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The Big Easy In Buffalo Music Education & Concert Series Announces New Additions To Program

The Big Easy in Buffalo music education and concert series today announced additions and revisions to its program:

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band will hold a music education performance open to 1700 students in grades 4-5-6 from Erie and Niagara Counties on December 6, 2007.
The Eric Lindell concert will now take place on January 11, 2008 at the Tralf Music Hall.
A "virtual battle of the bands" will take place, with the winner receiving a private music education program and pre-show slot at the February 1, 2008 Mardi Gras Jam.
The Joe Krown Organ Combo has been added to the Mardi Gras Jam, joining the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Papa Grows Funk, Big Chief Bo Dollis & The Wild Magnolias Mardi Gras Indians, and local favorites the Great Train Robbery.

Next up in the series is Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience on November 16, 2007 at the Tralf Music Hall. Information about all the shows can be found at www.bigeasybuffalo.com

On December 6, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. the world famous Preservation Hall Jazz Band will be at the University at Buffalo Center for the Arts for a special student concert and education program for grades 4, 5, and 6. The event is free to any school in Erie and Niagara Counties that wants to participate (transportation will be the responsibility of the school). To get involved, please e-mail bigeasy@musicisart.org no later than November 15. The goal was to make sure that this great band was heard by as many children as possible, and to open it up to public, private, parochial, and charter schools throughout the two counties.

Up and coming blues/roots/reggae/rock singer and guitarist Eric Lindell was scheduled to be here in October, but a sudden medical issue forced him to postpone. Luckily for us, Eric will be touring in early 2008 supporting a new release on Alligator Records, and will kick off the tour in Buffalo on January 11 at The Tralf Music Hall.

Connecting the music education and concert elements of the series will be a virtual battle of the bands. In the spirit of New Orleans and its varied music, we encourage jazz, blues, funk, and even marching bands (but please, no more than 10 members!) to submit one song on cd to Music Is Art by November 2. The band must be sponsored by a teacher, and at least 75 percent of the band must be currently enrolled at the school they're representing. Our panel of judges for the battle will be Music Is Art Founder & President Robby Takac, WBFO blues dj Jim Santella, Kevin O'Brien of Fichte Endl Eye Associates and chair of the 2008 Buffalo Niagara Guitar Festival, MiA Executive Coordinator Tod Kniazuk, and our special guest judge Joe Krown, one of the premier piano and organ players in New Orleans and a Big Easy in Buffalo performer (see below).

The winner of the battle will get a private music education program on February 1, 2008 with one of the New Orleans bands that will be in town as part of our Mardi Gras Jam. The winner will also get a 20 minute pre-show slot at the Jam at the Town Ballroom that evening. Again, this is a free program for the schools, and again to get involved e-mail bigeasy@musicisart.org

Finally, adding to an already packed lineup of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Papa Grows Funk, Big Chief Bo Dollis & The Wild Magnolias Mardi Gras Indians, and local favorites the Great Train Robbery, The Joe Krown Organ Combo has been added to the series concluding Mardi Gras Jam on February 1, 2008. Joe opened the series for us in April with a much talked about solo piano performance. Now he brings his combo in for a set of B-3 fueled jazz, funk, and swing.

The Big Easy in Buffalo is a collaboration between the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau Foundation, Niagara Erie Regional Coalition, and Music Is Art. Proceeds from the concerts will be used to purchase instruments for the Buffalo and Niagara Falls public schools. More information can be found at www.bigeasybuffalo.com