Time to swing and let that New Orleans sound fill your soul with happiness. Clarinetist and composer Evan Christopher’s contemporary early jazz sound merges the best of tradition and innovation taking as his reference point early New Orleans clarinetists such as Lorenzo Tio Jr., Sidney Bechet, Omer Simeon, Barney Bigard and Johnny Dodds. Christopher will be bringing that sound to Israel in an homage to Sidney Bechet, with the Israeli ensemble Swing de Gitanes (Oren Sagi – double bass, Yaakov Hoter & Alon Sagi – guitars) joining him for some New Orleans Gypsy Swing, and Shay Zelman on drums.
Sidney Bechet (1897 – 1959) is a jazz lovers’ jazzman. Jazz saxophonist, clarinetist and composer, he was known for the intensity and passion of his playing and his improvisation. An individualist and pioneer, he was one of the first prominent jazz saxophonists. His personal life was not lacking in drama, somewhat to the detriment of his career.
Performance dates and venues:
January 7th – Gerard Behar Center, 11 Bezalel Street, Jerusalem. Tickets are 115 NIS/100 (seniors, students, soldiers). Call 02-6237000 or *6226. Concert starts at 21:00.
January 9th – Zappa Herzliya. Doors open at 20:15, concert starts at 22:00. Tickets are 129 NIS, call 1-7005000-39.
January 10th & 11th – Tel Aviv Museum of Art. The concert will begin at 21:00 on the 10th, and at 21:30 on the 11th. Tickets are 135 – 179 NIS. Call 03-5733001 or 1-700-5000-39.
January 12th – Beit Aba Hushi, Haifa. Tickets are 130/120 NIS (seniors). Call 04-8227850. Concert starts at 21:00.
Links: Evan Christopher website, facebook; Sidney Bechet ; Swing de Gitanes website, facebook ; Shay Zelman myspace; Gerard Behar Center facebook.
