Lee Brice Heads to Duluth, GA for a Knock Out Performance

Brice to Perform at Duluth, GA Wild Bills

Curb Records recording artist Lee Brice, one of Nashville’s top tunesmiths, is bringing his rugged and soulful performance to Duluth, GA March 12, 2010 to perform at Wild Bills (2075 Market St., Duluth, GA 30096). Fridays show will also feature Clay Walker, as the two performers have teamed up to rock the house! Ticket info can be found online at www.wildbillsatlanta.com.

“Having the chance to open for Clay Walker is an incredible honor,” says Lee. “His fans are loyal, supportive and welcoming. I’m excited to share my music with them!”

When Lee Brice first entered the country consciousness with the Top 30 hit “She Ain’t Right” in 2007, his voice carrying over FM radio waves like honey trickling through lines of melody etched in leather, his rugged sound and raw emotion spoke for a new generation of Nashville recording artists. As follow-up singles “Happy Endings,” “Upper Middle Class White Trash,” and current Top 40 hit “Love Like Crazy” have doggedly climbed the charts, Brice has continued to change the landscape of country with images inspired by the Carolina backcountry where he was raised—of a tightly packed car heading from Myrtle Beach into the sunset, of a trailer park full of Cadillacs, of 58 years of marriage lived in a 2-story house on Maple Street.

Not only has Brice established himself as one of the most promising new voices in country, he has proven himself as one of Nashville’s top tunesmiths, with cuts by Jason Aldean, Adam Gregory, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, and Garth Brooks to his credit. “More Than A Memory,” the Garth Brooks smash that became the first song in Billboard chart history to debut at #1, seems more like a dream to Brice.

And, the dream continues to realize as Brice is currently putting the finishing touches on his forthcoming debut album Picture Of Me.

To learn more about Lee Brice, log on to: www.leebrice.com/.

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Coweta: Wadsworth Concert Brings Master Classes to Students

An exciting and educational facet of the March 6th Charles Wadsworth & Friends Concert is now set to continue. Two of the musicians performing in the concert will arrive earlier in order to conduct Master Classes for Coweta County high school vocal and piano students.

Soprano Courtenay Budd and pianist Steven Prutsman, both accomplished and world-class artists, will conduct the Master Classes at The Centre for Performing and Visual Arts on Friday, March 5th. The master classes are free-of-charge to the students and the costs are being totally underwritten by the Newnan Rotary Club and Cargill.

“A Master Class is a class given to students of a particular discipline by an expert of that discipline—usually music, but also painting, drama, dance, or any of the arts. In a Master Class, a teacher’s general comments are replaced by the far more personal, intimate, informed, and individualized instructions and comments of a practiced professional in that talent or skill.”

Newnan High School’s Band Director John Erdogan has said of past master classes, “Student participation in Master Classes can hone students’ skills and challenge them. Encountering musicians who perform at this level can benefit students greatly by helping them develop basic techniques, reading literature, tone production... and just from the opportunity to be exposed to a developed talent who has succeeded artistically and professionally. Someone who actually does this professionally can certainly benefit students. Lots of things can come from these master classes.” Erdogan added, “"We are also so fortunate to have local citizens who not only appreciate Wadsworth and support his annual concert here, but also appreciate the musical arts enough to financially support a master class like this for our students.”

Dr. Lyn Schenbeck, Director, Centre Strings (high school) orchestra (also 6th-8th Strings, Smokey Road Middle school) commented, "This opportunity for our students and the Centre Strings ensemble to be a part of a master class can be a life-altering experience. Having the opportunity in past years to learn from someone like violinist Chee-Yun or cellist Edward Arron was very exciting; our students benefited in every way. A big thank you to Newnan Rotary and Cargill for making this happen.”

