifestyle magazine for bass players. Launched in 2020, the very first issue featured Bunny Brunel on the cover, Kyle Eastwood (back cover), Eddie Gomez, Carol Kaye, Larry Dunn, Stanley Clarke, and AMPEG SVT. Bunny Brunel talks about his mission for the magazine. “I want to talk about great players, and some of these guys, nobody ever mentions. If the media is going to publicize bass players, they should focus their attention on those great players who are responsible for what followed after,”—Bunny Brunel.

To purchase the print version of Virtuoso Bass Issue 2, visit Amazon.com. To get the digital copy, visit virtusosbass.com. For an exclusive autographed copy of Virtuoso Bass magazine by Bunny Brunel, please visit bunnybrunel.com/bunnys-store

Release Written by Sean McKenzie for First Take PR

September 17, 2022September 28, 2023

The 5th Annual Oxnard Jazz Festival Closes the Summer Festival Season with a Variety of Jazz Styles and Legendary Musical Artists

5th Annual Oxnard Jazz Festival Highlights

Jeffrey Osborne and Eric Darius headlined at the 2022 Oxnard Jazz Festival that featured a talented lineup of musicians with Kelly’s Lot, Queens of Soul Jazz, Blake Aaron, Gold Coast Horns, Hiroshima; Thee Travis Miller, Erin Stevenson, Paula Atherton, Bunny Brunel, The Emotions, & Darryl Walker. And Executive Producer Chuck Dennis was honored by the City of Oxnard.

September 17, 2022 – Oxnard, CA

On September 10th-11th, 2022, the Oxnard Jazz Festival presented a bigger-than-life concert event following a two-year hiatus. Lovers of jazz, soul, Latin, blues, and R&B came out in droves. The outdoor festival accommodated over 4,000 ticket holders with a sea of vendors, great cuisine, and most of all, great music. The festival featured artists with household names, as well as local talent. The top contemporary jazz bands graced the OJF stage, many are Billboard-charting artists. What is unique about the festival, it offers a stage and embraces diversity, women musicians, and honors legends. Paula Atherton, whose new release is climbing the Billboard charts performed on Sunday. This multi-instrumentalist not only played sax and flute, but she sang, too. Queens of Soul Jazz, starring Billboard chart-topping artists saxophonist Jeanette Harris and flutist Althea Renee brought the house down with their highly skilled instrumental set, and renown singer Erin Stevenson captivated with her soulful vocal performance. The Oxnard Jazz festival brought to the stage top smooth jazz artists saxophonist Eric Darius, vocalist Darryl Walker, guitarist Blake Aaron, and introduced the new group Gold Coast Horns with Billboard artists saxophonist Jeff Ryan, trumpeters Lin Rountree and Johnny Britt performing.

The Oxnard Jazz Festival showed the world that we only get better with age. Legendary Musicians with 40-year careers fascinated the crowd who enthusiastically embraced and praised these seasoned icons. The Grammy-winning group, The Emotions, are still performing and evoking old school memories. During their performance, people crowded around the stage to sing along to their well-loved songs. Fusion giant Bunny Brunel played the groove-heavy music of his Grammy-nominated band CAB as the audience listened and watched in awe the former Chick Corea band member. Hiroshima who has sold over 50 million albums in their career is still penetrating souls with their esoteric, thoughtful music. And the 70-something, multi-Grammy-nominated crooner Jeffrey Osborne, is still the stirring entertainer he was in his 40s—nothing has changed! Osborne was engaging and comical during his show while he performed his litany of hit songs at the Oxnard Jazz Festival. Even with the inclement weather on that Saturday, the headliner told the audience, “If at 74 years of age, I can feel energetic, then so can you. Let’s party with me singing my “old school” songs. Are you with me? And the audience’s approval kicked Osborne’s performance into high gear. He brought the house down!

On the opening day of the festival, Oxnard’s mayor, John C. Zaragoza, presented Chuck Dennis a Certificate of Appreciation for the 5th Annual Oxnard Jazz Festival. Dennis was also honored by Ventura’s city council with Vince Stewart presenting.

Chuck-Dennis-Awarded-by-Ventura-City-Council — Chuck Dennis Awarded by Venture City Council

Chuck Dennis, Producer of the Oxnard Jazz Festival:

“The highlights of the festival for me was watching the faces and the expressions of the audience of people really having a good time. The Oxnard Jazz festival is not just me, it also includes my great team. And I was especially thrilled to have been able to introduce my personal group, The Gold Coast Horns, on the OJF stage. We have a brand-new single called ‘Bounce to This’—this was their introduction to the world!”

