MC JazzMandel: At the Jazz Foundation of America’s Benefit Loft Party tonight (Oct. 29), 7 pm to midnight, Manhattan, my room has –
perc. Neil Clarke (left, standing) and MC HM, JFA loft party 2010 --
Tom Harrell‘s Quintet, pianist Marc Marc Cary, preeminent bassist Ron Carter with fine guitarist Gene Bertoncini, turbanated organist Dr. Lonnie Smith with alto sax/Mardi Gras Indian Donald Harrison and N.O. drummer Herlin Riley (yeah!), magisterial Randy Weston’s African Rhythm Quintet, and DC-based blues/r&b updater Memphis Gold.
Memphis Gold
It’s a great lineup to raise funds for the nationwide safety-net for jazzers-in-need. If you can’t be there, you can still donate.
These parties have been annual big fun, with approx. 600 – 800 fervent fans milling about, including such major business & culture influencers as Richard Parsons, chairman of Citigroup and on President Obama’s economic advisory team, as well as chairman of the board of the Jazz Foundation. Dress is festive/casual. There’s food, beverages, usually a silent auction of jazz-related goodies, and more music: besides the roster in my “jazz room” there are simultaneous sets by the Black Rock Coalition w/electric guitar star Vernon Reid, legendary singer Ronnie Spector (! — model for Amy Winehouse), slide trumpeter Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra, writer-gtrst Greg Tate’s Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber, surprise sitters-in, et al. in the adjoining spaces, looking out on the Hudson.
If you come, please pull my sleeve to say hi.
Sounds like it was a great time. That is my picture of Memphis Gold on this post and pleased you could used it. I have and will continue to make donations to the Jazz Foundation.
Thanks for taking credit for that cool photo, Ron. It was a great time — but Memphis Gold’s set was moved to another room than mine to fill in for Ronnie Spector, who didn’t make it — so I didn’t get to hear him. I’ll have to get his cd, the samples online are exciting. And the JFA is a very worthy cause — donations well used. I think they raised almost $300,000 last night.
It was a pleasure to have performed for the Jazz Foundation. Thank you!