Tickets for the concert will be available, effective February 5 at Scott’s Book Store on the Courthouse Square, Morgans Jewelers at Ashley Park, The Centre for Performing and Visual Arts and Bank of Coweta at Thomas Crossroads and are budget priced at $20. for adults and $15. for students and (65+ seniors)
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17th Annual Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival

A great afternoon of music, food and friends!
Saturday, May 15 at 12:00pm - 8:00pm
Thomson, Georgia

Al Di Meola at the Variety Playhouse

Thursday, February 4, 8:00pm
Tickets: $27.50 advance / $30 day of show

Al Di Meola holds the most prestigious guitar awards (of any guitarist in the world) from the highest rated guitar poll in the world, Guitar Player Magazine. He has been known throughout the world for the past two and a half decades as one of the most prominent virtuosos in the contemporary instrumental jazz field. Di Meola's highly celebrated career has spanned a wide range of emotions into a unique style embodying the artists world inspired influences. "If you don't advance creatively," Al Di Meola once told Guitar Player's Jim Ferguson, "then all you have left is playing Vegas." From his stunning arrival on the scene as the fiery virtuoso in Chick Corea's jazz fusion group Return to Forever to his international acclaim as the member of an acoustic guitar trio, and from his solo career to his championing of the musical legacy of tango master Astor Piazzolla, Di Meola has held firm to this credo. Passionate, opinionated, and immensely gifted, he has covered more musical terrain in his 20-year plus career than many artists have in a lifetime.

via AtlantaJazz.info
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Georgia Tech Competition Cultivates Invention of New Musical Instruments

/PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Tech's second annual Guthman Musical Instrument Competition will conclude with a final public performance at 1:00 PM on Saturday, February 27, 2010 in Atlanta. The competition, supported by the philanthropy of alumnus Richard Guthman, is the only one of its kind in showcasing artists, musicians and entrepreneurs with radical new ideas for music performance and technology.

An expert panel of judges will review entries based on musicality, design and engineering, for prizes of $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place.

Judges include:
-- Gil Weinberg, Director, Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology
-- Eliot Van Buskirk, Music Reporter for Wired.com
-- Johannes Goebel, Founding Director of Experimental Media and
Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
-- Tod Machover, Professor and Director of Hyperinstruments/Opera of the
Future Group at MIT Media Lab


The event will be held in the J. Allen Couch Building, 840 McMillan Street, on the Georgia Tech campus. Admission is free and doors open at noon for a panel discussion with the judges. Performances by the competition finalists will begin at 1 PM and prizes will be awarded at the end of the final performances.

Preliminary performances will be held on Friday, February 26, from 10 AM to 4 PM in both the J. Allen Couch Building and the West Architecture Building at 247 Fourth Street NW. Immediately following the preliminary performances, there will be an open house showcase of unique music-making projects, research, and experiences from faculty and students in the Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology. The Open House will be in the J. Allen Couch Building and all are invited to attend.

Last year, 30 inventors from seven countries performed on Georgia Tech's campus in the Guthman Competition. "We were thrilled by the diversity and quality of the competitors. "It was absolutely inspiring to see such a range and diversity of ideas from commercial firms, academicians and creative young musicians," said Frank Clark, Chair of Georgia Tech's School of Music. "Thanks to the Guthmans, this competition will expose new paradigms of expression year after year."

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Resident Composer Michael Gordon Joins Georgia Tech’s Sonic Generator for a Free Concert at The Woodruff Arts Center

Monday, February 8, 2010 at 8 p.m. Rich Theatre, Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree Street

The Woodruff Arts Center is excited to be partnering again with Georgia Tech’s chamber music ensemble-in-residence, Sonic Generator. This free performance features the music of resident composer Michael Gordon and promises to be a unique experience in live music, creativity, and technology. The event is part of Tech’s T. Gordon Little Lecture Series in the Imagination.
Sonic Generator explores the ways in which technology can transform how we create, perform and listen to music. The ensemble, comprised of some of the top classical musicians in Atlanta, works closely with Georgia Tech faculty in the GVU Center and the Center for Music Technology to present concerts that bring cutting-edge technologies to the world of contemporary classical music.

This program showcases composer Michael Gordon’s strikingly diverse music and his unique approaches to technology and to film. I Buried Paul (1996) draws inspiration from an unusual moment in the Beatles’ Strawberry Fields Forever, while Weather One (2005) compares the history of art to the unpredictability of the weather. The program also includes ac dc (1996) and a trio of selections from Gordon’s album Light is Calling (2004), which expertly mixes acoustic instruments and electronics with films by Bill Morrison.