Sheryl Aronson, OJF’s PR Director of Artist Relations

“The community of Oxnard works together to put on this great festival. The staff is very loyal and has worked with Chuck for years, we’re just such a great team, making the absolute best experience for the ticket holders. The motto is “Feel the Groove,” and you can really see that. Everybody gets up and dances. People and some of the VIPs have been coming back for years and everybody knows each other. It’s just like one big happy family get-together!”

The all-star lineup with two days of performances, as well as a diverse range of music, gave the festival goers a potpourri of styles. The OJF is an outdoor festival, held at the Oxnard Beach Park, and those in attendance came out in droves in spite of the weather. Day 1 was unprecedently gloomy with intermittent rain. Guests said that it was a break and a relief from the heatwave Southern California had been experiencing. On day 2, the sun came out and temperatures exceeded 100 degrees, but it didn’t stop the party. Music lovers filled the venue both days and some even traveled across the country to see their favorite musicians; and Kyle Eastwood and Sherry Gordy were just a few of the celebrities that were also in attendance.

OJF’s Lineup on Saturday, September 10, 2022:

Kelly’s Lot; Queens of Soul Jazz (Jeanette Harris and Althea Renee); Blake Aaron; Gold Coast Horns (Johnny Britt, Jeff Ryan, Lin Rountree); Hiroshima; and Jeffrey Osborne

OJF’s Lineup on Sunday, September 11, 2022:

Thee Travis Miller; Erin Stevenson, Paula Atherton; Bunny Brunel; The Emotions; Darryl Walker; and Eric Darius

“Shout out to Oxnard. The entire city is amazing, I’m just so thankful to be here. Everybody is so wonderful and they know all the lyrics! It’s just such a blessing to still be doing this. I’m 70 years old, but I still feel 30. I love singing, and that’s what keeps me young.” –The Emotions, Wanda Hutchinson-Vaughn

“I had a great time playing to such a welcoming crowd at the Oxnard Jazz Festival. I was joined by some amazing musicians, playing the music of CAB as well as honoring the person who started my career, Chick Corea. I always pay a small tribute to him on my shows with tunes like we did today, ‘The Slide’ and ‘Spain.’ I have to give it to Chuck Dennis for extending his platform to jazz-fusion.” –Bunny Brunel

“We never consider the people who listen to our music as fans but as a part of our growing cultural community. The whole point is [to bring people together], it’s about unity, and that’s why June [Kuramoto] can play from her heart because she wants to bring people back there every time she plays.” –Hiroshima, Dan Kuramoto

About OJF’s Headliners:

Jeffrey Osborne OJF 2022 — Jeffrey Osborne (Photo: Sheryl Aronson)

“The audience makes it fresh because it’s always different. I am striving to touch the people who come to my concerts, which is the most important component to my performance. I want to make sure everyone enjoys themselves and has a good time—it stays fresh with me. My first love is performing live. I love recording, but there is a cold aspect to it. It’s just me and an engineer. But performing live, I’m out in front of people that have been my fans for many years and their chemistry is what gets me going. I feed off of them and they feed off of me, and there’s no other feeling like it.”—Jeffrey Osborne, AGENDA Magazine

Eric Darius Oxnard Jazz Fest 2022 — Eric Darius (Photo: Sheryl Aronson)

“I’ve evolved in every single way. When I go back and listen to my older albums, I feel everything has been elevated. I’m always pushing myself musically. From a stage performance standpoint, I’m bringing new dimensions to my show.” Eric Darius goes on to say, “I’m passionate about what I do; I am someone who gives 110% and someone who truly loves sharing his gift of music. I believe God has blessed me with this gift. The fans motivate me and inspire me. I’ve stayed true to myself and stayed true to my music.”—Eric Darius, Schmooze Jazz Magazine

The 5^th Annual Oxnard Jazz Festival Sponsors:

Presenting Sponsors: Chuck Dennis Production, Alexander Cadillac, Stella Artois, Advocate Society Wellness, T-Mobile, The Port of Hueneme, Bard Boys, Victoria Entertainment, LLC
Gold Sponsors: Coast Cart, Hueneme Beach Festival, Schmooze Jazz Magazine, Coca-Cola, City of Oxnard, Mission Healthcare
Media Sponsors: KJLH 102.3 FM, Fuego 97.1 FM, Old School 104.7 FM; Alpha Digital Printing (ADP), Divine Brown Media Group, Emerald City Communications & Marketing, LLC
Community Partners: Bud Light, Bomb Life (Ventura County), Good Choice Catering, Costco Wholesale, Holiday Inn Express (An IHG Hotel), IMW – IVIE McNeil Wyatt Purch & Diggs; Fantasy Life Car Show, Marriott Ventura Beach, Pucker Up, Residence Inn Marriott, Nestle; Orange Theory Fitness, Salzer’s Records, Union Bank, Switch Car Club, Sparkletts, Mission Healthcare, Victoria Entertainment, LLC

