Special Event! NPR Live Broadcast » New Year’s Eve with the Billy Childs Quartet
The Blue Whale, in association with Angel City Arts and Toast the Nation from NPR Music present:
THE BILLY CHILDS QUARTET
BILLY CHILDS piano
TIM LEFEBVRE bass
BOB SHEPPARD sax
GARY NOVAK drums
DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER of JazzSet from NPR Music will be the MC
Guaranteed to be the hottest NYE Jazz party in Los Angeles, this show is the West Coast live segment of NPR‘s Toast the Nation, a broadcast of live jazz performances throughout the night, from venues all across the U.S. In addition to the Billy Childs Quartet, this year’s program will feature artist such as Julian Lage, Wynton Marsalis and Sing the Truth with Dianne Reeves.
Tickets» Available for purchase at Eventbrite
Presale 1 – $40
This is the most discounted ticket. Only 30 are available and sales will end on November 30th
Presale 2 – $50
Available from December 1st to December 21st only.
Full Price – $60
Any tickets sold after December 21st (if any are left) will be sold at $60.
We’re expecting to sell out so buy your ticket early and save
The ticket’s price includes a food buffet from 9pm to 11pm and a champagne toast at midnight.
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Billy Childs was born in Los Angeles on March 8th, 1957. Having demonstrated an aptitude for piano as early as age six, Childs developed rapidly, and at age sixteen entered the USC-sponsored Community School of the Performing Arts, studying theory with Marienne Uszler and piano with John Weisenfluh. In 1975, he entered USC as a composition major, graduating four years later with a bachelor of music in composition under the tutelage of Robert Linn.
Since then Mr. Childs has received a number of orchestral commissions from, among others: Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Leonard Slatkin, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, The Kronos Quartet, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, the American Brass Quintet, and the Dorian Wind Quintet.
After apprenticing with Freddie Hubbard and J.J. Johnson in the late seventies and early eighties, Childs’ solo jazz recording career began in 1988, when he released Take For Example, This… the first of four critically acclaimed albums on the Windham Hill Jazz label. He followed that album with Twilight Is Upon Us (1989), His April Touch (1992), and Portrait Of A Player (1993). His next album, I’ve Known Rivers on Stretch/GRP (now Stretch/Concord) was released in 1995, followed by The Child Within, released on the Shanachie record label in 1996. Most recently, Mr. Childs has recorded two volumes of jazz/chamber music – Lyric, Vol. 1 (2006) and Autumn: In Moving Pictures, Vol. 2 (2010) – music which is an amalgam of jazz and classical elements, developed with his ensemble through rehearsal, performance, and recording, over the course of ten years.
Thus far, in his career, Childs has garnered ten Grammy nominations and three Grammy awards: two for best instrumental composition (Into the Light from Lyric and The Path Among The Trees from Autumn: In Moving Pictures) and one for best arrangement accompanying a vocalist. In 2009, Childs was the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and in 2006 was awarded a Chamber Music America composer’s grant.
As a pianist Childs has recently performed with, among others, Yo-Yo Ma, Sting, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Detroit Symphony, the Kronos Quartet, Wynton Marsalis, Jack DeJohnette, Ron Carter, the Ying String Quartet, the American Brass Quintet, and Chris Botti. In January 2010, The Detroit Symphony (Leonard Slatkin conducting) premiered Childs’ Concerto For Violin And Orchestra with Regina Carter as soloist. Upcoming commissions include a new piece for the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and another new work for the Kronos String Quartet.
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- Photography: Suzuki K
Over the course of an extraordinarily diverse career that has made him a first call musician in the realms of jazz, pop and the studio worlds, multi-woodwind specialist Bob Sheppard has always let his array of saxophones, flutes and clarinets do the talking. Superstar names highlight his resume, and jazz critics have been raving about him as both a sideman and leader for years, but such praise is simply a byproduct of Sheppard´s years of steady work and dedication to his craft – a tradition that continues on Close Your Eyes, his latest release as an artist and is the debut CD for the BFM Jazz label.
Going into the recording session for Close Your Eyes, Sheppard simply wanted to create a sonically rich interactive jazz experience. One of the distinct advantages of dividing his time between his home base of Los Angeles and New York is that he has forged working relationships with the best musicians on both coasts. Anchoring this session is top NYC drummer Antonio Sanchez (renowned for his work with Pat Metheny, among others), who Sheppard met while collaborating with him on the Billy Childs Jazz Chamber Sextet and Michael Brecker´s Quindectet tours. Completing a powerful rhythm section Sheppard chose the young bassist, Gabe Noel, and split the piano and organ duties between longtime friends John Beasley and Alan Pasqua. Other key contributors on this inspired CD are trumpeter Alex Sipiagen, percussionist Walter Rodriguez and guitarist Larry Koonse.
Sheppard has been a steadfast member of the Billy Childs Ensembles and the Peter Erskine trio for over a decade. Additionally over the years, he has toured with Steely Dan and Boz Scaggs, and brought his diverse talents to more recent performances with James Taylor, Natalie Cole and Queen Latifah and most notably with the legendary Joni Mitchell on her current four-disc set and her 2007 Grammy-winning, Shine. He also played on a live studio video with Mitchell and Herbie Hancock.