This will be Sonic Generator’s third performance at the Woodruff Arts Center. They first played in the Rich Theatre to a full audience, performing musical pieces in unconventional ways against a backdrop of experimental films. Their second performance was a collaboration with critically acclaimed dance group gloATL for the world premiere, Crea. Crea blurred the lines between dance, visual art, and music, creating an unforgettable evening of innovation and invention.
Sonic Generator is also sponsored by the GVU Center at Georgia Tech and organized in collaboration with the Center for Music Technology and the School of Music in the College of Architecture.
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Eighth Annual Honda Battle of the Bands Inspires All Ages To “Shake Your Body Down To the Ground”

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Set against a colorful backdrop of dynamic performances by eight of the nation’s top Historically Black College and University [HBCU] marching bands, a reverent marching band tribute to the late music icon Michael Jackson, and all the hype of a live performance from hip-hop artist, Ludacris, the 2010 Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) Invitational Showcase had a crowd of more than 55,000 “shaking their bodies down to the ground.”

In the end, the 2010 Honda Battle of the Bands concluded with the message of unity for humanity, evident in much of the “King of Pop’s” music and in several marching band dedications to the Haitian relief effort. The 1,800 student musicians and 55,000+ fans were inspired to reflect on the role they play in making the world a better place.

HBCU friends, fans, students and alumni traveled from all over the United States to enjoy the 2010 Honda Battle of the Bands, the lineup of which included:

Albany State University “Marching Rams” (Albany, Georgia)

Clark Atlanta University “Mighty Marching Panthers” (Atlanta, Georgia)

Florida A&M University “Marching 100” (Tallahassee, Florida)

North Carolina Central University “Marching Sound Machine” (Durham, North Carolina)

Prairie View A&M University “Marching Storm” (Prairie View, Texas)

Southern University “Human Jukebox Marching Band” (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)

Tuskegee University “Marching Crimson Pipers” (Tuskegee, Alabama)

Virginia State University “Trojan Explosion Marching Band” (Petersburg, Virginia)

The multi-faceted show was a virtual musical menagerie, blending the latest chart-topping R&B and Hip-Hop, pop, rock, funk and more. And, as a special treat, Atlanta-native and award-winning Hip-Hop artist and actor Ludacris was a featured special guest, performing his latest single “How Low”, from his highly-anticipated new album, Battle of the Sexes, before his hometown crowd.

Supporting HBCU Music Programs

The Honda Battle of the Bands program not only showcases the pageantry and showmanship of HBCU marching bands, but more significantly, stands as the only HBCU music scholarship program of its kind. The eight bands selected to participate in this year’s Invitational Showcase were each awarded $20,000 for their music scholarship programs, plus an additional $1,000 grant for their participation in the “Road to the Honda,” the program’s pre-qualifying event held in the fall.

THE FOX MUSIC EXPERIENCE RETURNS

At the Invitational Showcase event, the 2010 FOX MUSIC EXPERIENCE was awarded to Erica Dotson from Prairie View A&M University, the first female to receive the award. The FOX MUSIC EXPERIENCE is a unique summer music internship/immersion program exclusively for participants in the Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase. The program, which launched in 2008, provides student-musicians with a first-hand, behind-the-scenes look at the worlds of music and entertainment. Dotson will have the opportunity to spend a few weeks in the summer working on the Twentieth Century Fox studio lot in Los Angeles, learning film and television music production from leaders in the industry.

Recruiting Future Generations

Returning for the fifth year in a row, the HBOB HBCU Recruitment Fair served as a valuable information source for 4,000 attendees. Conceived to go beyond simply exposing young people to the opportunities that historically black colleges and universities offer, the HBOB HBCU Recruitment Fair is unique in that it permits prospective college students to meet with marching band and admissions recruiters to discuss admissions requirements and scholarship opportunities. A total of 30 institutions exhibited at this year’s Fair.

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Spivey Hall to Host Metropolitan Opera Auditions

Local opera lovers will have a rare opportunity to hear aspiring young singers perform this coming Sunday, Jan. 31, in Clayton State University’s Spivey Hall.

The Metropolitan Opera will be holding its southeast national council auditions on Jan. 31 at 2 p.m. Admission is $35 for the chance to catch a rising star as singers from four states compete for the opportunity to sing on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. It’s an event no opera lover should miss.

For more information, go to www.metoperafamily.org.

A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.
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Concert to Benefit Local Students Carnegie Hall Trip

McIntosh Symphonic Strings Orchestra Invited to NYC

A group of talented young local musicians have been offered the rare opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall this April. The only high school group in Georgia to receive this invitation and one of a handful from throughout the nation, The McIntosh Symphonic Strings from McIntosh High School in Peachtree City will perform in the Prelude Ensemble Showcase on April 19, 2010 in New York City.

