Rutgers IJS Presents The Jorge Sylvester ACE Collective

THE GROUP

The ACE Collective is a group of improvising musicians created and led by saxophonist, composer, arranger, Jorge Sylvester that consists of alto saxophone, electric bass and drums at its core with the addition of three independent rhythmic and melodic elements: the voice, trumpet and piano expanding its harmonic colors, its scope of sound and its textural capacity. The music is original, new and experimental and draws from the Afro- Caribbean Diaspora, jazz and the free music art forms including poetry. Along with Sylvester, the band includes Nora McCarthy; Waldron Mahdi Ricks – Trumpet; Pablo Vergara – Piano; Donald Nicks – Electric Bass; Kenny Grohowski – Drums

A native of Colon, Republic of Panama, Sylvester's original compositions are indicative of the vast cultural mixture that is Central America. The ACE Collective utilizes the rich spectrum of rhythms from the Caribbean and other Latin American countries as a vehicle to create new and undiscovered rhythmic melodic lines within the jazz tradition. Collective and free improvisation is an essential part of the concept utilizing juxtaposition and retrograde as main components of the experimentation.

THE MUSIC:

Afro-Caribbean rhythms and their relationship to the avant-garde music form have not been documented. Unlike the work of composers such as Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie and others who used Afro- Caribbean rhythms in their works without experimenting with their rhythmic pulse, the compositional structure of the music of the ACE Collective goes beyond an absolute interpretation, and delves deeper into the core of the rhythms breaking them down and expanding the pulse into a myriad of complex configurations that tap into the original primal properties of the music itself, reflecting its history and its origin, unraveling its many transmutations and adaptations over time and discovering new possibilities and applications within the tradition itself that are related to the avant-garde.

The poetry reflects the message of the compositions by telling the story of each piece and its historic relevance to the music adding an important educational dimension. Other compositions that are significant to the history of jazz music are also occasionally introduced into the performance highlighting certain lesser known but meaningful composers from the Caribbean.

ABOUT JORGE SYLVESTER

JORGE SYLVESTER, Alto Saxophonist, Composer, Arranger, Producer, Bandleader,

Educator

www.jorgesylvesteracemusic.com/

“Jorge Sylvester's distinctive alto saxophone sound is imbued with the volatility of Caribbean basin's complex mosaic, transformed and focused by the probing

musical linguistics pioneered by the great saxophonists of modern jazz.” Ramsey Ameen Violinist, Composer, w/ Cecil Taylor’s Unit

Born in Colon, Panama Jorge is a nationally known unique innovator and impressive composer and arranger in the idiom of creative music. With a sound reminiscent of Eric Dolphy and Ornette Coleman, Sylvester’s blend of African-Caribbean rhythms with new music is what gives him his distinguished voice. Jorge has remained on the cutting edge of the creative NY Jazz scene since his arrival from Spain in 1980.

Sylvester spent ten years in Spain, touring Europe and recording with his ensembles. Since 1980 he has worked extensively in New York City and has toured the US, Europe, Israel, the UK and the Caribbean with his various groups. In 2000 he formed a collaboration with vocal artist, composer, poet, Nora McCarthy and together they lead and co-lead eleven noteworthy groups.

Mr. Sylvester composes, arranges, and conducts new music for his various groups and his expansive projects and presents performance workshops throughout New York/New Jersey and elsewhere in the United States teaching his unique approach to composition using Afro- Caribbean rhythms.

Mr. Sylvester attended the Panama Conservatory of Music and the University of Panama, studied advanced harmony with Argentinian pianist, composer Luis Vecchio in Las Palmas de Gran Canarias, Spain whose Quartet he also then recorded with. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Music from the State University of New York College at New Paltz in 1981, attended vibraphonist Karl Berger’s Creative Music Studio in Woodstock, NY where he took workshops with Bassist, Dave Holland, Saxophonists, Oliver Lake, Steve Lacy, Marion Brown, Violinist Ramsey Ameen, and many others.

Tours/residencies/notable concerts include: Andrew Cyrille at The Kitchen NYC, Europe with Joe Bowie’s Defunkt Big Band; Performances with Trombonist composer Craig Harris; Europe and Israel with the World Saxophone Quartet; Danilo Perez’s Panamanian Jazz All Stars for the Panama Jazz Festival; Podgorica, Montenegro Jazz Appreciation Month Series with A Small Dream in Red and appeared on the television show, Good Morning Montenegro; concert and recording in Linz, Austria at the Brucknerhaus Concert Hall with Jorge Sylvester ACE Collective; Vision Festival X, NYC with ConceptualMotion Orchestra; the Baha’i Center, Dizzy

Gillespie Theater, NYC yearly residency from 2010 to 2020 with CMO; and, monthly residency

(both performances and workshops) at El Taller Latino Americano Arts Center, NYC with CMO featuring guest artists since 2018-2020.

Sylvester’s discography includes twelve CDs.

