Washington Square Noir: Ice Cream and Tears; a Ran Blake performance August 28, 2008

Washington Square Noir: Ice Cream and Tears; a Ran Blake performance, accompanied by Joel Yennior, Jon Hazilla, David “Knife” Fabris, and special guest Dominique Eade. Presented as part of the Jazz Thursdays at Vernissage series. Dinner reservations optional with a 10% dinner discount for JazzBoston members. For ticket information call (617) 566-3340.

Third Stream pianist Ran Blake is making a rare performance appearance (first ever in Brookline) as a featured guest artist of the popular Jazz Thursdays at Vernissage series. Blake has recorded more than 30 albums and performed in major jazz festivals, concert halls, jazz clubs, and universities throughout Europe and the Americas. He has received a MacArthur Fellowship, in addition to fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the NEA, and the Massachusetts Artists Foundation. His premiere recording, The Newest Sound Around, won the 1963 RCA Album First Prize in Germany and the 1980 Prix Billie Holiday and is included in the Académie du Jazz. Blake was the founding chair of New England Conservatory's Contemporary Improvisation Department (then called Third Stream), from 1974 through 2005, and continues to teach there full-time. His innovative teaching approach, known as "the primacy of the ear," emphasizes the listening process and long-term memory rather than sheet music. Blake, who frequently incorporates melodies inspired by dreams and film noir into his compositions, continues to perform and record. Recent releases include Indian Winter (a 2005 album with guitarist/NEC alumnus David Fabris) and All That Is Tied (a 2006 album of solo piano that appeared on numerous jazz publications' year-end "Best of" lists, including the Village Voice and Downbeat magazine.)

Blake will be accompanied by Joel Yennior on trombone, David “Knife” Fabris on electric guitar, and Jon Hazilla on percussion. Dominique Eade will make a special guest appearance for one of the sets. All of these musicians, with the exception of Blake, are alumni of NEC and this concert is an outgrowth and in the spirit of the Third Stream at NEC.

Official Website: http://www.vernissagerestaurant.com/jazz.aspx