Winter-Spring Newsletter (pretty long)

[DAVID CHEVAN <dchevan...>]

David Chevan's Early 2001 Music Update

Here's an updated calendar and listing of my musical activities for the next
few months.  Hope you can check some of them out.   There's a schedule in
calendar form at the end of this newsletter.


 AVADIM HAYINU: The New CD is out: "Let Us Break Bread Together"

Lots of reviews and Upcoming Performances

This past spring Warren Byrd and I began to work on a new CD, a follow up to
Avadim Hayinu.  The project turned out to be a real team effort.  We spent
two days and nights at the Horizon Recording Studio in West Haven working
closely with engineer Vic Steffens.  One luxury that we were grateful for
was that our piano was tuned twice a day by Debbie Mason (she tunes my piano
at home and if you live in Connecticut I'd be glad to give you her phone
number).  We recorded the entire album direct to two-track without any over
dubbing.  Then we had to pick the best takes, shoot photos with Ben
Ledbetter, compile the liner notes--thanks to Julius Lester, and assemble
the package.  Thank goodness for Jay Miles, percussionist for The
Afro-Semitic Experience.  Jay is an accomplished graphic designer who put
together all of the pieces and is responsible for the CD looking as good as
it does.

The album was officially released on November 14.  It is called 'Let Us
Break Bread Together,' after the traditional African-American spiritual.
Like Avadim Hayinu, our first release, the new CD includes interpretations
of sacred music from the Jewish and African-American traditions.  Warren and
I are excited to report that the critics are receiving it well.  Here are a
few quotes:
Jazz critic Bob Blumenthal wrote in the Boston Globe that the album was a
'CD of heartfelt inter denominational duets." Fran Fried included it in the
number 3 slot in his top ten list of Connecticut albums of 2000, right after
the new albums by the Mitchell-Ruff duo and Dave Brubeck.  George Robinson
wrote in The Jewish Voice, 'Let Us Break' is an excellent record of
intelligent and thoughtful music, and I recommend it highly. 4 ½ stars!'
Martin Goldsmith, former host for NPR's Performance Today wrote in the
Forward, 'Leave it to the artists among us to heal the breach. On their new
CD, 'Let Us Break Bread Together: Further Explorations of the Afro-Semitic
Experience', pianist Warren Byrd and double bassist David Chevan explore and
celebrate the musical ties that have bound these two traditions together
across centuries of suffering and redemption. . . . Listening to this CD is
a bit like checking out a funky little club in the basement of a church or
shul. Or listening to a sermon on a bus ride headed South.'  Author Seth
Rogovoy ('The Essential Klezmer') has included a review of 'Let Us Break
Bread Together' in his monthly column for the Berkshires Week.  Its in an
article called  'New Music for the Global Village'.  The piece is a summary
of new Jewish music recordings, which, to quote Rogovoy 'reflect and respond
to the reality of life in the 'global shtetl.''   The URL that will take you
directly to this article is:
http://www.berkshiresweek.com/insider6.html

We have a few performances scheduled on our calendar and expect more in the
near future.  Here are the details as we know them so far:

Our next performance will be a special weekend event that is planned for the
first week of February.  We will be traveling to Temple Emanu-El, a
synagogue in Birmingham, Alabama where they will host us for a weekend
residence.   On Friday, February 2, at 5:45 p.m., we will participate in an
interfaith service at the synagogue.  The following day we will give
workshops at the synagogue and a concert that night.  Temple Emanu-El is
located at 2100 Highland Avenue on the south side of Birmingham and the
phone number for further information is (205) 933-8037.  Finally, on Sunday,
February 4, at 11:00 a.m. we have been invited to share out music as part of
the worship service at the 16th Street Baptist Church.  The 16th Street
Baptist Church is located at 1530 Sixth Avenue North in Birmingham, Alabama
and the phone number is 205-251-9811.

On Thursday, February 8, we will make our New York City concert debut at
Makor, New York's newest center for culture.  The concert begins at 8:00
p.m. and we will play two sets.  Makor is located at 35 West 67 Street in
New York City and the phone number is (212) 601-1000. On Wednesday, February
21 we will travel to Notre Dame College in Manchester, New Hampshire for a
concert at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday, February 25 at 2:00 p.m. we will present a
concert at Congregation Adath Israel at the corner of Old Church and Broad
Street in Middletown, Connecticut.  The number at Congregation Adath Israel
is 860-346-4709.  The following night, Monday, February 26 we will be in
Utica, New York giving a concert for the Jewish Federation.

