Regina Carter and the Oakland Jazz Quartet

Saturday, Sept 10th at 8pm: Regina Carter and the Oakland Jazz Quartet  @ Oakland University, Varner Recital Hall

This weekend I’ll be kicking off the new school year with a special concert at Oakland University featuring Regina Carter and the Oakland Jazz Quartet. We will be reinterpreting compositions from the classical music canon, ranging from Mozart to Reich. The program will include several arrangements from Regina’s 2003 album Paganini: After A Dream, inspired by her opportunity to play the celebrated virtuoso’s violin. It will also include two of my Astor Piazzolla arrangements from my 2008 album Piazzolla plus 5. Tickets can be purchased here.

My trip to Ecuador this past summer was a wonderful experience. During my first week, I presented daily workshops and a concert at the Quito Percussion Festival, hosted by Carlos Alba of Estudio de Percusión and the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional del Ecuador. Working and performing with co-presenter Cesar Gonzalez and the many festival participants was an absolute blast. During my second week, I traveled to Otavalo and the Chota Valley and learned about the rich Quechua and Afro-Ecuadorian cultures through the CIMAS foundation’s program “Wisdom of the Indigenous.” I am deeply grateful for this marvelous experience.

Throughout my Ecuador trip, I enjoyed a lot of quality time with my predecessor at Oakland University, Prof. Emeritus Marvin “Doc” Holladay. Doc and his awesome wife Diane hosted me at their home in Cumbaya. I also greatly enjoyed hanging out with OU alum Walt “Dr. Detroit” Szymanski while in Quito. Photos from our adventures can be viewed here. I also snuck away one morning to a recording studio where I recorded Paxton’s composition “Heart Warrior,” which can be heard here.

All events for the remainder of the year have been posted on my website. I hope to see you soon.

Peace and Love,

Mark

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