Allen Lowe & The All-Stars
On Wednesday, January 22nd from 7 – 9 pm, it’s Allen Lowe & The All-Stars at Best Video Film & Cultural Center, 1842 Whitney Ave., Hamden, for the monthly jazz session with “a coterie of musical guests” including guitarist Gary Grippo, drummer Barry Ries, bassist Jeff Fuller, and saxophonist Mark Kaplan. $10 cover. Free parking on site and at street.
Isabella Mendes & Flavio Lira
Saturday, January 18th, 7:00 pm – Isabella Mendes & Flavio Lira team up for an evening of Brazilian jazz at Best Video Film & Cultural Center in Hamden. Cover = $15.00. Free on-site and street parking available.
GET YOUR TICKETS HERE
Singer, songwriter, composer, pianist, and educator Isabella Mendes is quickly becoming one of New Haven and Hartford County’s top Brazilian and Jazz entertainers in the industry and has earned an impressive list of accomplishments well beyond her years.
Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Isabella started to study music at age four and hasn’t stopped since. She has been studying with Grammy Winner pianist Fabio Torres and Emmy Winner vocalist Michal Towber. Isabella is also a leader in education, studying at Carnegie Hall as part of the Music Educators program. She is the founder and teacher of IMMusic Studio, a private music school, where she teaches piano and voice. She is an advocate for women and diversity in the arts, and is leading workshops bringing diversity through music in schools and community events.
Brazilian native bassist, Flavio Lira is very active and eclectic, musical styles have never been a restriction for him, and since the beginning, he has performed with groups ranging from Popular Samba to Classical Chamber Music. Now in New York, Flavio Lira is able to fully employ his versatility as a musician, collaborating with different artists and performing in prestigious venues, such as Birdland and Jazz at Lincoln Center.
CARLOS MANUEL GOMEZ & JEFF FULLER: CUBAN JAZZ
CARLOS MANUEL GOMEZ & JEFF FULLER: CUBAN JAZZ
Mark Kaplan Jazz Quartet
The Mark Kaplan Jazz Quartet plays Best Video Film & Cultural Center on Friday, November 29th from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. $10.oo cover. Personnel: Mark Kaplan, tenor sax; David Chevan, bass; Martin Carter, piano; and John Rispoli, drums.
Allen Lowe & The All Stars
On Wednesday, November 20th from 7 – 9 pm, Allen Lowe & The All-Stars perform at Best Video Film & Cultural Center, 1842 Whitney Ave., Hamden, for the monthly jazz session with “a coterie of musical guests” (including guitarist Gary Grippo, drummer Barry Ries, bassist Jeff Fuller and saxophonist Mark Kaplan.) $10 cover.
Jeff Fuller, Tony Lombardozzi, Barry Ries at Best Video
On Friday, November 15th, from 7 – 8:30 pm bassist Jeff Fuller will be joining guitarist Tony Lombardozzi and drummer Barry Ries in a program of great, swingin’ jazz at Best Video Film & Cultural Center, 1842 Whitney Ave., Hamden. This is CT’s most intimate listening room ~ a great place to really listen to the music! $15 cover.
Allen Lowe & The All-Stars
Allen Lowe & The All-Stars will perform at Best Video Film & Cultural Center, 1842 Whitney Ave., Hamden, on Wednesday, October 16th from 7 – 9 pm. $10 cover.
Allen Lowe & The All-Stars
Step right into Hamden’s very own monthly jazz club…
Please join Best Video Film & Cultural Center and host Allen Lowe for our Monthly Jazz Night with Allen Lowe & The All-Stars on Wednesday, September 18th at 7pm. There will be a coterie of musical guests assembled by our host each month in a relaxed setting with tables and chairs to truly sit back, relax, and enjoy the great vibe. Of course, the BVCoffee Bar will be open for beer, wine, and café drinks. Cover charge is $10.
GET YOUR TICKETS HERE
Allen Lowe is a composer, saxophonist, and music historian. He was voted Artist of the Year in the 2021 Jazz Times Readers’ Poll. He has recorded as a leader with: Julius Hemphill, Gary Bartz, Marc Ribot, David Murray, Nels Cline, Matt Shipp, Roswell Rudd, Don Byron, Doc Cheatham, and others.
“Allen Lowe is the tradition; he is one of the few musicians doing anything new today.” -Anthony Braxton
“ Allen Lowe is a genius! His work is always full of wonder, the excitement of discovery, and humor…the best work has always been done at the margins, by the so-called underground – Poe, Whitman, Monk, Harvey Pekar, Herbie Nichols, James Joyce, Sun Ra – but it’s still a surprise and a revelation whenever you find it.” -John Szwed, Columbia University Jazz Studies
Paradox Organ Alliance
The Paradox Organ Alliance plays a jazz show at Best Video Film & Cultural Center on Sat., Sept. 7. The show starts at 7 PM and the cover is $10.
GET YOUR TICKETS HERE
The Paradox Organ Alliance is dedicated to preserving and continuing the great 70-plus-year tradition of Hammond organ, guitar and drum set trios. From blues to bebop, latin, funky boogaloo to the Great American Songbook, each Alliance set explores a musical journey through time. Whenever possible, guest soloists are featured.
The founding members, Dr. Gary Grippo, Dr. Gary Novick, and John McGuire, have performed together for several years. Dr. Grippo has been a well-known member of the Connecticut and New Haven jazz scene for over 20 years. A music major at Rutgers, he has studied with Bucky Pizzarelli and Harry Leahey, among others. While at Rutgers, he performed with jazz legends Gerry Mulligan, Louie Bellson, and Clark Terry. He currently host a weekly jazz radio show on WNHU.
Dr. Novick, a newcomer to the Connecticut jazz scene, has studied with Noah Baerman and Ben Patterson. A life-long keyboardist, he is now dedicating himself to digging deeply into the Hammond idiom, channeling the techniques of the masters of the B-3.
John McGuire has been performing in various musical idioms for over 40 years. He has studied privately with Ed Soph, Gary Chaffee and the great Joe Morello and has performed with such Jazz stalwarts as Lew Soloff, Joe Roccisano, Archie Shepp and Shelton Lester.