“After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, it was very exciting to work on this year’s jazz festival. As the festival’s executive director, the goal for our fifth year was to bring A-list Jazz, Latin, Soul, Blues, and R&B musicians, vibrant retail, and diverse food vendors, as well as many other inviting attractions to make the festival a top-level event and destination to close out the summer festival season. With over 4000 attendees smiling, dancing, singing, enjoying friends and family among the swaying palm trees near the beach with beautiful white sand dunes and the Pacific blue waters in the background, I think we accomplished our goal!”—Daphne King, Executive Director of the Oxnard Jazz Festival

About Oxnard Jazz Festival:

With the motto, “Feel the Groove,” OJF is a cultural music celebration offering a diverse concert experience with the option of VIP seating in an incredible outdoor setting, complemented by scenic beaches, vendor booth shopping, cultural foods, and many other inviting attractions that make the festival a top event and destination to close out the summer festival season. The Oxnard Jazz Festival is a medley of jazz, Latin, soul, blues, and R&B. Southern California’s best-kept secret, Ventura County, is the gateway to the “Gold Coast” and home to some of the most respected jazz musicians in the country. The city of Oxnard is a vibrant and culturally diverse community, and known as the “Strawberry Capital.” Its historical, recreational, and environmental assets make it listed as one of the wealthiest areas in America, cultivating an exciting celebration of music. The Oxnard Beach Park has beautiful white sand dunes and Pacific blue waters in the background, offering a resort experience. The beaches are known for their sunshine, mild surf, and easy access; they are a five-mile stretch of sand that’s a romantic spot for sunset watchers. If you love music, you will love the Oxnard Jazz Festival! (oxnardjazzfestival.com)

September 14, 2022September 19, 2022

AGENDA Cover Models Coco Mitchell & Ty-Ron Mayes Talk “Career” on the Fashion Whisperer Podcast!

Coco Mitchell (Front) and Ty-Ron Mayes (Back) Cover Models

Supermodel Coco Mitchell dazzles on the front cover and celebrity stylist Ty-Ron Mayes shines on the flip cover of AGENDA magazine Issue 18. Both are mavericks in the world of fashion, gaining endless exposure and worldwide recognition. These fashion trailblazers have an engaging dialogue, offering hidden gems of knowledge, including how to thrive as people of color in a competitive industry. Coco Mitchell talks about her early beginnings as a model during her interview, and AGENDA’s editor-in-chief Kaylene Peoples shares how the Fashion Whisperer became a part of the magazine.

September 14, 2022 – Los Angeles, CA

“Coco Mitchell was part of that first wave of Black models who came onto the fashion industry, mainstream, and at a top level. We were all just making it up as we went along, fighting for contracts, fighting to be on the runway, fighting to be in ads, fighting for covers. It was a movement for visibility [and] for representation, because Black people were spending a lot of money buying the top designer labels [including] Calvin Klein jeans, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, and still to this day, Gucci. There was an unwritten call to start having Black people in some of these ads and some of these covers, and more representation that would match the dollars that were coming out of the fashion industry.”–Ty-Ron Mayes

It all started with a fortuitous encounter with Eileen Ford who planted a seed in the mind of the young unassuming school teacher Coco Mitchell. And after one year of teaching at a Catholic school, Coco followed Eileen’s suggestion and made a call to destiny. “I got discovered by Eileen Ford [of Ford Models] on the streets of New York City. She walked up to me and asked me if I had a book. I replied, ‘I have lots of books.’” Mitchell continues, “I just graduated from college, and I’m going to be a teacher. I start in two months.” During the course of this conversation, Eileen informed her that what she’d be making every two weeks as a teacher, she could make every 20-30 minutes as a model. And the “book” Ford was referring to, she explained to Mitchell that it was a book with her pictures in it—a model’s portfolio. –Fashion Whisperer Podcast

Since that phone call, Coco Mitchell has been on a continuous, lucrative adventure as a model, working with some of the most iconic designers and campaigns around the world in the last four decades. From being a Kelly Girl to walking the runway for the biggest fashion brands, the former elementary school teacher was featured in MADEMOISELLE, GLAMOUR, Italian and French VOGUE. Coco was one of the first African American models to be in THE SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIMSUIT ISSUE and has worked with Francesco Scavullo, Herb Ritts, Armani, Versace, Dior, Givenchy, Valentino, just to touch the surface of her illustrious career. And after her first modeling assignment in the late 70s, she hasn’t missed a beat and shares the title as one of the hardest working supermodels in the industry.