The public is invited to hear these students play some of the music they will be performing in New York. The group is presenting a benefit concert with dessert and silent auction on Thursday, January 28 to raise funds for their trip. The evening will feature the music of Bach, Vivaldi, Albinoni, and an original composition of the conductor, Mr. James Hagberg.

“It is a great honor to be invited.” said Mr. Hagberg. “For those who participate, it will be an experience they will remember the rest of their lives. Carnegie Hall is one of the world’s greatest venues, and one of the most prestigious venues in the United States with a rich history of world class performers.”

Students must pay the festival expenses, including large musical equipment shipped to NYC. Each of these young musicians is working to raise funds individually and as a group by presenting this concert, having bake sales, having performance nights at local restaurants and businesses, and other such fundraisers to help offset the cost of this incredible opportunity.

Tickets are $10 and are available at the door. The concert will be from 7:00 -9:00 PM on Thursday, January 28 at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church, Hwy. 54 & Peachtree Parkway, in Peachtree City.

The orchestra is also searching for corporate sponsors and individual donations to help fund their trip. For more information and to order tickets please email carolynmackeil@bellsouth.net or call 770-487-6923.
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PTC First Presbyterian Presents Yancy in Concert January 23

What do High School Musical and Hannah Montana have in common? Kids love them! And kids love Yancy too! If you are ready for music that is relevant to kids and pre-teens, look no further than Peachtree City on Saturday, January 23.

Yancy has traveled all over the globe sharing her music. Her amazing gift to communicate to all ages is unequalled. Yancy’s Praise Party is full of high energy music and engaging visuals that kids and families are sure to love. They will enjoy singing and dancing along to the songs and even a time of worship. Yancy’s heart is to teach kids that we were created to worship God. This is one event your kids will not want to miss!

The First Presbyterian Church of Peachtree City is pleased to present Yancy in concert for one night only. Tickets are $8 adult/$3 under 12 $5 Senior or Student. Childcare will be provided for ages 2 and younger. For more information or to order a ticket, call 770-487-7757 or contact concerts@firstpresptc.com.

First Presbyterian Church of PTC is located in the heart of Peachtree City at 206 Willow Bend Rd across from City Hall.

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The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Announces 18th Annual A King Celebration

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will perform the 18th annual musical tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, “A King Celebration” on Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. The performance, commemorating the life and work of the celebrated civil rights leader, will take place in the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel of Morehouse College, the alma mater of Dr. King.

The program will feature the world-premiere of Wynton Marsalis’s Blues Symphony; Part I of Slavery Documents by Donald Sur; Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3, and the traditional “We Shall Overcome.” The concert will be broadcast to nearly 250 radio stations across the country on American Public Media’s Performance Today, hosted by Fred Child, on Monday, January 18, 2010. For station information and broadcast times, please visit performancetoday.publicradio.org.

This concert is made possible through the generous support of Target, UPS, and AGCO. Marsha Sampson-Johnson, Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Southern Company, chairs the 2010 Host Committee, which secures sponsorships and fundraising for the event.

A King Celebration raises funds for music scholarships at Morehouse and Spelman Colleges, as well as Learning Community programs of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. For more information about purchasing host tickets or supporting A King Celebration, please contact 404.733.5069.

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Savannah Book Festival, in collaboration with Savannah Music Festival to Host Eudora Welty Tribute Concert February 6

Five-time Grammy Award-winner Mary Chapin Carpenter, along with fellow musicians Kate Campbell, Claire Holley and Caroline Herring, will perform a unique tribute to the late Pulitzer Prize-winning Southern writer Eudora Welty in a tribute concert on Saturday, February 6th, 2010 at 8pm. The concert is presented by the Savannah Book Festival in collaboration with the Savannah Music Festival.

This exciting addition to the Festival schedule will feature these four celebrated singer-songwriters performing their own songs chosen specifically for and inspired by the literary legacy of Mississippi, writer Eudora Welty, whose 100th birthday would have been April 13th, 2009. The concert, which debuted at the centennial celebration for Welty earlier this year has received rave reviews, and it is in perfect keeping with the Savannah Book Festival’s mission to
promote the written word, including the work of lyricists like Savannah’s own Johnny Mercer.

