Capital District Jazz presents:
“JAZZ AT THE SPRING”
WITH HIROAKI “HIRO” HONSHUKU

Who: Capital District Jazz Presents
What: Jazz concert with Hiroaki “Hiro” Honshuku Brian Melick and Mark Kleinhaut
When: Thursday, June 27 at 7:30 PM
Where: Spring St Gallery, 110 Spring St., Saratoga Springs, NY
Tickets: $15.00 https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4078394

Get a jump on the Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival weekend! Jazz at the Spring is bringing the great Hiroaki “Hiro” Honshuku to Saratoga on Thursday, June 27 for a pre-festival show. Innovative flutist and EWI player, Hiro does it all. He is a virtuosic flutist, a brilliant composer, a gifted teacher, thoroughly enmeshed in technology playing the EWI, exploring MIDI sequencing and even developing his own digital applications. But first and foremost, Hiro is an innovative and highly entertaining performer! He is currently the leader of a NYC based jazz-Brazilian hybrid band, Racha Fora, and a co-leader of a Boston based Hiro Honshuku & Yuka Kido's Love to Brasil Project, and we are delighted to introduce him to Saratoga audiences. 

For this performance Hiro, will be joined by his friend, guitarist Mark Kleinhaut. The two have long admired each other’s work, and finally have the opportunity to perform together. They both love the pulse of Brazilian music, turning the standard jazz repertoire on its head, and if an original composition or two is thrown into the mix, we can expect a great evening of spirited musical hi-jinks! This is the perfect start to Saratoga’s premier weekend of Jazz.

Hiro Honshuku studied composition at the New England Conservatory with the late George Russell, (the composer of Afro-Cuban landmark Cubano Be/Cubano Bop and the invisible hand behind the modal jazz of Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue). Hiro was an assistant to Russell for 20 years, as well as a member of Russell’s Living Time Orchestra. Honshuku is one of the rare composers/arrangers who actively practice Russell’s Lydian Chromatic Concept in his writing. “Hiro Honshuku is a man of many parts — virtuoso flutist, imaginative composer, capable, visual artist and gifted teacher.” --George Russell, Composer, Lydian Chromatic Concept Founder

Jazz guitarist Mark Kleinhaut is known for his elegant melodic improvisations, striking technical execution and responsive accompaniment. Mark feels that improvising, exploring sound and group dynamics with like-minded musicians is one of the most inspiring and magical experiences in jazz. Since moving to the Capital Region in 2012, he has enjoyed collaborating with the many fine musicians in the region and has been utilizing this ever-widening network to curate the eclectic Jazz at the Spring series. Mark has recorded over 60 compositions, released seven albums including a Jazzweek Top 20 disc with saxophonist Bobby Watson, and an album with trumpeter Tiger Okoshi. JazzTimes writer and author Bill Milkowski calls Kleinhaut, “one of the truly brilliant guitarists on the jazz scene today.”

Percussionist Brian Melick whose electrifying performance delighted audiences at the Spring last season is returning to round out the trio with his world rhythms and propulsive beat. Melick, a featured recording artist on over 375 commercially released recordings, is not only a talented musician, he is an educator, author and designer. He offers workshops and master classes focusing on the world of percussion, world of Udu and making and playing percussion instruments. He has written two books and produced two instructional DVDs The How to of Udu, Alfred Publishing and Making Percussion Instruments out of Found Objects. Melick also holds three US patents for the development of a series of custom designed performance stands for clay Udu drums.

Jazz at the Spring is held the last Thursday of each month at the Spring Street Gallery, Saratoga Springs, and is sponsored by Capital District Jazz, Ltd. (CDJ) a 501©3 not-for-profit organization formed by practitioners and fans who love jazz music. American in origin, jazz reaches and draws from millions of performers and listeners around the globe who are inspired by its rich history, excited by its technical complexity, and moved by its emotional depth. The members of CDJ want to share their love of jazz with current and potential performers and enthusiasts throughout the “Capital District”. CDJ’s mission is to build and serve a wider audience for jazz through education; to create performance opportunities for jazz musicians; and to develop venues for these pursuits. CDJ supports All Ears: Jazz and Improvised Music Workshop, which is a fun hands-on way for students of all ages to learn about jazz.

CDJ is offering a number of free tickets for youth age 17 and under. If you are interested in obtaining a free ticket please inquire via email info@cdjazz.org. Tickets are available in advance at: brown paper tickets: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4078394