Coco Mitchell talks about the fit model:

“I was still so new to modeling that I didn’t know before I met Ralph Rucci that models did fittings. Ralph approached me at a restaurant, ‘Coco Mitchell, I would love for you to do my fittings.’ When I did a fitting, I fit my clothes for what I’m wearing in the show, not do fittings. I said to him, ‘I don’t understand what you’re talking about?’ He said, ‘I want you to fit my whole collection.’” Mitchell talks about how she expanded her career as a fit model for Badgley Mischka, Chado Ralph Rucci, Donna Karan, and others. She added, “You could make a quarter of a million dollars just doing fittings!”—Fashion Whisperer Podcast

Ty-Ron Mayes has styled over 150 magazine covers and countless celebrities, including Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum, Carol Alt, Iman, Adriana Lima, Tyson Beckford, Megan Fox, Eminem, Daymond John, Leelee Sobieski, Renauld White, M.J. Rodriguez, Ron Carter, Halle Berry, Michelle Rodriguez, Mariah Carey, Lauren Hutton, and others. He was the fashion consultant to Tyra Banks for America’s Next Top Model Cycle 20, and was not only on Cycle 21, but was appointed by Tyra as ANTM’s first Lead Wardrobe Stylist. His career as a celebrity stylist was officially launched by Francesco Scavullo and Sean Byrnes, where he styled Oprah Winfrey on several magazine covers. Mayes has styled international editions of VOGUE, HARPER’S BAZAAR, ELLE, MARIE CLAIRE, and COSMOPOLITAN magazines. He has works with many prestigious photographers, including David LaChapelle, Sante D’Orazio, Anne Menke, Udo Spreitzenbarth, Antoine Verglas, Mike Ruiz, Marlena Bielinska, Emin Kadi, Matthew Jordan Smith, Mark Borthwick, Marc Baptiste, Yu Tsai, Ezequiel de la Rosa, and Greg Gorman. Some of Mayes’s advertising clients are Stila Cosmetics, Maybelline, Miss Clairol, Clairol Beauty Collection, Iman Cosmetics, FUBU, and the Guess campaign. Designers with whom Ty-Ron has cultivated relationships include Custo Barcelona, Carmen Marc Valvo, The Blonds, Nicole Miller, Zang Toi, and Lie Sang Bong. And Ty-Ron Mayes was given the name, “The Super Stylist.”

AGENDA’s editor-in-chief, Kaylene Peoples, approached Mayes about his being on the flip cover of issue 18. Ty-Ron was initially featured in the magazine years ago when AGENDA (agendamag.com) was exclusively online. Peoples later featured Rick Genest (Zombie Boy), an editorial styled by Mayes, which appeared in the 2014 inaugural “print” issue of AGENDA Special Edition I: “Fall Is Fascinating.” In 2018, print issue 6, Mayes was featured in Fashion Trailblazers, a 14-page retrospective, titled, “Ty-Ron Mayes: An Inside View of His Fabulous, Fashionable Court.” Also, in that issue, Ty-Ron styled Supermodel Maria Borges for the cover story, as well as the fashion spreads with Kelly LeBrock and Phil Sullivan.

“Ty-Ron and I discussed his being a part of AGENDA’s team in 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic. We had a great synergy and tended to think alike when it came to fashion stories. I was delighted when he agreed to come on board. The Fashion Whisperer made its debut, and issue 12, ‘Generation Quarantine – Pandemic 2020 the Fashionable Response’ was our PSA, becoming the holy grail of that perilous epoch and now part of AGENDA’s time capsule. AGENDA was one of the pandemic’s first responders for the written word in a fashion and lifestyle print magazine, and helped to open dialogue for other fashion periodicals; and the fashion story, ‘Generation Quarantine,’ was pivotal during that time.”—Kaylene Peoples, AGENDA Editor-in-Chief

Mitchell and Mayes star in their own stunning fashion editorials. Ty-Ron styles both spreads, featuring clothes and accessories (for Coco Mitchell) by Versus by Versace, Zang Toi, Donna Karan, Salvatore Ferragamo, Carmen Marc Valvo, and Sam’s Army & Navy, photographed by Ezequiel de la Rosa; and (for Ty-Ron Mayes) with Roberto Cavalli, Alessandro Gherardeschi, Tahari, vintage Jean-Paul Gaultier, Eliza J., Christian Louboutin, Zars London, Tiffany & Co., Salvatore Ferragamo, and Versace, photographed by Udo Spreitzenbarth with makeup, hair, and grooming by Ty-Ron Mayes for Paper Faces.

