LINER NOTES

QUIET AUTHORITY Best known as a contributing member of the bebop jazz movement and a member of the Oscar Peterson Trio, jazz bassist Ray Brown performed with jazz giants from Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker to his wife Ella Fitzgerald. Despite Fitzgerald’s short-lived marriage to Brown (1947-1953), she remained a lifelong friend and musical associate. A disciple of the 1940s Oscar Pettiford school of jazz bass, Brown developed an individual style renown for its tastefully executed rhythmic lines within the context of ensemble accompaniment. His talent reflects such breadth and diversity that he was the most cited musician in the first edition of the Penguin Guide to Recorded Jazz (1992). Unlike many of the founders of bebop bass, Brown still performed and earned a successful living as a studio musician, record producer, and nightclub owner. 0 0 1 1985 11321 Spotlight On Jazz And Poetry LLC. 94 26 13280 14.0 Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} Raymond Matthews Brown was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on October 13, 1926. He took piano lessons at age eight and gained knowledge of the keyboard through memorizing the recordings of Fats Waller. A member of the high school orchestra, he soon found himself overwhelmed by the number of pianists among his classmates. "There must have been 14 piano players in it. And 12 of them were chicks who could read anything on sight," explained Brown in Jazz Masters of the Forties. In the book Oscar Peterson: The Will to Swing, Brown revealed the main reason for ending his study of piano: "I just couldn’t find my way on it. It just didn’t give me what I wanted." Soon afterward, Brown, unable to afford a trombone, switched to bass, an instrument provided by the school’s music department. Brown’s new musical role model emerged in Duke Ellington’s innovative bassist, Jimmy Blanton. As he told Jack Tracey in Down Beat, "I just began digging into Blanton because I saw he had it covered—there was nobody else. There he was, right in the middle of all those fabulous records the Ellington band was making at the time, and I didn’t see any need to listen to anybody else." As a teenager Brown played local engagements. Despite offers by bandleaders, he followed his mother’s advice and finished high school before performing on the road with regional territory bands. After graduating in 1944, he performed an eight-month stint in Jimmy Hinsley’s band. Around this time, Brown fell under the influence of bassists Leroy "Slam" Stewart and Oscar Pettiford, a prime mover of a modern jazz bass approach. He next joined the territory band of Snookum Russell. Eight months later, while on the road with Russell, Brown followed the suggestion of fellow band members and moved to New York City. In 1945 Brown arrived in New York City, and during his first night visited Fifty-Second Street—"Swing Street," a mob-controlled thoroughfare lined with various jazz clubs. That evening he encountered pianist Hank Jones, a musical associate, who introduced him to Dizzy Gillespie. That same evening, Gillespie, prompted by Jones’ recommendation, hired Brown without an audition. Attending the band’s rehearsal the next day, Brown—a 19-year-old musician still largely unfamiliar with many of bebop’s innovators—discovered that his fellow band members were Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, and Max Roach. "If I had known those guys any better I would have probably never gone to the rehearsal," admitted Brown in Jazz Jo