Taking place in historic Trinity Church on Telfair Square in downtown Savannah at 8 pm on Saturday, February 6th, 2010, the concert will be a ticketed fundraising event for the Festival. General admission tickets for $50 will go on sale in January and will be sold through the Savannah College of Art & Design’s SCAD Box Office.

The four singer-songwriters first presented this show on April 17, 2009, at the Eudora Welty Centennial Celebration in Jackson, Mississippi. Here’s what one critic said about the show, which also took place in a Methodist Church: There is something about a church that invites a visitation from the muse. The stage was bathed in the glow of blue Fresnels that enhanced the sense of mystery and romance. Throw in the incredible artistry of four women who have the dirt, sweetness, and sweat of the South in their bones, along with songwriting abilities that summon aching memories of the pain, triumph and anguish of the South, and the profound becomes
tangible -- the impossible, possible. Georgianne Nienaber, The Huffington Post The Savannah Book Festival is thrilled and honored to be working with the world-renowned Savannah Music
Festival to add this exciting concert to the 2010 Savannah calendar.

Songwriters have been a part of the Festival since its inception in 2008, and this literary tribute to one of America’s most treasured writers will offer festival goers a unique perspective on the Southern literary tradition.

The Savannah Book Festival, which will take place February 5-7, 2010 in and around Telfair Square, is an annual, free and open to the public celebration of the written word and its role in improving the human experience. Our mission is to promote reading, writing and civil conversation. For each of the past two years, the Festival has attracted dozens of popular and critically acclaimed authors and thousands of readers from all over America to Savannah’s Telfair Square, and the culturally significant buildings that surround it—Telfair Academy, Trinity
Church and Jepson Center for the Arts. Within these beautiful venues, the Festival’s authors and their readers experience the intimacy and hospitality for which Savannah is famous.

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Cajun Masters Coming to UWG in January

In the spirit of Ballet Memphis and Jon Faddis and The Chicago Jazz Ensemble, the third annual Live Art at the Townsend Center event will feature yet another unique entertainment opportunity, the Grammy-winning BeauSoleil, one of the country's foremost Cajun bands. The group will perform Saturday, Jan. 23, on the Townsend Center Mainstage with the traditional cast party to follow in the Dangle Theatre.

BeauSoleil began in 1975 in Lafayette, La. and has elevated Cajun music to domestic and international acclaim. Blending elements of zydeco, New Orleans jazz, Tex-Mex, country, blues and more, the band appears regularly on Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" and has received 10 Grammy nominations. In 1998, they became the first Cajun band to win a Grammy in the traditional folk category.

The group recently celebrated its 29th release, Alligator Purse, which originated from a benefit concert assisting victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Community volunteers Michelle Morgan, Claire Cooley and Susan Fleck are co-chairing the event. According to Morgan, there are two main reasons to support the Live Art series, in addition to the obvious evening of outstanding entertainment.

"Last year, the Live Art committee was delighted to establish the P.J. Hovey Live Art Scholarship Fund for awards to the departments of art, music and theatre," Morgan said. "It is our intention to endow this fund as soon as possible."

The series was also established to provide at least one signature production annually at the Townsend Center, while raising funds to increase the premier programming each season.

"We strive for profitability and growth, and the executive committee for Live Art is pleased that the series has exhibited both during the first two seasons," said Morgan. "However, the philanthropic goal for this year's event is to take the fundraising component one step higher and raise at least $15,000 for increased quality programming at the Townsend Center and to endow the Live Arts Scholarship."

For more information on how to become involved in the Live Art event at any number of giving levels, contact Robert Jennings, director of the Townsend Center, at 678-839-4722 or rjenning@westga.edu.

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Contemporary Christian Recording Artist Melissa Pierre-Louis Releases Free Christmas e-Album, Launches Operation Touch Web Site for Free Downloads

/PRNewswire/ -- Looking for ways to celebrate the Christmas season without adding to your credit card bill? Tired of listening to six versions of "Winter Wonderland" on the radio? Contemporary Christian singer Melissa Pierre-Louis is offering free downloads of original Christmas songs on her newly launched Web site Operation Touch (www.operationtouch.org).

On Operation Touch, the 22-year-old recording artist performs three new songs: "Touch Someone," "Thank You Emmanuel," and "Sing We Noel." The songs and lyrics are available in English, as well as French and Kreyol, a tribute to Pierre-Louis' Haitian background.

