Lofty’s 287 E. Fountain Blvd (at Weber) Presents:

Freebird: An evening of poetic jazz on Thursday February 9 7-9 PM

Freebird: A new group and a new sound

Freebird is our new group featuring FluteDaddy on flutes, Lee Gardner on bass and Dick Cunico on drums. We play what we call poetic jazz - imaginative, emotional, expressive. We begin with a familiar pop or jazz standard  arranged in a new beat, and we use that as a platform to enter into an free dialogue between the instruments. The music conversation can be like life – sometimes dull, sometimes thrilling. And in peak moments it is magical!

Dick and Lee each have prior experience playing with modern jazz and free jazz style groups – Dick in Los Angeles and Lee in New York. I started to explore this style recently after being intrigued by some music by Ornette Colman, Sam Rivers and similar others. As a listener, I was turned off by the frenetic, non-melodic sounds of some  groups and found some to be surprisingly  satisfying and artful.  We three were motivated to express ourselves in this style and at first we groped and fumbled until we started to trust, and as the relationship became intuitive, we started producing some compelling musical experiences.

Lofty’s was the IndyPick • Best Of 2011: Hangout for Bagel Sandwiches, Local Music, Lattes and Libations.

Follow Weber Street south to where it dead-ends in the historic Lowell School neighborhood, and you’ll find Lofty’s, a quaintly cool café/eatery that recently began offering well-chosen beer, wine and spirits. Opened by Rubbish co-founder Josh Kennard in the wake of the gallery’s late 2010 closing, Lofty’s captures the atmosphere of pre-Starbucks coffeehouses, where owners are on-site and, in the case of Kennard, culturally aware and conversational. In September, the venue celebrated its new liquor license and expanded hours (10 a.m. to 10 p.m.) with 10 hours of live performances from some of our best local musicians. — Bill Forman, Independent

Start Your Listening Year With These New Releases

If you resolve to enjoy more music in 2012 here’s a  variety of interesting tunes and artists from new recordings released in 2011. Each a different style and delivery. Enjoy!

• The New Gary Burton Quartet – Common Ground –  My Funny Valentine
• Joseph Daley Earth Tones Ensemble – The Seven Deadly Sins Lechery-Lust
• Tim Horner – The Places We Feel Free – The Places We Feel Free
• Brad Mehldau, Live In Marciac – It’s All Right With Me
• Dr. Michael White – Adventures in New Orleans Jazz Part 1 – West African Strut

Thanks For A Great “Old Year”

And Best Wishes For A Jazzy New Year!

2011 Was one of the best of my life, full of music and folks like you. Thank you for supporting FluteDaddy jazz! I have loved playing for you.

Since Autumn, After the FAC jazz project shut down, I have taken some time out from performing to ready my old business to get along without me and clear space for more music in 2012. January begins with exciting projects underway.

Starting January 31,  I will facilitate The Art Of Jazz, a jazz education/appreciation seminar series using live and recorded music, at Pillar Institute. And this week is the first rehearsal for a unique music project with a new FluteDaddy trio. In 2012 you will hear a new voice from both flutes as I express a more personal and passionate solo style and play a broad range of new music from pop tunes to free jazz style. Life is exciting!

May the new year bring you health, happiness and the music of life!

Joseph Liberti

Have A Cool Yule!

Here’s a collection of holiday jazz videos for you. Click to see the playlist to choose. Don’t miss Ray Charles “Merry Christmas Baby”
Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy holiday!
Joseph

Bending Toward The Light – A Jazz Nativity, was a great experience for all.

Kudos to Kathy Loo and Judy Sell for producing this highly successful show in Colorado Springs.

The show combined well-known Christmas carols with original music by Anne Phillips, Bob Kindred and Dave and Iola Brubeck. Bending Toward The Light has been presented in New York City for years , with artists like Lionel Hampton, Dave Brubeck, Tito Puente, Benny Powell, Toots Thielemans and many other jazz greats in the band. The Colorado Springs production was directed by Tad and Beth Jones, with music director Anne Phillips and band leader Brad Bietry of Broadmoor Academy of Music, and played by local musicians.  The show was over the moon! Everyone, musicians, singers and dancers turned in a very inspired performance to the delight of two sold out audiences.

The pictures here show yours truly and fabulous trumpeter Chris Lawson in our “three kings” costumes.  The show was such a success and som many people asked for a repeat, that the producers are considering bringing Bending Toward The Light back next year.

Joseph

Bending Towards the Light, a Jazz Nativity,
is a unique Christmas production that originated in New York 25 years ago with performances continuing there to this day every December. Some of the finest musicians in the area will perform. I have a small part and am delighted to participate. Brad Bietry will direct the music. Thanks to Kathy Loo and Judith Sellers for bringing the program to Colorado Springs!! For Tickets and Info see the Bending The Light Website

TAOJ: The Art of Jazz is for music lovers to learn about, enjoy and share jazz music. TAOJ is both a program of jazz education and an online network. You’ll find a TAOJ tab on this website. come visit. Post video or audio, share your music join a conversation about jazz – all kinds. all styles. the community will shape around you, and we have some find things planned.

The first TAOJ jazz education program is being scheduled for early 2012 at a Colorado Springs venue. Will it fly? I dunno. Our friends and advisers seem to think so and everyone I talk to about it is excited. Please help us with some feedback. Watch the video and take the survey to let us know if the education program has appeal for you. Thanks!! Joseph

The Friday Night Jazz at the Deco program has been cancelled. I’m sorry to say we have lost another jazz venue. Amuze at FAC owner Bill Sherman supported the program for six months and unable to get additional needed support from FAC, had to suspend the program, which featured a number of local as well as regional jazz groups each Friday night. The Sunday jazz brunch has also been suspended.

I am disappointed in both losing the opportunity to play there and to manage the jazz program, but more so because I saw the venue as an important source of live jazz performance for folks and a great place for musicians to play. I also had high hopes of getting a music appreciation program started at FAC. While that is not going to happen, that new program call TAOJ is happening and I’ve established an on online community to support it. More news on that soon.

Drummer Mike Woods will join the house band for this get together. C’mon down, listen say goodbye.

I am so sorry to see fabulous jazz guitarist Vic Cenicola leave the Springs. He is a master player and many top musicians in the area have truly enjoyed playing with him. Join us for some music and a warm send off.

Sunday July 31 - Deco Lounge At Fine Arts Center – 30 W. Dale St – 2 to 5 PM

About Mike - From USAF Bio:

Senior Master Sergeant Michael W. Woods, percussion, is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. Sergeant Woods has studied with Charles Owen, Fred Hinger and John Kinzie. He earned his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, where he graduated with honors and received the Melvin Wadka Award for percussion. Sergeant Woods has performed with the Colorado Symphony and the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. He joined the Air Force Band of New England in 1986 and has been with The United States Air Force Academy Band since 1990. He performs with the Concert Band, Marching Band and Academy Winds.