LatinBird: The Music of Charlie Parker
Bob Butta, piano
Herman Burney, bass
Eric Kennedy, drums
T.K. Blue, alto & soprano saxophones, flute

Tickets: $15

Join T.K. Blue and this exceptionally talented ensemble for a commemoration of Charlie Parker's 90th birthday (Aug. 29). The program was recorded in June, and will soon be available for purchase.

T.K. Blue has released his 8th CD as a leader entitled "Follow The North Star", which has received rave reviews and critical acclaim. He received a commission from the NYSCA and Transart Inc. to compose a piece of music dedicated to the early African-American presence in the Hudson Valley area of upstate New York. T.K. chose to write a suite based on the life of Solomon Northup and his book Twelve Years a Slave. Mr. Blue takes us on a wordless but yet richly satisfying journey through Northup's life, from his ancestry to his return to his family, making all of the painful, harrowing, and joyous stops in between....I found the music to be most compelling when listened to from beginning to end, like a symphonic movement..."--Curtis Davenport, Jazz Improv NYC July 2008. T.K. is a musician of the highest caliber who is at the peak of his creative output. Mr. Blue’s artistry is found on over sixty recordings and has performed with a long list of great international artists such as Don Cherry, Abdullah Ibrahim, Sam Rivers, Archie Shepp, Randy Weston, Dizzy Gillespie, Pharoah Sanders, Melba Liston, Johnny Copeland, Billy Higgins, Reggie Workman, Chico Hamilton, Stefon Harris, Eric Reed, Regina Carter, Bobby McFerrin, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Benny Powell, James Moody, Paquito d’Rivera, and Jimmy Scott, just to name a few. Blue has a Bachelor’s degree in Music and Psychology from NYU as well as a Master’s degree in Music Education from Teacher’s College, Columbia University. After several years as an adjunct professor at Suffolk Community College and Montclair State University, T.K. Blue is now the official fulltime professor and director of jazz studies at Long Island University-CW Post Campus.

T.K. Blue was part of an historic photo session in Paris, France called "A Great Day In Paris", which featured close to sixty musicians from the USA who resided there. While residing in Paris Blue made his first recording as a leader entitled “Egyptian Oasis”. This recording sparked several state department tours in eastern, western, and northern Africa. These tours in Africa were extremely spiritual and deep-rooted in a cultural awareness. Blue was very fortunate to experience first-hand many cultures and various styles of traditional African music. T.K. is deeply indebted to various organizations such as Jazzmobile, Jazz-interactions, the Henry Street Settlement, and the Muse, for his jazz studies and performances. Despite his busy schedule, T.K. has found time to teach and mentor budding musicians. He has taught music education and performance on the pre-k level straight up to the university and graduate level. His passion for music and teaching is evident in his personal expression. C.W. Post has provided T.K. Blue with the perfect environment and opportunity to grow as a teacher and performer. For more information on Professor Blue, please go to http://www.tkblue.com