Randy Weston's 90th Birthday Tribute/Celebration

Brooklyn-NYC will host a 90th birthday celebration for its native son, NEA Jazz Master, Randy Weston on Friday, April 8 at JAZZ966. Located at 966 Fulton Street in the Fort Greene section. Other Jazz Masters, cultural luminaries, and musicians of note will pay tribute, musically, to help mark this occasion. For tickets and information contact 718.398.1766 or comm@cbjcjazz.org

Dr. Randy Weston, an artist of stature beyond the music, is a proponent of Jazz, an African inspired American original art form, being recognized not merely for its entertainment value. As stated by Weston, “Gospel music, the blues, and especially the highly diversified music known as jazz are a special contribution of the American black people to the culture of America and of the world . . . “

Dr. Weston was born, April 6, and still lives in central Brooklyn. Randy Weston African Rhythms ensemble reflects his life, heritage, and the music he loves. His piano styling is percussive, rhythmic and highly impacted by Thelonious Monk and to some degree by Duke Ellington. Randy grew up in Brooklyn at a time when the borough had a claim as the jazz capitol of New York City. Max Roach, Art Blakey, Cecil Payne, cousin Wynton Kelly enticed young musicians (Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Barron, Cedar Walton among others) to move to the borough to display their skills at Jazz Shrines such as the Blue Coronet, The East, and Putnam Central just to name a few of the spots.

Randy Weston’s tribute and birthday celebration is the brainstorm of JAZZ966, Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium, and Sistas’ Place. Organizations who are the vanguards of “Brooklyn Jazz” and African American culture in general.