On Saturday, March 17, we will give a concert for a new congregation in
Poughkeepsie, New York.  We will be giving a concert of sacred music for the
Passover season at the Milford Fine Arts Council on Saturday, March 24, 2001
at 8:00 p.m.  The Milford Fine Arts Council is located at 40 Railroad Avenue
South and the phone number for tickets and further info is (203) 878-6647.

On Thursday, April 12 we will give a performance at the Museum of Jewish
Heritage--A Living Memorial to the Holocaust.  The concert is scheduled for
6:30 p.m. There is an admission fee for the museum, but tickets to the
concert are free with your admission ticket.  For more information about
this event call 212-968-1800 x136 and to reserve tickets call 212-945-0039.
The Museum is located at 18 First Place in Battery Park City, New York.

There are still a number of  tentative events in the works including an
Interdenominational  Seder at West Point Military Academy and a possible
featured performance at the Washington DC Jewish Music Festival at the
Washington DC Jewish Community Center this June.  I'll post this information
as soon as it is confirmed.

AFRO-SEMITIC EXPERIENCE
Last year Warren Byrd and I were asked if we had a band that could perform
our brand of Jewish and African-American music.  We were enticed by the idea
and not long after we began adding new material to the Bassology set lists.
Before long we were jamming on Klezmer and Yiddish songs along with our
usual assortment of jazz and world music pieces. Pretty soon it was obvious
that a second band had emerged and I began calling it 'The Afro-Semitic
Experience.'  The band has now played in public quite a few times and we've
begun to develop a style and a sense of direction.  In fact, last year we
placed second in the New Haven Advocate's Grand Band Slam in the category of
Instrumental bands.  After our Grand Band Slam showcase the Advocate
described the band's performance as a 'mind-blowing experience'.

The group has a once-every-other-month gig at the Buttonwood Tree in
Middletown, Connecticut.  Our next performance at the Buttonwood will be
Monday, February 5, 2001,  at 8:30 p.m. and we hope that many of you will
come out to hear us.  This concert is dedicated to Black History Month and
in honor of this month of celebration we've come up with an interesting
theme.  We will be focusing on pieces by Jewish composers that have been
interpreted by great Black artists.  One could well imagine a rather lengthy
list of works that would fit into this category.  Come join us and find out
what music we've selected.  The Buttonwood is located at 605 Main St. in
Middletown, Connecticut and the phone number is (860) 347-4957.  The band
that evening will include Warren Byrd on piano, Stacy Phillips on dobro and
violin, Richard McGhee on soprano saxophone, Will Bartlett on clarinet and
tenor saxophone, and Alvin Carter, Jr. and Jason Miles on percussion.

We will be performing every other first Monday of the month at the
Buttonwood Tree in Middletown, CT. The other dates are April 2 (a musical
Seder), and June 4 (the theme is as yet undetermined), 2001.
Our performance at the Tune Inn earlier this year was the result of the
band's placing second in the Instrumental category of the New Haven
Advocate's Grand Band Slam readers poll.  The results of the poll and a
photo of us (well, some of us) performing at the Tune Inn can be found at
this URL: http://www.newhavenadvocate.com/newhome.html
Its not a bad photo and they even describe our performance as a
'mind-blowing experience.'

SCSU CREATIVE MUSIC ORCHESTRA concert dates

The SCSU Creative Music Orchestra has an exciting program of concerts
scheduled for the Spring 2001 semester.  Our first concert of the year will
be on Tuesday, February 27.  This will be our annual Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras
Celebration.  We'll be playing music from New Orleans and the Mardi Gras
tradition.  This is always a fun concert and one which is great for the
entire family.  We always come in costume and invite you to do the same.  On
Tuesday, April 3, guest composer and pianist, Anthony Coleman leads the
Creative Music Orchestra through a set of his compositions.  Tuesday, May 1
will be our end of the year blow-out featuring original compositions and
strategies for large improvised orchestra. All of our concerts begin at 8:00
p.m. and will be held in the Charles Garner Recital Hall, Room 115 in
Engleman Hall on the Southern Connecticut State University Campus in New
Haven.  Admission is $3.00.

The SCSU Creative Music Orchestra rehearses on Tuesday evenings in Room 118
of Earl Hall from 7:30 - about 10 p.m.  As always there is no audition,
anyone in the community (but especially SCSU or prospective SCSU students)
is welcome to join the Orchestra.  If you're interested or know of potential
musicians please give me (David Chevan)  a call at my office at SCSU, the
number is (203) 392-6630 and the voice mail is always on.