“The fashion stories, ‘In Love with the Coco’ and ‘Ty-Ron Mayes – Fashion Whisperer’ are both compelling and wonderfully styled editorials that are beautiful additions to this highly curated issue of AGENDA, which is all about inclusion. Coco Mitchell has been on our radar for some time, her being our cover model is not only thrilling, but beyond ideal as we approached the current fashion season; and Ty-Ron Mayes living on AGENDA’s flip cover has been a long time coming . . . and way overdue!”–Kaylene Peoples

With prestigious campaigns with Thierry Mugler’s “White Sands,” Virginia Slims, Benson and Hedges, and countless television commercials, Coco Mitchell has spoken at FIT, Pratt, and the Phoenix Art Museum in conjunction with PAM’s “Chado Ralph Rucci” exhibit. Coco Mitchell is now consulting, coaching, casting, directing editorial shoots, and assisting those both established and emerging in their modeling careers, and continues to give back to the very community that has enriched her life in countless ways!

Ty-Ron Mayes is one of New York’s most sought-after celebrity stylists who not only dresses his famous clientele, but also models. Mayes has walked in the highly touted Blue Jacket Fashion Show for three years in a row.

“When I was asked by founder Frederick Anderson to be part of The Blue Jacket Fashion Show, I was super excited, because the charity itself brings awareness to the prevention of prostate cancer. This was an opportunity for me to join the men’s health movement. The Blue Jacket Show brings together celebrities from the fashion, sports, news, and entertainment industries to have a national conversation about the risks of this disease. This year the focus was on African American & Latin men in America who statistically are the highest documented incidence rates of prostate cancer in the world.” – Ty-Ron Mayes

Check out Ty-Ron Mayes and Coco Mitchell’s cover stories in AGENDA Issue 18: “Black Design Collective” (Digital & Print). To listen to Ty-Ron’s interview with Coco Mitchell, visit The Fashion Whisperer Podcast at agendamag.com. AGENDA is published by KL Publishing Group. (@agendamag)

Written by Sean McKenzie
E: firsttakepr@aol.com
First Take PR (https://www.firsttakepr.com)

August 26, 2022September 28, 2023

“Black Design Collective” Is the Focus of AGENDA Magazine, Issue 18!

AGENDA Issue #18 "Black Design Collective" Highights

AGENDA features Black fashion designers, NAACP Image Awards “Colors Behind the Look,” and more in this exciting issue of AGENDA. Melanie Wise, Udo Spreitzenbarth; cover models Coco Mitchell and AGENDA’s Fashion Whisperer Ty-Ron Mayes; SHROOMS the cookbook; Aaron Walton, AMATO Couture Menswear runway; Jurassic World Dominion, The 355; and Kaylene Peoples Fashion Talk complete the story of this 151-page book periodical!

Los Angeles, August 26, 2022

AGENDA has been putting a spotlight on Black design talent since their first feature with Black Design Collective’s Co-Founder, TJ Walker of Cross Colours in Issue 10. What followed was Geoff Duran (Issue 11), BDC Founder Angela Dean of Deanzign (Issue 12), Sergio Hudson (Issue 13), OTG Essentials by Okera Banks (Issue 14), Apotts and Epperson (Issue 15), Agnes Bethel Shoes (Issue 16), Renaldo Barnette (Issue 17); and Byron Lars, Octavius Terry-Sims of Groom, and Kevan Hall were all featured in AGENDA Collector’s Issue 3: Changemakers. The world was informed that there is a kaleidoscope of “all” colors that make up the artisans behind the clothes we love. After a long hiatus following the release of Issue 17, Couture Paper Doll’s, AGENDA’s contributing staff helped to create another packed issue, appropriately titled, “Black Design Collective,” a nod to this pioneering nonprofit, created to bring awareness, mentor, aid and elevate Black design talent.

Catching up to Issue 18, Black Design Collective, the 151-page book periodical heavily features Black designers, a milliner, beauty brands, and pop-up shops. On the cover is supermodel Coco Mitchell who helped usher in a new generation of Black American models. And on the back cover is celebrity stylist Ty-Ron Mayes, AGENDA’s Fashion Whisperer and America’s Next Top Model Wardrobe Stylist. Mitchell and Mayes are featured in breathtaking editorials shot by photographers Ezequiel de la Rosa and Udo Spreitzenbarth.

AGENDA interviews Tori Nichel (NBC Fashion Star) of Maison Black, Lisa McFadden Millinery, Byron Lars (Barbie) on his new collection by In Earnest, EPPERSON (Project Runway) and his latest fashion editorial EVOLUTION; and a recap of the NAACP Image Awards fashion event “Colors Behind the Look,” headlining with Kevan Hall (president of the Black Design Collective) and BDC designers EPPERSON, Byron Lars, BDC Co-Founder TJ Walker’s Cross Colours, and menswear designer Isaiah Hemmingway. Also featured this issue is “Emerge in Color,” a curated pop-up store headed by the Black Fashion Movement and Maison Black. This one-of-a-kind shopping event successfully launched at the Beverly Center in Los Angeles.

