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SONGS OF FREEDOM
WITH MUSIC DIRECTION BY ULYSSES OWENS JR.
FEATURING THEO BLECKMANN, ALICIA OLATUJA
AND JOANNA MAJOKO
UnderthedirectionofGrammyAward-winningdrummer,UlyssesOwensJr.,the1960’sareexplored
throughtheworkofthreeprolificartists:JoniMitchell,AbbeyLincoln,andNinaSimone–allof
whomhavemadeanindeliblemarkinmusic.Eachartistexpressedfreedominvariousways.Joni
composedandsungaboutthefreedomoflove,Abbeyexpressedfreedomofherindividualityand
racethroughherlyricism,andNinaSimonedemandedfreedompoliticallythroughsong.
Toeffectivelydeliverthisvastrepertoire,theprogramfeaturesvocalistsTheoBleckmann,Alicia
Olatuja,andJoannaMajoko.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
Ulysses Owens Jr.
UlyssesOwens,Jr.isoneoftoday’spremierdrummersandarapidlyevolvingproducer,composer,
educator,andentrepreneur.Owenshasestablishedhimselfasaleaderinhisgenerationofjazz
artists,admiredforhissensitive,fiery,andcomplexplaying,vividdisplayoftexturalnuance,andgift
forpropellingabandwithcharismaandintegrity.Humbleinpersonandimposingbehindakit,heisa
graduateoftheinauguralJazzStudiesProgramatTheJuilliardSchool,andheearnedhisstripesasa
memberofbassistChristianMcBride’sacclaimedTrioandBigBand.OwensreceivedhisfirstGrammy
Awardin2010forhisperformanceonKurtElling’sDedicatedtoYouandhissecondGrammyAward
fortheChristianMcBrideBigBandalbumTheGoodFeeling.HehasalsoreceivedfourGrammyAward
nominationsforhisworkwithChristianMcBrideandpianistJoeyAlexander.Owensisincredibly
versatileandhastouredandrecordedwithartistsincludingWyntonMarsalis,DianeSchuur,Renee
Fleming,MontyAlexander,RussellMalone,andMulgrewMiller.Hehasreleasedthreealbumsasa
leader,startingin2009withIt’sTimeforU,whichfeaturedfouroriginalcompositionsand
arrangements.Hissecondalbum,Unanimous,wasreleasedontheEuropeanlabelCrissCrossJazz,
andOnwardandUpwardwasreleasedin2014onDClefRecords.Asco-leaderoftheNewCentury
JazzQuintet,hehasreleasedtwoalbumswiththeJapaneserecordlabelSpiceOfLife:TimeisNow
andInCaseYouMissedUs.In2015hewasrecommendedbyWyntonMarsalisandJazzatLincoln
CentertocomposeaworkfortheMuseumofModernArt’sSummergardenseries,andhepremiered
aseven-movementsuiteentitledStagesofUs.Owenshasbeenhonoredwitha2015JazzAtLincoln
CenterSwing!Award,2014GlobalMusicAward,2013ASCAPPlusAward,wasdesignateda2014
DownBeatRisingStar,andappearedasaTEDxJacksonvilleperformer.
Theo Bleckmann
Ajazzsingerandcomposerofeclectictastesandprodigiousgifts,GrammyAward–nominatedTheo
Bleckmann(Vocals)makesmusicthatisaccessiblysophisticated,unsentimentallyemotional,and
seriouslyplayful.Hisworkprovokesthemindtowonder,butconnectsimmediatelywiththeheart.
BleckmannhasreleasedaseriesofalbumsonWinter&Winter,includingrecordingsofLasVegas
standards,BerlinKabarett,andpopular“barsongs”(allwithpianistFumioYasuda);arecordingof
newlyarrangedsongsbyCharlesIves(withtheimprovisationaljazz/funkcollectiveKneebody);and
mostrecently,acousticSolosforVoiceandToys.Hemaintainsanongoingcreativerelationshipwith
guitarphenomenonBenMonder,JohnHollenbeck,andGaryVersace(asRefugeTrio);withsingers
PeterEldridge,KateMcGarry,LaurenKinhan,andLucianaSouza(asMoss,avocalall-starcollective);
andhehascollaboratedwithmusiciansandcomposersincludingLaurieAnderson,PhilipGlass,Sheila
Jordan,PhilKline,MichaleLang,KirkNurock,MichaelTilsonThomas,JuliaWolfe,JohnZorn,theBang
onaCanAll-stars,and,mostprominently,MeredithMonk,withwhomBleckmannworkedasacore
ensemblememberfor15years.Bleckmann’sjoyous,mischievoussensibilityisalsomanifestinhis
compositionalwork,settingssetbyRumi,EmilyDickenson,andKurtSchwitters,aswellasthe
ineffablesoundscapesbuiltwithjusthisvoiceandlooppedals,includingarecentstringquartetfor
JACKStringQuartet,commissionedbytheSloughtFoundation.Bleckmann’sapproachtomusicand
performancehaveledtorecognitioninunusualquarters,includingaFreshAirinterviewwithTerry
GrossandanarticleonvocaltechniquesolicitedforJohnZorn’sArcanaseries,VolumeIII.