Chevan-Cadwallader Duo and The Art of Trio

Our recent CD, The Art of Trio, was included by Fran Fried of the New Haven
Register in his Best of 2000 list for Connecticut music.  The CD has also
been reviewed by an on-line jazz magazine, The Jazz Review. It's a
flattering review.  According to the reviewer there is 'A lot of fine, fine
talent on THE ART OF TRIO, a CD that delivers and delivers well!'
If you want to read the entire article, the URL for the review is
http://www.jazzreview.com/jaagas106.html

The album was recorded last spring at the University of New Haven studios.
It features us in a trio setting with five Connecticut artists, all of whom
have appeared in the Art of Trio concert series.  Its a rather eclectic
album in the best sense of the word.  Each session took on the particular
flavor of the guest which makes for a rather interesting cross-section of
the state of mainstream jazz in Connecticut today. The guest artists are
flutist Ali Ryerson; vocalist Giacomo Gates; trombonist Jim Fryer;
saxophonist Tim Moran; and the Grammy award winning dobro master, Stacy
Phillips.  The album is available at www.amazon.com.

 The jazz duo of Rex Cadwallader and David Chevan will be appearing
Saturday, January 20 at New Haven's newest and most beautiful and engaging
jazz venue, Sage American Bar & Grill (formerly The Chart House). Located at
100 South Water Street in New Haven, the room looks out over the harbor,
with Lighthouse Point in the distance, and provides jazz fans and casual
listeners with not only a gorgeous venue, but the very best of intimate
jazz.  Music begins at 8:00 p.m. and goes until 11:00. (Telephone 787-3466).

The Art of Trio concert series will continue later this  spring in Milford.
The series, which features a different guest artist at each concert, begins
again on Friday, March 16.  We have not finalized our line-up for the spring
series so I will be posting that information as soon as I know it. Concerts
begin at 7:30 p.m. and the Milford Fine Arts Council is located at 40
Railroad Avenue South and the phone number for tickets and further info is
(203) 878-6647.   The dates of the concert series for this spring are March
16, April 20, and May 18.


Finally, the Christ Church located at 84 Broadway in New Haven has decided
to host a series of interfaith sacred jazz concerts featuring the
Cadwallader-Chevan duo with various guest artists.  The first concert was on
Sunday, December 17 with the church organist and flutist Ali Ryerson.  The
other two concerts are scheduled for February 18 and April 22.  For more
information on these concerts please call the Church at (203) 865-6354.


As always, if you have any questions about the performances and activities
listed above, please give me a call at my office at (203) 392-6630 or write
to me at dchevan (at) snet(dot)net(dot) Thank you for all of the support I have 
received
over the past few years.

Finally, people have been asking me how to get hold of my CDs.  I know how
that it is almost impossible is to find them in stores and I apologize for
that.  For whatever reason, I still haven't been able to get a distributer
interested in helping me to disseminate my music.  The easiest place to find
my entire catalogue is at www.amazon.com.  There are two other on-line
sources that carry at least some of my music: www.jewishmusic.com and
www.radioboston.com.  The other way to get an album is to order it directly
from me.  All of my CDs are $15 apiece plus $1.50 per complete order for
postage (that's $1.50 per order, not per CD, this offer is limited to a
maximum of ten CDs per order).  Please make a check out to me and send it
to:

David Chevan
P.O. Box 6183
Whitneyville, CT 06517

Thanks to my webmaster and band mate, trumpeter Ben Proctor whose diligence,
understanding, and expertise of web site management leaves me time to
practice my scales.

Bassologically yours,


David Chevan

David Chevan's Music Events in Calendar Format

 Saturday January 20, Cadwallader Chevan Duo, Sage American Bar & Grill
(formerly The Chart House), 100 South Water Street, New Haven, (203) 787-
3466

 Friday, February 2, Avadim Hayinu, with Warren Byrd, service at Temple
Emanu-El,5:45 p.m.,  2100 Highland Avenue, Birmingham, Alabama, (205)
933-8037.

 Saturday, February 3, Avadim Hayinu, with Warren Byrd, concert at Temple
Emanu-El, 7:30 p.m.,  2100 Highland Avenue, Birmingham, Alabama, (205)
933-8037.

 Sunday, February 4, Avadim Hayinu, with Warren Byrd, worship service at
16thStreet Baptist Church, 11:00 a.m., 1530 Sixth Avenue North, Birmingham,
Alabama, 205-251-9811.