"We live in difficult times in which a lot of people are struggling, but part of the beauty of Christmas is renewed hope," said Pierre-Louis. "'Touch Someone' encourages everyone - regardless of background - to reach out to others and share the gifts we each have to offer. Hopefully Operation Touch will inspire people to do just that."

The songs on Operation Touch were penned by Pierre-Louis' father, award-winning songwriter Marc-Arthur Pierre-Louis. Mr. Pierre-Louis emigrated from Haiti to the U.S. in 1981 to study mathematics and computer science at Florida Atlantic University and earned a master's degree from Southern Evangelical Seminary. His song "Bless the Memories" recently won the American Bible Society's Scripture Song Award at the Gospel Music Association's IMMERSE event.

"The joy and hope of the Christmas season shouldn't come with a price tag. I think music can reach people at such a basic level and connect them with that hope and feeling of renewal," adds Ms. Pierre-Louis. "We wanted to make that accessible to as many people as possible, whether they themselves need some inspiration, or they want to share the music with others."

Pierre-Louis' music can also be heard on radio stations in the US, Haiti and Canada.

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Silent Monks Singing Halleluia

This is wonderful, creative and fun:



Thanks to Bill Bibb, Seen Gallery Atlanta, for sharing!

"The Sound of Angels" Perfomance by the Georgia Singers at First Presbyterian Church in Peachtree City December 6

Sunday, December 6
6:30 pm
First Presbyterian Church in Peachtree City


The holiday concert performed by the Georgia Singers features sacred and secular opening sections followed by delightful seasonal selections and the singing of congregational carols.

The Georgia Singers is a new force in choral music for women's voices in Fayette County. This talented group of young women is quickly establishing its artistry as a unique community resource.

The talented Peachtree City singers are directed by Dr. Franklin Green, who is nationally known for his work with young women's voices and accompanied by Mr. Rick Massengale, Director of Music at First United Methodist Church in Fayetteville.

Free Admission
Ticket required
A free-will offering will be taken.
Childcare will be provided for ages 4 and younger.

For more information or to reserve a ticket, please call 770-487-7757 or email concerts@firstpresptc.com.

First Presbyterian Church
206 Willow Bend Rd
Peachtree City

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Atlanta Jazz Non-Profit, Orchestra Atlanta, Announces Name Change to Jazz Orchestra Atlanta

/PRNewswire/ -- Orchestra Atlanta, a 23-year-old, not-for-profit arts organization based in Atlanta, GA, today announces its official name change to "Jazz Orchestra Atlanta," reinforcing the organization's shift in commitment to the advancement of the best in jazz education and performance. The group continues to produce professional jazz performances by a resident repertory big band featuring high-caliber jazz musicians from Atlanta and the Southeast. Jazz Orchestra Atlanta also continues running its popular Summer Jazz Camps for metro Atlanta middle and high school students. The camp is held at Georgia State University, and in 2010 JOA will premier a Vocal Jazz Workshop featuring the internationally recognized vocal group The New York Voices, who will join JOA's big band in a special closing concert at the Rialto Theater.

"The decision to change the name officially was an easy one," says JOA Executive and Artistic Director, Dr. Brent Runnels. "Our focus really shifted over the past several years as audiences showed a great deal of enthusiasm for the jazz concerts we added to our programming. We recognized an important musical niche was not being filled in Atlanta, and our professional big band performances fill that nicely. We found we had already carved out a niche for advancing superior jazz education, so filing with the State to make the name change official was the logical next step to demonstrate our commitment to the new mission and vision for the organization. Our audience and everyone at JOA are very excited about it."

Jazz Orchestra Atlanta Strengthens Board of Directors and Fundraising Efforts

In addition, the Jazz Orchestra Atlanta recently added several new contributing members to their diverse Board of Directors. "Our board is a blend of professional men and women who represent a wonderful cross section of large and small Atlanta businesses, and local professional musicians," continued Runnels, "with common threads of enthusiasm for the art of jazz music, and the community stature we need to help us achieve our goals."

