2011/12 Music Series

Rudresh Mahanthappa and Cornish Jazz Ensemble
Saturday, April 07, 2012, 8:00 pm


$20 general, $15 seniors, $10 students and alumni (with ID)

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Event Summary

Guggenheim fellow and 2011 Downbeat International Critics Poll “Alto Saxophonist of the Year,” Rudresh Mahanthappa is one of the most innovative composers and performers in jazz today, fusing the musical culture of his Indian ancestry and jazz with myriad other influences to create a groundbreaking artistic vision. Mahanthappa leads/co-leads several groups including his award winning quartet, the Indo-Pak Coalition with guitarist Rez Abassi (guitar) and Dan Weiss (tabla) and the critically-acclaimed project, Kinsmen, featuring Carnatic saxophone legend, Kadri Golpalnath. His 2010 release, Apex, highlighted the highly influential alto-sax master Bunky Green, which Time Out Chicago called “a force, blowing with ferocious power, clarity and creativity.” For his debut release on ACT Music & Vision, Samdhi, Mahanthappa unveiled an electro-acoustic quintet featuring David Gilmore (guitar), Rich Brown (bass), Damion Reid (drums), and “Anand” Anantha Krishnan (Mirdangam / Kanjira), in “an edgy and soulful synthesis of kinetic jazz, Indian influences, and percolating electronica beats & loops” (Anil Prasad, Innerviews). As a saxophonist, Mahanthappa has achieved international recognition performing regularly at jazz festivals and clubs worldwide. As a composer, he has received commission grants from the Rockefeller Foundation MAP Fund, American Composers Forum, Chamber Music America, and the New York State Council on the Arts to develop new work. Mahanthappa holds a Bachelors of Music Degree in jazz performance from Berklee College of Music and a Masters of Music degree in jazz composition from Chicago’s DePaul University. Rudresh Mahanthappa currently lives in Brooklyn.

Teen Tix are available for 13-19 year olds. Sign up for your FREE Teen Tix pass and start experiencing all kinds of art in Seattle for $5.

Jazz saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa completed his four-month teaching and performance residency at Cornish College of the Arts this past week with a special performance featuring Mahanthappa and a handpicked ensemble of Cornish music students on Saturday, April 7, 2012 as part of the Cornish Music Series. Listen to part of the concert here.

Co-presented with the Earshot Jazz Society