New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Michael White Quintet Official Website) The Michael White Quintet: Unit 2 makes its debut on the Open Gate Theatre's Sunday Evening Concert Series at 7 pm on May 1 at the Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock. Led by legendary jazz violinist Michael White, and featuring some of Los Angeles' most talented musicians, the group features Leisei Chen, vocals; Timothy Young, guitar; Jon Ossman, bass; and
Danny Frankel, percussion. Together, they perform material largely drawn from the quintet's recent release, Voices, seamlessly combining soulful original songs, jazz standards, and latin grooves.
Recently honored with "Living Legend" status for his contributions to jazz by the United States Congress, the state of California, and the city of Los Angeles, violinist Michael White has appeared with greats from
John Coltrane to Sun Ra. Songs from the the Michael White Quintet's award-winning CD Voices have been featured on jazz radio internationally and on the PBS series Roadtrip Nation. Writes John Kelman of All About Jazz, "Voices may come from a variety of places, but at its core is White, whose own voice remains one of the more distinctive in jazz violin."
Accolades aside, White is especially pleased by the special "mutual, spiritual dynamic" created by the voices of his quintet, and the group is always thrilled to share that positive energy with new audiences. As part of Open Gate Theatre's Sunday Evening Concert Series, they will share the stage with chamber music and Americana-inspired group Missincinatti for a genre-bending, crowd-pleasing evening of music.
Tickets for the May 1 concert are available at the door, and cost $10 for the general public. Students and seniors my purchase tickets at the price of $5 with the presentation of valid ID. Free street parking is available, and there is also parking available at the Bank of America parking lot.
Legendary jazz violinist Michael White is a composer, educator, and innovator who has been a major recording artist on Impulse and Elektra/Asylum records, and has played alongside musical giants including John Coltrane, Sun Ra, Stevie Wonder, among many others. His musical endeavors over the decades have taken him through a number of genres, and his newly released CD "Voices" prompted the formation of the Michael White Quintet. "We discovered that our musical philosophy had a mutual, spiritual dynamic. The four cornerstones of our music are 'Love, Healing, Inspiration and Hope.' Our sound is intended to touch one's heart and fill one's body with a 'kozmic groove!'" says White. The Michael White Quintet: Unit 2 keeps that spirit of positivity intact, combining versatile guitarist Timothy Young and soulful vocalist Leisei Chen, the quintet's original members, with new, accomplished LA-based musicians Jon Ossman on bass (Paula Cole, Marc Cohn) and Danny Frankel on drums (K.D. Lang, Bebel Gilberto). With each member a true musical master in his and her own right, the quintet bridges cultures, genres, and backgrounds, for a sound that is truly "ageless, timeless, and borderless." For more information about the Michael White Quintet, please visit: leisei-michael.com.
Open Gate Theatre was founded in 1982 by Artistic Director Will Salmon. They are dedicated to opening the gates between music, dance, and drama; between cultures; between the unconscious and the conscious; between emotion, mind and spirit. Open Gate is both an ensemble and a creative collective, combining image with sound, voice with movement, and poetics with light; Open Gate strives for a theatre that is both passionate and numinous. Open Gate is a unique approach to theatre; unified in its expression and impulse, diverse in its sources and disciplines. For more information, contact Artistic Director Will Salmon 626.795.4989
Open Gate's Sunday Evening Concert Series presents Michael White Quintet: UNIT 2 with special guest Missincinatti
Sunday, May 1, 7 pm - 9:30 pm
Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock - 2225 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
ARTISTS
The Michael White Quintet: Unit 2 - Michael White, violin; Leisei Chen, vocals; Timothy Young, guitar; Jon Ossman, bass; Danny Frankel, percussion
Missincinatti - Jessica Catron, cello, voice; Jeremy Drake, guitar, voice; Corey Fogel - drums, voice
PROGRAM: A genre-bending selection that bridges jazz and world music, including original songs, jazz standards, and latin/brazilian music.
TICKET PRICES: $10, general public; $5, students and seniors, available at the door only.
