A prestigious group of the jazz world’s finest players will pay tribute to their colleague, legendary trumpet player Lew Soloff (Feb. 20, 1944-Mar 8, 2015) on Monday, June 8, 2015 at the John C. Borden Auditorium, located at the Manhattan School of Music (MSM). This event is free to the public and begins at 7:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:15pm.
MSM and the Borden Auditorium are located at 120 Claremont Avenue (entrance on West 122nd Street, just steps West of Broadway), New York, New York 10027. For further information please contact Caryn Freitag, Communications and Public Relations Associate at MSM, (917) 493-4536 or [email protected].
Soloff was a vital part of the New York jazz scene for more than 50 years. Throughout his respected career, his unique and unforgettable trumpet solos graced hundreds of projects in the fields of jazz, classical, rock, blues, pop and Latin music, including numerous film and TV soundtracks. Many of those whose lives he touched will gather to share their talent in tribute to Soloff on this special evening.
The New York Times writer Daniel E. Slotnik got Shaffer to say more the day after his good friend passed away. “There was no jazz-rock before Blood, Sweat & Tears. You [addressing Soloff] changed the idiom. After you, rock ’n’ roll was no longer limited to triads and three chords.”
Soloff is remembered the most for his solo in the rock band’s 1969 hit, “Spinning Wheel.” He infused jazz bebop in that scorching solo that even heaven must’ve felt. Oh but he did so much more than a couple of memorable rock songs. To his core, Soloff was a jazz guy through and through.
The musical program for this celebration is under the direction of Soloff’s close friends PaulShaffer and Noah Evans. Shaffer will also serve as Master of Ceremonies. Some of the artists taking part include: Wynton Marsalis, Steve Tyrell,Bernie Williams, Randy Brecker, Jon Faddis, Will Lee, Chris Potter, Jimmy Owens, Adam Nussbaum, Ray Anderson, Sammy Figueroa and the classical quintet Manhattan Brass. A complete list of those participating is posted below. The program will also include a visual montage of Soloff’s life and career. A comprehensive Soloff artist biography is available at lewsoloff.com.
For those who would like to honor Soloff’s memory, tax-deductible contributions at all levels may be made to Manhattan School of Music with donations going toward the school’s Jazz Arts Program. For nearly 20 years, Soloff was part of the Jazz Arts faculty at MSM. The school hopes to create an endowed scholarship in Soloff’s name, thus recognizing in perpetuity this extraordinary musician’s indelible contributions, while also supporting young musicians. For further information, please visit http://www.msmnyc.edu/Give-to-MSM/Tribute-Giving or contact Andrea Sanseverino Galan, Vice President for Advancement,
Musical guests scheduled to perform at press time include: Ray Anderson, Dave Bargeron, Jeff Berlin, Randy Brecker, Cecil Bridgewater, John Clark, Anne Drummond, Mark Egan, Miles Evans, Jon Faddis, Sammy Figueroa, Alex Foster, Carlos Franzetti, Gil Goldstein, Beth Gottlieb, Danny Gottlieb, Grace Kelly, Will Lee, Pete Levin, Jesse Levy, Fred Lipsius, Tom Malone, Manhattan Brass (Wayne Du Maine, R.J. Kelley, Michael Seltzer, David Taylor), Lou Marini, Wynton Marsalis, Lisa Maxwell, Emily Mitchell, Francois Moutin, Adam Nussbaum, Shunzo Ohno, Jimmy Owens, Chris Potter, Jhair Sala, Paul Shaffer, Brandon Soloff, Bob Stewart, Steve Tyrell, Adam Mandela Walden Jeff “Tain” Watts, and Bernie Williams.