 Monday, February 5 DAVID CHEVAN'S AFRO-SEMITIC EXPERIENCE 8:30 p.m. at the
Buttonwood Tree with Rich McGhee on soprano sax and Warren Byrd on piano,
Stacy Phillips on dobro and violin.  The Buttonwood Tree is located at 605
Main Street in Middletown and the phone number is (860) 347-4957.

 Thursday, February 8, Avadim Hayinu, with Warren Byrd, at Makor, New York's
newest center for culture, 8:00 p.m., 35 West 67 Street, New York City,
(212) 601-1000.

 Wednesday, February 21, 7:30 p.m., Avadim Hayinu, with Warren Byrd, Notre
Dame College, Manchester, New Hampshire.

 Sunday, February 25 at 2:00 p.m., Avadim Hayinu, with Warren Byrd,  at
Congregation Adath Israel at the corner of Old Church and Broad Street in
Middletown, Connecticut, 860-346-4709.

 Monday, February 26 time TBA, Avadim Hayinu, with Warren Byrd,  Jewish
Federation of the Mohawk Valley in Utica, New York, location TBA.

 Tuesday, February 27, Southern Connecticut State University Creative Music
Orchestra, 8:00 p.m., Our annual Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Celebration. Charles
Garner Recital Hall (rm 115, Engleman Building) SCSU campus, New Haven,
(203) 392-6630

 Friday, March 16, 2001 at 7:30 p.m., The Art of Trio, at the Milford Center
for the Arts. with Rex Cadwallader and special guest TBA, at 40 Railroad
Avenue South, Milford, (203) 878-6647.

 Saturday, March 17, time TBA, Avadim Hayinu, with Warren Byrd, a new
congregation in Poughkeepsie, New York, location TBA.

 Saturday, March 24, 2001  Avadim Hayinu, with Warren Byrd,  at the Milford
Center for the Arts, 40 Railroad Avenue South, Milford, (203) 878-6647.

 Monday, April 2, DAVID CHEVAN'S AFRO-SEMITIC EXPERIENCE 8:30 p.m. at the
Buttonwood Tree with Rich McGhee on soprano sax and Warren Byrd on piano,
Stacy Phillips on dobro and violin.  The Buttonwood Tree is located at 605
Main Street in Middletown and the phone number is (860) 347-4957.

 Tuesday, April 3, Southern Connecticut State University Creative Music
Orchestra, 8:00 p.m., Featuring guest composer and pianist, Anthony Coleman.
Charles Garner Recital Hall (rm 115, Engleman Building) SCSU campus, New
Haven, (203) 392-6630

 Thursday, April 12 Avadim Hayinu, with Warren Byrd,  6:30 p.m. at the
Museum of Jewish Heritage--A Living Memorial to the Holocaust.  There is an
admission fee for the museum, but tickets to the concert are free with an
admission ticket.  For more information about this event call 212-968-1800
x136 and to reserve tickets call 212-945-0039.  The Museum is located at 18
First Place in Battery Park City, New York.

 Friday, April 20, 2001 at 7:30 p.m., The Art of Trio, at the Milford Center
for the Arts. with Rex Cadwallader and special guest TBA, at 40 Railroad
Avenue South, Milford, (203) 878-6647.

 Sunday, April 22, 2001, interfaith jazz concert with the Cadwallader-Chevan
duo and  special guests, at Christ Church, 84 Broadway, New Haven, (203)
865-6354.

 Tuesday, May 1, Southern Connecticut State University Creative Music
Orchestra, 8:00 p.m., End of the year concert featuring original
compositions and favorite works from the entire year. Charles Garner Recital
Hall (rm 115, Engleman Building) SCSU campus, New Haven, (203) 392-6630

 Friday, May 18, 2001 at 7:30 p.m., The Art of Trio, at the Milford Center
for the Arts. with Rex Cadwallader and special guest TBA, at 40 Railroad
Avenue South, Milford, (203) 878-6647.

 Monday, June 4 DAVID CHEVAN'S AFRO-SEMITIC EXPERIENCE 8:30 p.m. at the
Buttonwood Tree with Rich McGhee on soprano sax and Warren Byrd on piano,
Stacy Phillips on dobro and violin.  The Buttonwood Tree is located at 605
Main Street in Middletown and the phone number is (860) 347-4957.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
David Chevan, Bassologist
for more info visit my web site located at
 www.chevan.addr.com

---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org ---------------------+