INSEPARABLE This husband and wife team have a devotion for the arts that definitely shines through. They not only share a deep love for one another, but their passion is evident musically and poetically. This marriage of hearts and artistry is truly a gift. Jimmie Tjari Highsmith, Jr., was born September 18,1967 in the “Flower City” Rochester NY, the birthplace of Jazz luminaries Cab Calloway, PeeWee Ellis, Chuck Mangione and many others. James, or as his friends call him “Jimmie” is a seasoned Jazz musician who began his musical incipiency at the mere age of 7. Jimmie began studying piano, which created the foundations for his song writing in his later years. A music teacher introduced him to the harmonious sound of the saxophone, and the rest shall we say is history. Recognizing Jimmies potential, he was guided to study music at the Hochstein School of Music where he honed his ability to musically shine and stand out from his peers. Jimmie brought that same focus and thirst for music to the High School for Performing Arts where he walked the halls with and befriended other standouts like Motion Picture Actor/TV Star Scott “Taye” Diggs, R&B Singer Charlene “Tweet” Keys and Opera Diva Regina Zona. At School of the Arts, Jimmie was exposed to a musically competitive environment of band competitions, jazz combo performances, composition classes and other competitive solo scenarios. In Jimmies senior year, he auditioned for and was accepted into the prestigious Eastman School of Music, where he played Baritone sax in the Eastman School of Music Jazz Ensemble.  0 0 1 409 2332 Spotlight On Jazz And Poetry LLC. 19 5 2736 14.0 Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}   After graduating from High School, Jimmie enlisted in the US Air Force. While stationed in New Jersey, Jimmie found himself in the ideal location to access the New York and Philadelphia jazz scenes. During this time, he formed a jazz band consisting of musicians from both the US Air Force and Army. The band played at many military events and performed in various countries as part of the entertainment for the International USO Tour and Tops in Blue. In 1992 Jimmie returned to Rochester where he launched his professional music career.  Jimmie has formed many bands, which have been recognized as top regional jazz bands playing in big music festivals and clubs. He has shared the stage with multiple Grammy Award winners, including Alicia Keys and Wynton Marsalis. His sax work represents some of the best in the Smooth Jazz and Contemporary Jazz Genre. Jimmie has also performed with many notables such as: Joseph Wooten, Chris Beard, Paul Boutte, Joe Beard, Carl Thomas, Grey Mayfield, Wycliffe Gordon, Eric Reed, Johnny O’Neal and Yolanda Adams. He and his band have also opened for many big named artist, such as: Natalie Cole, Little Richard, Najee, "Papa John" DeFrancesco, Robert Cray Blues Band, Joyce Cooling, Montell Jordan, Shameika Copeland, Neville Brothers, Me'chelle Ndegeocello, Jodie Watley, Chris Bodie, Temptations and The Isley Brothers. To visit Jimmie Highsmith's website CLICK HERE!    Lutonya Rachel Highsmith, a Rochester, New York, was born on August 20, 1969. Lu, as she is affectionately known, has published essays, news articles and poems over the past twenty years. No matter which form she has chosen to exhibit her talents, each has been reflective of her passion for spirituality, sensuality, and social consciousness. She has perfor

Jonvee  click name above to listen to the show Singer, Poetess, Actress and Photographer Demetra Jonvere Artis, better known in the poetry world as Jonvee, was born May 17, 1958 in Washington DC to Margaret E Artis and Richard Blandon a well known Doo Wop singer and recording artist.  Jonvee, raised by her Mom and Grandparents was always a gifted child especially with drawing. She grew up singing in her gospel choir and would spend hours sitting in her window sill writing short stories.   She was only thirteen when she entered an art contest and people showed up at her door wanting her to attend their school of arts, which at the time her family just could not afford. She attended Johnson Jr. High School in S.E. Washington, DC where she excelled in singing and running track. She even acted in a couple of plays for drama class.  Where she excelled in extracurriculars she failed in classwork.  Some of her teachers considered her to be to slow.     For as long as she could remember she had heard this and it cut deep inside her mentally.  No matter how hard she tried she just could not keep up so she gave up.  She dropped out of school, got married and had her first child all at the age of seventeen.  Life was hard with her husband money was tight and the family grew. She tried to pursue other careers such as modeling for magazines such as Sears and JC Penny’s but there were many road blocks and it wasn’t easy, so she decided to stay put and be a stay at home mom only taking jobs when things got tight.  She taught her children to read and write and realized that if she could teach her children to read, write and recite poetry all before they started school how slow could she be.  So when her youngest child was in high school she told him that she would graduate before he did.  That she did with very high grade point averages in history and science.     On an academic roll she attended Strartford Career Institute for Interior Decorating and later went on to Sheffield School of interior Design where she received her Certificate of Graduation from both schools.  In 2007 Jonvee went back to school classes attending P.G. College in Maryland.  She is an amateur photographer and is now thinking of taking those photography classes.  Jonvee turned fifty in 2008 and does not have any plans of slowing down.  She says Life is just beginning and it’s never too late to try.  She is still singing and recording her poetry and has done poetry readings for UNESSCO Center for Peace Arts Festival and other poetry readings for women’s church groups etc. She has many offers on the table right now but decided to get her recording out first.  She’s Looking forward to performing her works in the future. Not bad for a girl that they say was to slow.  Now Jonvee is taking private photos for couples and working with other artist promoting their work. Recording her poetry has been a long time coming with the upcoming release “Moma’s Wildflower” and another due out in the summer of 2013. When they say better late then never this sure does apply to Jonvee To visit Jonvee on CD Baby CLICK HERE  or To Visit Jonvee on Facebook CLICK HERE