Bleckmann’sadventurous,extravagantlybeautiful,andmagicallyotherworldlychoiceshaveledto
mystifiedaccoladesfromsuchpublicationsastheNewYorkTimes,VillageVoice,andvariousjazz
publications.
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Alicia Olatuja
PraisedbytheNewYorkTimesas“asingerwithastrongandluscioustoneandanamiablyregal
presenceonstage”,AliciaOlatujahasbeenastoundingaudienceswithherexquisitevocals,artistic
versatilityandcaptivatingdemeanor.Shefirstcameintothenationalspotlightin2013,whilst
performingasthefeaturedsoloistwiththeBrooklynTabernacleChoiratPresidentBarackObama’s
SecondInauguration.Shortlythereafter,sheassembledherownjazzbasedensembleandrecorded
herfirstsoloalbum,Timeless(2014).
OriginallyfromSt.Louis,MO,Aliciagrewupimmersedinawiderangeofmusicalstyles,including
gospel,soul,jazzandclassical.Theseinfluenceshaveinformedherartisticjourney,andshelater
graduatedwithaMastersdegreeinClassicalVoice/OperafromtheManhattanSchoolofMusic.After
appearinginnumerousoperaticandmusicaltheaterproductions,shestartedtoperformmore
regularlyingospelandjazzconcertsandworkedwithsuchesteemedartistsasChakaKhan,BeBe
WinansandChristianMcBride.
In2014,Aliciacametotheattentionoftheacclaimedcomposer/arranger/pianistBillyChilds,andwas
broughtontobepartofthetouringincarnationofMaptotheTreasure:ReimaginingLauraNyro,
alongsidevocalistBeccaStevens,inthe2015-16season.Hervoicehasalsoentrancedthelegendary
HammondB3organistDr.LonnieSmith,andshehasrecentlyperformedwithhimatmultipleevents
includingtheCharlieParkerFestivalandtheBRICJazzFest.InAugust2016,shewasthefeatured
soloistattheCabrilloMusicFestival,performingOsvaldoGolijov’s“Oceana”,underthedirectionof
MarinAlsop.
Alicia’sownband,overthepastyear,hasbeensteadilyindemand,andtheyhaveperformedatthe
JazzStandard,VermontJazzCenter,SiouxFallsJazzFest,RockportJazzFestival,MarkhamJazzFestival,
MontyAlexanderJazzFest,andtheHarlemStageGatehouse,tonameafew.
Joanna Majoko
Naturallygiftedandhighlytrained,JoannaMajokohasbeencaptivatingaudienceswithhervoice
sinceshewas14.BorntoGerman&Zimbabweanparents,Joannagrewupinaculturallydiverse
home-ahomethatmovedfromGermanytoZimbabwe,SouthAfricaandfinallytoManitoba,Canada
in2001.Growingup,shewasexposedtoarichpracticeofmusicanddance,participatingin
everythingfromchoirs,musicals,drumensembles,totraditionalZimbabweandancegroups.Atthis
point,shebegantogainrecognitionforhervocalabilities.AfterrelocatingtoManitoba,Joanna
involvedherselfinthelocalartsscene.Shortlythereafter,agrowingloveofjazzbroughtherto
Winnipeg,Manitoba,whereshegraduatedwithaBachelorofJazzStudies(Honours)degreefromthe
UniversityofManitobain2014.
Althoughhergreatestaffinityisforjazz,Joannaisversatilewithinmanymusicalgenres.Shehas
workedwithnumerousaccomplishedCanadianandAmericanrecordingartistsincludingRonPaley,
IsmailaAlfa,LesJupes,TheLytics,CurtisNowosad,SteveKirby&TheOceanicJazzOrchestra,Quincy
Davis,andDerrickGardner.Asshecontinuestobuildanameforherselfasasolovocalist,shecanbe
seenperformingthroughoutWinnipegandbeyond.InAugustof2015,JoannaparticipatedinathreeweekartistresidencyaspartoftheBanffInternationalWorkshopinJazz&CreativeMusiconfull
scholarship,withsupportfromtheManitobaArtsCouncil.HertimeinBanff,Albertaallowedherto
workcloselywithjazzluminariessuchasVijayIyer,BillyHart,Somi,BeccaStevensandMarkTurner.
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MostrecentlyhervocaltalentshaveawardedhertheopportunitytotravelabroadtoFrance,touring
andperformingwithBlueNoterecordingartistandNewYork-baseddrummer,OtisBrownIII.
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