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The Blue Note 7 brings history of jazz to Lakeland stage

If you love jazz, you certainly know a little something about Blue Note Records.

Miles Davis. John Coltrane. Bud Powell. Thelonious Monk. Herbie Hancock. They are among the names that have stood the test of time, thanks in no small part to legendary recordings on Blue Note Records.

To mark the 70th anniversary of Blue Note Records, the premier label in jazz, the Blue Note 7, an all-star band featuring some of the finest musicians today, is headed to Lakeland College, part of a world tour that is celebrating Blue Note's rich catalog of music.

The Blue Note 7 will perform as part of Lakeland's Krueger Fine Arts Series on Monday, March 23, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the Bradley Fine Arts Building.

Tickets, priced at $25 for adults and $15 for non-Lakeland students, are expected to sell quickly. They can be reserved by contacting Deb Fale at Lakeland at (920) 565-1536.

Led by Blue Note Records artist and pianist Bill Charlap, the group will explore classic tunes by Powell, Monk, Hancock, Horace Silver, Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter and many others.

This past January, Blue Note Records commemorated the label's 70th anniversary with the release of "Mosaic: A Celebration of Blue Note Records." The recording features an eight-song collection of classic Blue Note repertoire re-envisioned by The Blue Note 7.

This all-star septet is comprised of Charlap, trumpeter Nicholas Payton, tenor saxophonist Ravi Coltrane (the second son of the legendary John Coltrane), alto saxophonist/flutist Steve Wilson, guitarist Peter Bernstein, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Lewis Nash.

Lakeland is one stop on The Blue Note 7's extensive 50-city North American tour, which launched on Jan. 7. The tour will see the septet perform in some of the finest concert halls and theaters in America - Royce Hall in Los Angeles, Orchestra Hall in Chicago, the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia.

"The Blue Note 7 is a true collaboration, an all-star band comprised of the next generation of major players, all leaders in their own right," said Bruce Lundvall, president of Blue Note Records. "They are also the A-list of accomplished arrangers and composers, steeped in the Blue Note tradition, re-imagining this time-honored repertoire in a fresh way."

Charlap is one of the world's premiere jazz pianists, having performed with many leading artists of our time, ranging from Phil Woods and Tony Bennett to Gerry Mulligan and Wynton Marsalis. He is known for his interpretations of American popular song and has recorded albums featuring the music of Hoagy Carmichael, Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin.

"The music that Blue Note recorded is so vast and historically important that there was no way we could be comprehensive in covering the contributions of so many major musicians," Charlap said.

"We've chosen to record and perform compositions that would honor the label and its key players. And with this group, it's the chemistry between these musicians that makes the band. We're relatively young guys who have a lot of experience collectively, and we've had the opportunity to perform with many of the major Blue Note artists."

Charlap said the tour will include music from the recording, but the band has a large repertoire that includes many Blue Note artists and composers.

"On the recording, we couldn't possibly represent every important artist," Charlap said. "On tour, the band will have a sizeable book of arrangements to choose from. There are artists whose music wasn't showcased on the recording, but certainly will be during the tour."

For more information about The Blue Note 7, visit their website at www.thebluenote7.com.

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