This intensely diverse issue also includes New York celebrity photographer Udo Spreitzenbarth and his traveling photo exhibition titled “Between Light & Dark”; The Swedish brand, Dagmar’s S/S 2022 sustainable collection; and AMATO Couture Menswear collection.

“Immune System Maintenance? Ain’t No Such a Thing!” is an article by wellness expert Melanie Wise of Wise Remedies. Sheryl Aronson (Arting Around) interviews Aaron Walton in “From Fashion Icon to Advertising Mogul, the CEO and Co-Founder of Walton Isaacson.” Fashion Archives presents a blast from the past with vintage Oscar de la Renta, photographed by Arun Nevader. And book reviewer Zac Baldwin critiques movies made from books, ranging from authors Stephen King to Dean Koontz. Universal Pictures and Amblin Productions presents Jurassic World Dominion and the backstory to the end of an era; and Universal Pictures in Association with FilmNation Entertainment presents The 355, an action film starring Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz, and Lupita Nyong’o, now streaming on Prime.

Beauty editor Shahada Karim reviews the products Beautystat, Mented Cosmetics, and Oui the People. And Karim gushes about her new cookbook, SHROOMS, a book filled with “healing” recipes, based on the medicinal qualities of mushrooms.

Fashion Talk was inspired by the film, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris.

“I just saw the film Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris. The film was set in 1957, about a maid who wants an haute couture dress. The movie triggered so many things in me. I would see a dress on the runway and covet it. Once, I attended a Carolina Herrera fashion show, and I saw this model in a gown that I had to have. To this day, I want that dress! Needless to say, it was way out of my budget. But I got how Mrs. Harris felt. Many of us are Mrs. Harris. That’s what high fashion is all about. Giving the fantasy that an outfit could change our lives. And creating a story with clothing, clothing that encompasses all the accessories, much like a finished painting. If Oscar de la Renta was alive today, I’d love to ask what inspired him when he created the perfect dress!” – “The Art of Dressing” by Kaylene Peoples, Fashion Talk

AGENDA Issue 18, “Black Design Collective” is sure to enlighten and entertain. You might heal an ailment, find a cute dress, or even buy a hat and a pair of gloves. But one thing is certain, you’re sure to enjoy the read . . . and don’t forget to shop Black! (@agendamag). Visit Agendamag.com/shop to purchase the digital magazine. AGENDA is published by klpublishinggroup.com.

Get your copy today of AGENDA Issue 18: “Black Design Collective.” Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BBXSTVGR

July 27, 2022September 28, 2023

EnterTalk & JackTrip Present a Virtual Musical Supergroup, Featuring the Legendary Musicians Larry Dunn & Bunny Brunel

EnterTalk-JackTrip-LarryDunn-BunnyBrunel-artwork

Legendary Musicians Larry Dunn and Bunny Brunel, Drummer Roger Friend and Guitarist Charles Julian Fearing performed JackTrip virtual collaboration technology during a live performance on January 27^th, 2022; the event was co-sponsored by industry insider outlet EnterTalk.

Los Angeles, CA, July 27, 2022

JackTrip Labs and EnterTalk partnered to host a one-of-a-kind musical showcase, powered by JackTrip’s revolutionary Virtual Studio. Streaming on JackTrip Radio, it featured legendary musical icons 7-time Grammy winner Larry Dunn, 2-time Grammy-nominated Bunny Brunel, 2-time Grammy/Emmy-winner Roger Friend, and guitarist/producer Charles Julian Fearing. These musicians performed together live (remotely) from multiple locations and demonstrated groundbreaking, “real-time” musical collaborations, using high-speed, low-latency tools. The group of players connected with famed drummer Roger Friend for this hybrid experience.

”I’m really looking forward to performing with the other great talents, all from my studio! This is an absolutely amazing development in audio technology, from a rehearsal and collaboration standpoint,” enthuses keyboardist Larry Dunn, a driving force behind this event. “To be able to have credible sessions with musicians as far as 500 miles away is awesome!”

During NAMM 2022, using JackTrip’s technology, Grammy winner and virtual choir pioneer Eric Whitacre led virtual singers in the debut performance of his piece, “Sing Gently.” A cloud-based platform, the technology allows musicians to perform in near-perfect sync while they are miles apart from one another. In the Virtual Studio, jams never sacrifice the experience of actually performing together.

“I was skeptical, I’m so critical about every sixteenth note being so precise. It was so tight and so much fun. I was blown away.”—Roger Friend

Virtual technology has grown leaps and bounds in the last few years, but the JackTrip team has been working on their tech for two decades. Their dual focus on sound quality and speed means musicians who can’t be together in the same place can still come together, forging connections that once seemed impossible.

