6/16: The Revive Big Band f. Savion Glover at Blue Note Jazz Festival
The legendary tap musician Savion Glover will be joining the Revive Big Band for their Blue Note Festival performance on 6/16 at Highline Ballroom featuring a slew of todays greatest musicians, led by trumpeter Igmar Thomas.
See Igmar Thomas at Rockwood Music Hall Free Tonight
Returning from touring with Esperanza Spalding on the Radio Music Society tour, trumpet extraordinaire (and Revive Big Band leader) Igmar Thomas has been playing a few spot gigs around NYC. Tonight will feature him with keyboardist Yuki Hirano, drummer Justin Tyson, and guest emcee Raydar Ellis. These gigs are always fire and tonight it’s free!
Winter JazzFest 2013: Rehearsals
Winter JazzFest 2013 is upon us and we’re in the thick of rehearsals and preparation for this historic weekend of music. We’ve been running around with the musicians all week and today we’ll be bringing you last minute words and music from these incredible artists throughout the day. Be sure to check back to this page often for interviews, rehearsal footage, and mixes from our stage!
The Revive Music Stage at the 2013 Winter Jazzfest
We are proud to once again partner with the 2013 Winter Jazzfest in producing our annual Revive Music Stage taking place on Friday, Jan. 11th and Saturday, Jan. 12th with the first performance starting at 7:45pm and going all night until 4am on both nights. Performances will include the premier of ‘AFRO HARPING’, a tribute to Dorothy Ashby led by harpist Brandee Younger, our monthly remix live jazz party, CHURCH with Mark de Clive-Lowe, Otis Brown III Quintet, Marcus Strickland’s Twi-Life, Somi and many many more.
Esperanza Spalding Live at the Apollo Theater
Radio Music Society is Spalding’s companion LP to 2010’s Chamber Music Society, in which she explored a lush, expressive hybrid of contemporary jazz and classical chamber music. The two dates at the Apollo were the last in an American run, before beginning a leg in Europe. As her showcase for Chamber Music Society was, a singular set piece that included music only from that album, the Radio Music show was geared with the same premise. Gone was the elaborate string orchestra, and in its place was a 12 piece band with a seven player horn section.
8/27: The Revive Big Band f. Pharoahe Monch at Blue Note Jazz Club
If The Revive Big Band is a “19-piece jazz army” (Complex Magazine), then what is their fight? Formed in 2010, the Big Band began as a “wouldn’t it be cool if…” kind of idea, where composer, arranger and trumpeter Igmar Thomas wanted to unite generations of like-minded musicians in presenting a new age of big bands. The project has grown to become one of the most exciting and imaginative bands – big or otherwise – in New York.
4/21: NYC – Esperanza Spalding at Webster Hall this Saturday
Esperanza Spalding launches the Radio Music Society World Tour today! She will be in New York with her full ensemble on 4/21 at Webster Hall.
Tonight! ATCQ Big Band Tribute & J Dilla Ensemble at Harlem Stage
Tonight, ATCQ big band tribute at Aaron Davis Hall and tomorrow night, the first ever J Dilla Foundation performs in tribute to ATCQ at the Harlem Stage Gatehouse with special guests.
3/1-3/3 – A Tribe Called Quest Innovations & Legacies: A Movement in 4 Parts
Harlem Stage’s Uptown Night’s presents, A Tribe Called Quest Innovations & Legacies: A Movement in 4 Parts held on March 1-3rd at The Gatehouse and Marian Anderson Theater. On March 1st, Harlem Stage hosts an artist and industry panel discussion, March 2nd, a performance by The Revive da live big band at Marian Anderson Theater with special guests and on March 3rd a very special performance by The J Dilla Ensemble from Berkee College of Music with special guests, all in tribute to ATCQ.
“Black Gold” Esperanza Spalding ft. Algebra Blessett
The web is on fire with Esperanza’s first single “Black Gold” from her upcoming release, Radio Music Society. Along with the single comes a thought-provoking music video that features a father picking his two sons up from school. After hearing they learned about Africa he questions the extent to which the teacher delved into the history of many of the oldest civilizations in the world.
2012 Winter JazzFest Preview
Revive Da Live will again be hosting an entire night of music at Sullivan Hall this year as part of Winter Jazz Festival. The line-up for the night is set to include an intriguing melting pot of styles, generations, instrumentations, and explorations. From 7:45pm to 4:00am on Saturday 1/7/11, you can catch Lakecia Benjamin & Soul Squad, Fabian Almazan & Strings, the Justin Brown Group, the Wallace Roney Band, Ben Williams & The Sound Effect, Jesse Fischer’s Soul Cycle ft. Casey Benjamin, and Marc Cary’s Cosmic Indigenous with special guest Igmar Thomas.