Recent additions to the board include Mark Williamson, a partner at Alston and Bird; Phil Williamson, a CPA and tax director of Mirant Corporation; Steve Brown, avid musician, pilot and project management consultant; Robert Scarr of Delta Airlines; Jerry McEver, musician , teacher and School Music Recruiting Specialist and Consultant; Greg Coile, a well-known Atlanta musician and teacher; and Joe Gransden, one of Atlanta's best known jazz musicians. "The addition of these members and their contributions further strengthen and diversify Jazz Orchestra Atlanta's board and proves the community commitment and interest in the art form of jazz and its ongoing proliferation in Metro Atlanta," said Mark Williamson, JOA Board Chair.

The JOA Board of Directors meets monthly to determine policy, programming, marketing, and resource development while encouraging awareness and interest in Jazz Orchestra Atlanta's programs.

The result of Jazz Orchestra Atlanta's work can be seen regularly at venues like Cafe 290 in Sandy Springs, where Joe Gransden and the JOA big band play shows twice monthly on the first and third Mondays, and in featured events at the Woodruff Arts Center and Spivey Hall, where Jazz Orchestra Atlanta will join with Joe Gransden to present a Big Band Christmas Show. More information is available at: www.orchestraatlanta.org

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Ring in the season with the annual GSU Gala Holiday Concert

The Georgia State University School of Music and the Rialto Center for the Arts present the 12th annual Gala Holiday Concert at 8 p.m. on Dec. 5 and 3 p.m. on Dec. 6. at the Rialto Center for the Arts.

This year's performances will feature traditional holiday favorites as well as music with an international twist, celebrating the Rialto and School of Music's international initiatives and involvement in the community.

More than 200 student and faculty musicians will perform as part of this university-wide celebration of the season, including members of the University Symphony Orchestra, Choruses and Jazz Band.

Conductors Michael Palmer, Gordon Vernick and Jeffery Wall will lead the ensembles and soloists in a musical assortment of works by Duke Ellington, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Janowski, Handel and Holst, as well as a world premiere by Georgia State faculty member Nickitas Demos of Fantasy on Kalanta for Saint Basil.

The performances will also feature special guest appearances by members of Atlanta's diverse cultural community. Members of the Cao Ying Dance School will perform the Chinese dance, Avalokitesvara, and students from the Charles Drew R. Charter School will perform Kakilambe, a dance of healing and harvest from Guinea, West Africa, performed to instruments of the djembe orchestra.

The School of Music has had a partnership with the Drew Charter School, located in the East Lake neighborhood of Atlanta, since 2006, thanks to a multi-year grant from the Cousins Foundation, Inc.

The program will conclude with Sim Shalom, a Hebrew song of peace, Handel's Hallelujah Chorus and an audience sing-along. Rounding out the festivities, the Georgia State University School of Art and Design will present an art exhibit in the Rialto Lobby, where a student brass quintet will play for audience members as they arrive.

Tickets range from $22-$48 and are available in person at the Rialto Center Box Office, by calling 404-413-9TIX or online at www.rialtocenter.org. Free parking is provided at the Equitable Building deck on Fairlie Street.

For more information, visit http://www.music.gsu.edu/articleview.aspx?id=148

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Chubby Checker to Celebrate 50th Anniversary of the Twist in Newnan , GA

Chubby Checker has chosen Historic Downtown Newnan as his Georgia location to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the release of the legendary song “The Twist”. The Historic Alamo Theater will be the host of the legendary singer and his band the Wildcats on November 22, 2009 as a benefit concert for the Boys and Girls Club of Atlanta. This will be Checker’s only show in Georgia. Other shows in the south will be in Mississippi and Florida .

Checker’s manager, Tommy C. chose the location on a recent visit to Georgia. He was immediately impressed with the look and the history of the venue and felt that downtown Newnan had the right “feel” for the celebration. He approached the owner about getting the City of Newnan on board as well as the local charities. Amy Murphy, co-owner of the Alamo says, “I couldn’t have thought of a better charity than the local Boys and Girls Club. They make such an impact in our community. When I approached Main Street Newnan, they immediately agreed to help and the event took off from there! How exciting for the citizens of Newnan to be able to see Chubby Checker perform in the same place that many of them used to come to the movies in high school.” Murphy and her partners returned the Alamo movie theater to an entertainment venue from a gift store five years ago.

In June of 1959, Chubby recorded "The Twist". Bernie Lowe, president of Cameo Parkway records was not initially impressed with Chubby's recording and felt it may be a "B" side at best. However, Chubby felt "The Twist" was something special and worked hard promoting the record by undertaking non-stop rounds of TV dates, interviews and live performances. Fourteen months later, in the summer of 1960, "The Twist" was a hit.