“This will change the game for many musicians, possibly performing live shows in our separate living rooms while fans watch from the comfort of their own homes. In this pandemic world that we’re becoming accustomed to, this is just the thing to bring music back in a big way . . . and all of us together again!”—Bunny Brunel

“[JackTrip] brings everyone closer together. There are opportunities for live concerts, for education. There are a lot of people in the virtual technology race, but JackTrip separates from the pack. You win if it’s done right.”—Charles Julian Fearing.

“Just the quality of the event rehearsal really blew me away,” gushes JackTrip CEO Mike Dickey. “I really wanted to share this with as many people as possible.”

Jack Dickey talks about recording simultaneously and how distance and the quality of the participants’ internet connection play a big role in preventing a lag during a virtual live remote collaboration: “If you have a fiber internet connection, that seems to work the best so far. For example, if you’re within 1000 miles from Los Angeles and you’re on a fiber internet connection, you can generally play really well with other people. We have people from San Diego, Los Angeles, and Seattle that are jamming regularly on the platform. If you don’t have a fiber internet connection, then we found the radius is a bit smaller, anywhere from 500 to 300 miles. But that’s still a lot further than having to be there in person physically with someone else.”

This joint event between JackTrip and EnterTalk (entertalkmedia.com) was more than just a show, it was a sign of possibilities to come. “I love the idea that we can make it accessible for musicians that are rehearsing together, and I think there are a lot of people out there that would love to be able to participate in a session like that.”

“It’s the holy grail of internet jamming, giving you the ability to play, collaborate, write, or just have fun with people—even people you may not know—and do that live; and that is a technology called JackTrip!”—Florentino Buenaventura of EnterTalk & The Changing Stage

The session on July 27th, was broadcast live at 2PM PST on JackTrip Radio, standing as proof positive of endless future opportunities.

A LITTLE ABOUT THE MUSICIANS:

Larry Dunn helped transform Earth Wind & Fire into one of the all-time most successful R&B bands in the world with sales of more than 100 million albums worldwide, 7 GRAMMYs, 13 GRAMMY nominations, 4 American Music Awards, 32 Gold & Platinum/Multi-Platinum Records & Albums, a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as other industry awards. Larry Dunn is Earth Wind & Fire’s original keyboardist/composer/co-producer who co-wrote the only #1 crossover pop hit, “Shining Star.” (larrydunnmusic.com)

A musician’s musician, bassist/composer Bunny Brunel has two Grammy-nominations, one for his 9-year stint in Chick Corea (for Secret Agent) and for his own band CAB (for CAB 2). He is one of the founding fathers of the jazz bass fusion movement, has authored countless instructional books, designed basses for Carvin, Gibson, and ESP Guitars, including his own creation, the (BBEUB) Bunny Brunel Electric Upright Bass. Brunel has performed/toured/recorded with Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, Wayne Shorter, Stevie Wonder, Natalie Cole, Tania Maria, and countless others. And he serves as the Editor at Large of the premier lifestyle magazine for bass players, Virtuoso Bass. (bunnybrunel.com)

Touring in more than 100 countries, Roger Friend is a high level, multi-faceted drummer and percussionist whose performed with Tom Jones, ABBA, Tom Scott, The Rippingtons, Bamboo Forest, BB King, Steve Oliver, Dweezil Zappa and countless others, he has won 2 Grammys and 2 Emmys (rogerfriend.com); and Charles Julian Fearing is a multitalented lead guitarist, vocalist, writer, producer, and arranger who has recorded with Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Herb Alpert, Nancy Wilson, Lionel Richie, Bonnie Rait, The Crusaders, and Celine Dion.

To learn more about the company JackTrip, EnterTalk’s Florentino Buenaventura interviews CEO Mike Dickey on The Changing Stage at https://entertalkmedia.com/the-future-of-musical-collaboration-online-jacktrip-ceo-mike-dikey-and-friends/. (https://jacktrip.radio/)

Press Release by First Take PR

April 17, 2022September 28, 2023

SAXOPHONIST DAVE KOZ GRACES THE COVER OF THE INAUGURAL ISSUE OF SCHMOOZE JAZZ MAGAZINE

Dave-Koz-Schmooze-jazz-magazine-cover-web

Gerald Albright, Jeanette Harris, Lin Roundtree, Adelaide Pilar, Lori Jenaire are also featured; and Nick Colionne is remembered. Plus, concert/festival recaps and countless CD/single reviews are in the first print issue.

