UNCW JazzFest
Three days of concerts: March 27-29, 2015
All concerts take place in Beckwith Recital Hall, located in the Cultural Arts Building on Randall Drive
Wessell Warmdaddy Anderson
Friday, March 27, 2015
7:30 p.m.
Beckwith Recital Hall
$6 general public (includes tax) • Free to students with valid UNCW ID
Advance tickets are not sold: the Cultural Arts box office opens one hour prior to performance.
About the artist
Alto saxophonist Wessell “Warmdaddy” Anderson
studied at Harlem's famed Jazzmobile workshops with the Frank Wess, Charles
Davis and Frank Foster. Anderson also met Wynton and Branford Marsalis, both
playing with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Anderson then left New York to study
with clarinetist Alvin Batiste at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La.
Anderson toured with the Wynton Marsalis Septet,
helping make some of the most defining music of the late-80s and early-90s jazz
revival. Although Marsalis disbanded the group in 1995, Anderson is still the
first string alto saxist with Marsalis' Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.
During his time with Marsalis’ group, Anderson
began to develop his own sound: a mix of traditional New Orleans jazz (likely
Batiste's influence) and a sweeping blues style similar to that of Cannonball
Adderly. Anderson's 1994 debut album, Warmdaddy In the Garden of Swing
(Atlantic Records), featured Anderson playing a set of all original
compositions with big-name sidemen like pianist Eric Reed and bassist Ben
Wolfe. 1998’s Live at the Village Vanguard found Anderson in top form with his band
of powerhouse players, including trumpeter Irvin Mayfield, bassist Steve Kirby,
pianist Xavier Davis and drummer Jaz Sawyer.
Anderson released the critically acclaimed album
“Warm It Up, Warmdaddy!” on Nu Jazz Records in 2009. The album was among the
first jazz albums to combine multiple forms of media content on iTunes, as well
as have several versions released with digital and audio content varying among
the releases. “Warm It Up, Warmdaddy!” was the second jazz album released
on Pre-Paid Digital Download cards, and was available on Manufactured On Demand
CD from Amazon.com.
Anderson’s latest CE “Warmdaddy Plays Ball,”
featuring the music of Cannonball Adderly, was released in early 2013.
For more information about Wessell Anderson,
please visit:
http://warmdaddy.wix.com/warmdaddy
Quartet personnel:
Wessell Anderson, saxophone
Brad Merritt, piano
John Brown, bass
Orlandus Perry, drums
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For more information or to join our mailing list, email uncwmus@uncw.edu or call 910-962-3415 M-F 8-5 p.m
UNCW Campus map
(The Cultural Arts building is designated as “CA” and is on the left hand side of the map, just above midpoint.)
Plenty of free parking, right out in front of the Cultural Arts building. No need to feed the meters.