"The Twist" was not only the #1 song but it introduced the concept of "dancing apart to the beat". Over the next few years, endless songs incorporating "The Twist" into its name sprang up such as "Peppermint Twist", "Twist and Shout" and "Twistin' the Night Away". In addition, each new song brought a new dance involving "dancing apart to the beat" such as "The Jerk", "The Hully Gully", "The Boogaloo" and "The Shake". At the forefront was Chubby with "The Fly", "The Pony" and "The Hucklebuck".

The next few years were prolific for Chubby as hit followed hit. In 1961, Chubby recorded "Pony Time" written by Don Covay and John Berry. It went to #1 and stayed on the charts for 16 weeks. In between recording and touring, Chubby took time to add feature films to his portfolio with the releases of "Don't Knock The Twist" and "Twist Around The Clock".

In the fall of 1961, record industry history was made when Checker's original hit record, "The Twist", re-entered the charts and by January of 1962, it was back in the #1 position. No other record before or since has accomplished that feat. Combining its 1960 run with its 1961/62 return, "The Twist" spent an amazing nine month total on the U. S. best seller charts.

Chubby Checker merchandise was everywhere, and included T-shirts, shoes, ties, dolls, raincoats, and chewing gum. His success continued for years with the release of one dance record after another, with "The Fly" and "Let's Twist Again", for which he won a Grammy for the "Best Rock Performance". More hit records followed. "Slow Twistin'", Dancin' Party", "Popeye the Hitchhiker" and "The Limbo Rock" all came along in 1962. 1963 saw Checker return to the hit parade with "Birdland" and "Twist It Up", after which he followed with "Loddy Lo" and a series of other novelty type tunes. Eventually, teens incorporated these movements to all songs that had a beat and called these movements "The Boogie", a permanent fixture in Rock and Roll.

Tickets will be $75, limited to 300 and will go on sale October 15th. They will be available at the Boys and Girls Club on Wesley Street , the Alamo , or Fabiano’s Pizza on West Court Square in downtown Newnan. Information is available by calling 770-683-2683.

The City of Newnan will be proclaiming November 23, 2009 “Chubby Checker Day”. The Adopt-A-Soldier Program will be holding an antique car show from 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. the afternoon of November 22nd prior to the concert. The show will have a fifties and sixties theme and feature a twist contest and special prizes. For more information on the car show call 770-328-4763.
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All Together Now: The Beatles Return to Mono

Is the monobox set of Beatles recordings a marketing gimmick, or will listeners really hear something different?

From the White Album to Yellow Submarine modern releases of the Beatles present their music in stereo sound. But this Christmas, hard-core Beatles fans will eagerly unwrap "The Beatles in Mono," an 11-CD box set designed to be played through only one speaker.

These days, we usually hear mono sound coming out of tinny telephone receivers, but that's not how this album sounds, said Alex Case, a professor of sound recording technology at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell. It will be more like unwrapping a newly-minted Beatles vinyl record and playing it for the first time.

During the 60s, the Beatles were not interested in stereo sound. They recorded each song on two tracks that were merged by their producer George Martin to be playable in monophonic sound, the standard of the day. Fans listened to the songs on mono record players and radio stations, which were almost all on the AM band at the time.

Some of these early albums were mixed for stereo sound, but this was an afterthought, hastily engineered for use on FM radio stations. During the 1980s, sound engineers created CD-quality sound in a lower-quality physical digital format, not a virtual digital format that most of today's music-lovers expect. Remastering technology was more primitive then, and could only create a slightly better sound than the stereo FM version.

Now this new box set digitizes the original analog tapes with mixing techniques designed to be more faithful to Martin's approach. Martin recorded the two main elements of each song -- the vocals and the instruments -- on separate tracks, so that one or the other could be emphasized in the music. Other sounds such as tambourines or clapping were recorded on both tracks, so that if, say, the drums were turned down, the other elements wouldn't be lost.

For the new albums, some corrections also had to be made because the master tapes have disintegrated over the years.

Another difference for U.S. listeners: these tunes are the original UK versions of the songs. Years ago, engineers remixing the songs for the U.S. added more reverb and echo, Case said. The new release goes back to the original UK versions, Martin's original mixes of the Fab Four.

By Martha Heil
Inside Science News Service
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