April 18, 2022, Los Angeles, CA

KL Publishing Group is excited to launch the first issue of SCHMOOZE JAZZ magazine, featuring the cover and exclusive interview with Dave Koz (94.7 The Wave). The cover was part of a lifestyle photo shoot by photographer Ash Gupta (Ben Affleck, AGENDA Magazine). SCHMOOZE JAZZ interviews Billboard charting musicians Lin Roundtree, Gerald Albright, Jeanette Harris. Also inside the issue are Latin singer/trumpeter Adelaide Pilar and Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter/composer Lori Jenaire who is also an advocate for AARDA, an association dedicated to finding a cure for autoimmune diseases. Also featured is the late Nick Colionne – an intense biography of his life and a complete breakdown with reviews of Colionne’s entire catalogue of recorded music.

“As an artist, I’ve been around for a long time, making music, releasing music, and traveling for over 31 years. I feel in many ways, the foundational work of my career is already complete. The pandemic has opened my eyes to the world around me to music, and to the way our culture is now with regards to the discovery of many different things in the music world, which are right at our fingertips. Whether on social media, or someone telling you about something, we have so many more music makers out there making and releasing music than ever before.” –Dave Koz, SCHMOOZE JAZZ

This first issue of SCHMOOZE JAZZ does an intense recap of festivals and concerts with performances by Norman Brown, Mindi Abair, Herbie Hancock, Peter White, Patrice Rushen, Bunny Brunel, Smokey Robinson, Eric Benet, Kenny Lattimore, Mariea Antoinette, and more.

94.7 The Wave’s Pat Prescott:
“I think the music has survived all the bumps in the road, and that it will continue to thrive. Festivals like these bring the artists and their artistry to an adoring fan base. It’s a grown folk’s party, and we’re in a stage in our lives where we’re still able to enjoy these festivals . . . and party! The music is alive and well!” –SCHMOOZE JAZZ Magazine

SCHMOOZE JAZZ was created by jazz recording artist/magazine editor and journalist Kaylene Peoples of the luxury lifestyle magazine Agenda. And the look of SCHMOOZE JAZZ mirrors that high quality, featuring in-depth interviews, boundless CD/single reviews, biographies, concert reviews, great photography, and great stories.

“In this first issue alone, there are over 30 CD and single reviews with genres from smooth to straight-ahead, fusion, and even Latin jazz. We wanted to create a hub for standout musicians in the contemporary jazz world, but not keep it exclusively smooth jazz.”

–Kaylene Peoples, Executive Editor of SCHMOOZE JAZZ Magazine

Featured CDs include HIGHER by Michael Bublé, FOREVER by Mindi Abair, SONGS FROM MY FATHER (featuring Chick Corea) by Gerry Gibbs, IVORY FLOW by Bobby Lyle, MIDNIGHT RENDEZOUS by David Benoit, MORE MUSIC by Joey De Francesco, and AT HIRAHARA by Stacy Kent. “Single Reviews for Your Playlist” include Carla Bley’s “Life Goes On,” Kim Scott’s “Shine,” Bunny Brunel CAB’s “Fusion Holidays,” Chris Standring’s “Change the World,” Olie Silk’s “Out to Lunch,” and many more.

A huge highlight is discovering the music of guitarist Nick Colionne who had five consecutive #1 hits on Billboard. The multi-award-winning musician/educator really left a legacy. His catalogue is extensively reviewed and includes his latest CD, FINGER PAINTING. Colionne’s biography details his life, successes, and influences, with one of the biggest influences being Wes Montgomery. And one can clearly hear it when he solos.

From an Interview Back in 2016:

“When my stepdad started teaching me to play, he taught me main stream straight ahead jazz. I was a young kid, and he mostly kept feeding me Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell, then George Benson.” –Nick Colionne

Smooth Jazz Guitarist Nick Colionne

“Nick was really a joyous man, whether we were playing together (which we did frequently), or whether we were just hanging out or me interviewing him for my radio show. This man just brought a smile to my face – I think he did that for everybody.” –Dave Koz, SCHMOOZE JAZZ Magazine

Advertisers this issue: Oxnard Jazz Festival, Lompoc Music Festival, Rainbow Promotions, Woodward Avenue Records

To get the inaugural issue of SCHMOOZE JAZZ, visit: https://www.klpublishinggroup.com/2022/04/16/schmooze-jazz-magazine-inaugural-issue-1/

For Advertising information: https://www.schmoozejazz.com/advertise and to subscribe, visit https://www.schmoozejazz.com/subscribe

Featured Staff: Kaylene Peoples (Executive Editor/Journalist/Layout), Daphne King (Managing Editor); Sheryl Aronson (Editor/Journalist/Event Photographer); Florentino Buenaventura (Journalist/EnterTalk/Concerts Café); Sherman Alford (Sasa Photos) and Ash Gupta (Photographer/838 Media Group)

WRITTEN BY SEAN MCKENZIE, PUBLICIST

March 2, 2022September 28, 2023

Category: News