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- photo by Govert Driessen
Tim Lefebvre (pronounced leh-FAVE) performs his very own retrohipster funk-jazz soundtrack while strutting around Europe (or wherever he happens to be) and so does his band Rudder, a group of New York City session cats currently storming the indie-jam-jazz scene with rowdy, greasy cuts like “Tokyo Chicken,” “Jackass Surcharge,” and “3H Club” from their brand new album Matorning [2009, Nineteen-Eight Records.] Lefebvre not only grooves his pants off, he fully embraces the offbeat hipster vibe from a tone standpoint. (Bryan Beller, Bass Player Magazine)
Lefebvre strives for modernity, mastering styles as diverse as drum and bass, electronica, rap, rock and many jazz styles including traditional, bebop and fusion, and creating his own hybrid. Lefebvre’s bass lines tend to waddle in and out (a la James Jamerson’s innate funkiness) of drummer Keith Carlock’s pounding, discovering hidden little caves of funk. “To be able to mesh all these diverse style and come up with something new is the most important lesson he ever learned from Wayne Krantz.” (Zachary Adam Cohen)
A native of Foxboro, Massachusetts who double-majored in political science and economics, Lefebvre spent three years gigging on a cruise ship before hitting New York and hooking up with drummer Zach Danziger, which led to gigs and recordings with guitarist Wayne Krantz. Once he began subbing for James Genus in the Saturday Night Live band, the walls to the TV world tumbled down, with gigs for The Sopranos, The Late Show With David Letterman, 30 Rock, and The Apprentice.
He has played on dozens of records, as well as performed and composed for several movie soundtracks, including Oceans 12, Oceans 13, The Departed, Please Give, Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle, and Analyze That! In addition, he continues to be a freelance composer for JSM Music and Deetown Productions in NYC.
Mr. Lefebvre also placed in both the Downbeat Reader’s and Critic’s Poll in 2010 for electric bass. Also several articles have been written about him in Bass Player Magazine, Bass Musician Magazine, and Guitarre + Bass Magazine.
Mr. Lefebvre has been seen on TV and touring extensively with Chris Bottiand Rudder this year. He has appeared recently with Elvis Costello, John Mayer, Sting, Patti Austin, Jamie Cullum, Mark Guiliana’s Beat Music, Uri Caine, David Binney, and Wayne Krantz..
Mr. Lefebvre has appeared or recorded with Nick Cave & Warren Ellis, AR Rahman, Tony Orlando, Donny Osmond, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, Andy Garcia, Bette Midler, Drew Barrymore, Snoop Dogg, Jim Belushi, David Holmes, Paula Cole, Melissa Errico, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Deborah Gibson, Karsh Kale, Russell Ferrante, KT Tunstall, Tenacious D, Hildegard Knef, Bob James, Mark Whitfield, Dr. John, Warren Haynes, Chuck Loeb, Les McCann, Bill Frisell, Chris Potter’s Underground, Arif Marden, Bill Evans, David Cassidy, David Johanssen & The Harry Smith’s, M People, Russell Gunn, Philippe Saisse, Les McCann, Bill Frisell, Angelique Kidjo, Chuck Loeb, Dennis Chambers, Jon Pousette-Dart, Larry John MacNally, Jim Beard, Chieli Minucci & Special EFX, Mitch Forman, Eddie Daniels, Tim Berne, Brian Blade, and Jim Black.
He is Endorsed by Moollon Guitars, Callow Hill Guitars, MXR + Jim Dunlop Efx, Ableton Live, M Audio, Aguilar Amplification, and D’Addario Strings.
“How fortunate we are indeed that against all the odds that our lowbrow culture has stacked up against avant-garde musicians, we can still catch a glimpse every so often of authentic expression.” (Zachary Adam Cohen, Social Media Strategist)
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Born and raised in Chicago, Gary Novak was practically born with drum sticks in hand. Coming from parents of great musical talent, it is no wonder that Gary began playing the piano at the tender age of 8. While most musicians find their musical inspiration outside the home, Novak’s influence came from his parents. His mother, Carol Novak, also a pianist, played with her trio at the London House. His father, Larry Novak, the famous Chicago pianist, not only encouraged the career of his son but also put him to work. From the age of 10 to 12, Novak would work with his father’s trio in all the Chicago clubs, including Mr. Kelly’s, gaining the insight and experience that would lead to several musical milestones obtained at a very young age.
During high school, Novak worked with the jazz clarinet master Buddy Defranco as well as such notables as Joe Williams, Milt Hinton, Kenny Burrell, Barney Kessel and the great Louis Bellson. Novak’s blossoming reputation lead to the opportunity to represent Yamaha drums and Zildjian cymbal through endorsements at the age of 17.
At 19 years old, Novak moved to Los Angeles – an important step forward for Novak bringing many opportunities most could only dream of getting. Not only did Los Angeles bring him his first road job with Maynard Ferguson, but it marked a year of great exposure. Novak would come to work with Brandon Fields and record on his latest LP. He worked with such musical greats as Michael McDonald, Natalie Cole, David Sanborn and Anita Baker.
He teamed up with guitarist Lee Ritenour who employed him for his solo tour and the GRP All-Star tour in 1991.
Novak continued to tour throughout ’92, this time with George Benson. Although he had been working for the greater part of his life, he was not about to slow down. At 28, he joined Chick Corea’s newest band. After leaving it, he toured with other great musicians, such as Bob Berg and Allan Holdsworth. In 1998 he joined Canadian pop star Alanis Morissette’s band, recording and touring with her for over a year.
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