THE NEW SCHOOL FOR JAZZ AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC PRESENTS MAX ROACH’S #FREEDOMNOW SUITE

DIRECTED BY CECIL BRIDGEWATER

Tuesday, February 25, 2014
8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

NEW YORK, February 19, 2014- In honor of Black History Month, The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music will host a special performance of legendary drummer and composer Max Roach’s “We Insist! Freedom Now” Suite. First recorded in 1960 and co-written by Oscar Brown, Jr., the composition reflects on the turbulent years of the Civil Rights Movement. The performance will highlight how jazz is intricately tied to this unique era of American history.

“Many jazz artists have used their music to speak out for racial equality,” said Executive Director of The New School for Jazz Martin Mueller. “But to my mind, the jazz work that most powerfully addressed the struggle for African Americans to achieve equality in the United States was the 'Freedom Now Suite' by Max Roach and Oscar Brown Jr. It is my fervent hope that this event may help inspire a new generation to engage their art in advocacy for social and civic need.”

Led by Roach's longtime trumpeter and New School faculty member Cecil Bridgewater, the concert will feature a stellar group of world-renowned musicians, including New School for Jazz faculty members Reggie Workman (bassist), Billy Harper (tenor saxophonist), Andrew Cyrille (drummer), and alumna Brianna Thomas (vocalist). Trombonist Clifton Anderson and percussionist Neal Clarke will also join.

Held at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music Performance Space in Arnhold Hall at 55 West 13th Street, tickets are $10 for the general public, and free for students and seniors with a valid I.D. However, tickets must be picked up in advance at The New School box office at 66 W. 12th Street. For more info, visit The New School’s event calendar.

The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music is the musical manifestation of The New School and its legacy. Steeped in progressive tradition while moving forward into new frontiers of sound and experimentation, New School Jazz is a rarity among conservatory music schools. With instructors who are active, professional musicians and the backing of a major university, the school provides its students with the leeway and encouragement to break through artistic barriers, the counsel of veterans in maneuvering through the terrain of the music world, and a solid academic foundation to sustain and enrich their efforts and evolution. For more information, visit www.newschool.edu/jazz.

The New School, a leading progressive university in New York City, was founded in 1919 as a center of intellectual and artistic freedom. Today The New School is still in the vanguard of innovation and experimentation in higher education, with more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students in design and the social sciences, the humanities, management, and the performing arts and thousands of adult learners in continuing education courses. Committed to public engagement, The New School welcomes thousands of New Yorkers yearly to its celebrated public programs and maintains a global presence through its online learning programs, research institutes, and international partnerships. Learn more at www.newschool.edu.

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Sam Biederman,
The New School
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