The Lee Morgan Story f. Ben Williams & John Robinson
Lee Morgan is remembered as one of the greatest trumpet players to ever grace the hallowed halls of jazz. In his short lifetime, he managed to record over 25 albums, several of which are still considered classics, and have influenced innumerable musicians to hit the scene since his death. Concord Records recording artist Ben Williams and New York-based emcee John Robinson collaborate in tribute in a way never seen before.
11/30: The Captain Black Big Band & The Revive Da Live Big Band
This night is a rare occasion, a double big band bill with the awe-inspiring Captain Black Big Band lead by renowned pianist Orrin Evans and The Revive Da Live Big Band lead by composer/ arranger/ trumpeter, Igmar Thomas. Two massive big bands with 40+ musicians & guests performing to unite and strengthen the tradition and evolution of jazz.
AUTUMN SUITE | JAZZ IN SEPTEMBER
Revive Da Live is excited to announce the September line-up of the Autumn Suite, a series of live shows taking place in the fall of 2011 in New York City aimed at introducing audiences to brand new jazz-centric live events, while allowing musicians the freedom, platform, and time to bring forth projects and music that they rarely get to showcase. Furthermore, the Autumn Suite will feature numerous debut performances of projects the musicians have been working on.
8/18: RDLBB at NJPAC
This ensemble has been described as “the city’s most electrifying young lions of jazz” by The Village Voice and “a 19-piece jazz army” by Complex Magazine. Led by trumpeter Igmar Thomas, they meld traditional big-band jazz with elements of contemporary hip hop.
2 Must See Shows: The Blue Note Jazz Festival
Blue Note Jazz Festival, two must see shows! June 10th at 92Y featuring Derrick Hodge and The Kendrick Scott “Oracle” with Special Guest Alan Hampton and on June 13th, a night of Hip Hop and Jazz featuring Igmar Thomas & The Cypher with Special Guest MC Raydar Ellis and The Lee Morgan Story with bassist Ben Williams and Special Guest MC John Robinson
Igmar Thomas & The Cypher at the Blue Note Jazz Festival
The Blue Note Jazz festival which celebrates the 30 years anniversary of The Blue Note, dedicates an entire night to the young movers and shakers who are intersecting jazz with the younger American vernacular of hip-hop. The event will be at Mercury Lounge, beginning at 8pm. The line up includes: Igmar Thomas feat. Marcus Strickland & Raydar Ellis, The Lee Morgan Story Featuring John Robinson and Ben Williams, Mental Notes, and Spokkin Movement.
Revive Music Group Celebrates Our 5th Year Anniversary with a G.U.R.U. Tribute at LPR
Revive Music Group celebrates their 5th Anniversary with a mind-bending, monumental Revive Da Live Big Band Tribute to G.U.R.U. and the Jazzmatazz Legacyunder the direction of pianist Marc Cary and trumpeter Igmar Thomas, featuring some of G.U.R.U.’s legendary collaborators as special guests.
Igmar Thomas
Continuing with our musician’s profiles, we have Igmar Thomas who sat down to discuss the difficulties in being a live musician today, especially in jazz. From developing his technique to discovering new ideas and theories about how and why modern music is the way it is, Igmar tells it how it is. If you want to know where hip-hop and jazz are going, here’s your insider look.
Musician’s Take: Cee lo’s Lady Killer
Is our vanguard for all things quirky and eccentric, Cee lo, watering down his sound to become a pop icon or is he simply bringing back good music? To answer this question and more, we rounded up three of the coolest musicians we know and got them to give us a quick lowdown on Cee lo’s latest offering Lady Killer; Igmar Thomas on Trumpet, Kenneth Whalum on Tenor Sax and Sam Kim on Keys.
Jesse Fischer
Jesse Fischer grew up with parents of a mixed background… musically that is. With the classical influence of his father and more rock oriented influence of his mother, Jesse grew into something most musicians (and anyone for that matter) dream of; he is sensitive. Sensitive to other musicians and a sensitive multi-instrumentalist, but most of all sensitive to the music. It is rare to find a musician so in tune with his own ambitions and abilities as Jesse, so without further adieu, Jesse Fischer…
Charlie Parker Revisited – Live Recording
Charlie Parker Revisited by Revive Music Live Recording by: Revive Da Live: Charlie Parker Revisited at the 2010 Charlie Parker Jazz Festival held at Marcus Garvy Park on August 28th presented by City Parks Foundation produced by Revive Music Group Line Up: Raydar Ellis – MC/DJ Marc Cary – Keys Ben Williams – Bass Justin [...]
The Evolution Jam Series @ Creole Every Tuesday Night
Every discipline has that place. You know, that place where even the most talented of the talented come to mix it up with the newcomers, where you never know who’s going to come by and try out a new set or just sit in after a show and take it all in. There’s the Comedy [...]
A Taste of New York Jazz ….
The Revivalist has Launched! Check out our teaser …
The Revivalist highlights the groundbreaking and gifted musicians that educate, inspire and transform audiences through their live musicianship. By illuminating the renewal of jazz, synthesized with the influences of hip-hop, the site is at the heart of a cultural resurgence of live music.