DISCOGRAPHY

Mayhem at Large – Spontaneous Expressions (RedZen Records, 2021);blesSINGS w/Nora McCarthy People of Peace Quintet (RedZen Records, 2016);In the Language of Dreams - A Small Dream In Red Duo (RedZen Records, 2013);Spirit Driven – The ACE Collective (RedZen Records 2010 rel. 2013);Toward the Hill Of Joy Featuring Nora McCarthy (Blue Unity Music, 2011); Playground (Jazzaway Records, 2005); A Small Dream in Red - A Small Dream In Red Duo (Sundown Jazz Records, CSU, 2003); The Mass (Palmetto Records, 2000); Another Side (CIMP Records, 2000);Magic Night (Jazz Stop Records, Madrid Spain, 1989); Viriato Blue (Jazz Stop Records, Madrid Spain, 1983); The Blue Oneness of Dreams with Poet Sekou Sundiata (Mouth Almighty Records, 1997); The Essence All Stars featuring Doug Carne, Idris Muhammed and Josh Roseman(Hip Hop Records, 1997).

NORA McCARTHY-SYLVESTER, Creative Jazz Vocal Artist, Composer, Poet, Lyricist, Writer, Actor, Producer, Educator

https://www.noramccarthy.com and https://www.mic-art-music.com

"An intrepid and experimental vocalist, with a sound reminiscent of the great voices and horns in jazz. A devotee of classic jazz, global rhythms and the fine arts, McCarthy is a musical colorist eager to push the envelope."

Carlo Wolff, Journalist and Author, Jazz Critic for The Plain Dealer.

Nora McCarthy-Sylvester is an original voice, unique and exhilarating improviser, composer, poet, lyricist, actor, and educator with several decades of experience in the field of jazz and creative music. As a prominent member of the New York jazz scene since 1996 when she recorded her first CD red&blue and most notably the downtown music scene representing the avant-garde artist community of musicians and poets, she and her various groups have established themselves as leaders in the musical expressions of expressionism and modernism as well as straight-ahead jazz and Afro-Caribbean Experimental music. From 2005-2010 she was a featured member of the masterful Conductor Lawrence D.

“Butch” Morris' internationally renowned, Chorus of Poets.

McCarthy currently leads the following groups: The Panama Red Trio, The People of Peace Quintet; The Nora McCarthy Trio; Nora McCarthy Qu’ART’et; Modern Voice Ensemble, and Manna For Thought Improvising Trio. She has been in collaboration with her husband alto saxophonist Jorge Sylvester for the past 23 years and as a result of this intensive collaboration, craftmanship and discipline, their hard-won synergy has enabled them to create nine distinct creative new music/poetry projects which includes the renowned ConceptualMotion 21-piece Orchestra, A Small Dream In Red Innovative Improvising Duo, Jorge Sylvester ACE (Afro- Caribbean-Experimental) Collective and the Extended Edition with Strings, Quartet Imagination, and an improvising octet, Spontaneous Expressions. Mayhem at Large, is this group’s first CD. Released in late 2021, it is a live performance captured at the Baha’i Center in March 2020.

McCarthy has written over 40 compositions and graphic compositions, soundscapes, and

poetic architectures—word art—that she has been designing since 2001 for her advanced music groups. She has also penned lyrics to dozens of jazz standards, and other compositions as well as her own original music. Her living poem, "Today In America" is one such work that began in 2001 and is a time lapsed look at ongoing events in this country written in a collage format, activistic, poetic style with a broad and far-reaching scope: government, politics, societal, racial, and cultural issues, civil and human rights, and environmental issues, with prophetic and philosophical overtones, anger, and outrage. Written for the composition of the same title composed, arranged, and conducted by alto-saxophonist, Jorge Sylvester and performed with their ConceptualMotion Orchestra.

Early 2019 McCarthy made her off-Broadway acting debut as Aunt Beth in the play Moral Support, a drama written by Bill Considine, directed by Félix E. Gardón at Medicine Show Theatre, NYC, where she studied with actor, poet, Chris Brandt and participated in several other readings. In addition, she and her groups performed frequently, and she produced an avant-garde music series called “Take It OUT Tuesdays.

Nora was a featured artist in pianist David Haney’s and legendary drummer Bernard Purdie’s ongoing production of Jazz Stories at The Public Theater/Joe’s Pub, NYC, 2018.

From 2017 – 2023 Nora presented three jazz radio show podcasts for Cadence Jazz World (http://www.cadencejazzworld.com) called,“Nora’sJazzShow,”“What’sNEW!!”and “Conversations,” featuring jazz and avant-garde musicians, singers, poets as well as hybrid, eclectic and world jazz by established and emerging artists..

Through her vast experience in the jazz and creative music field, Nora has developed a conceptual, profoundly spiritual, and original approach to singing and improvisation and has written a book entitled, The Spiritual Path To Finding Your VoiceTM 2023.

In addition, to her many interests and productions, Ms. McCarthy contributed many articles of interest as well as artist and performance interviews and reviews as a free-lance writer for the highly regarded Jazz Inside Magazine for approximately seven years ultimately becoming Associate Publisher before the magazine’s closing in 2015.

McCarthy and her groups have performed at the top jazz venues, concert halls, galleries, theatres, performance spaces, concert halls, universities, and music cafes throughout New York City and somewhat in the Tri-State area as well as in Austria, Panama and Podgorica, Montenegro.

Some various recent performances: Springfield, Massachusetts for North Hampton’s Jazz Shares Concert Series, UMass; Skoto’s Gallery, NYC; Gala event at the historic Walker House, Newark, NJ. Ms. McCarthy and her Trio performed regularly at The Bar Next Door, a well- known jazz listening room in Greenwich Village from 2014-2020. Previous performances include an 18-year association with Mike Longo’s Jazz Tuesday at The Baha’i Center-Dizzy Gillespie Auditorium; The El Taller Latino-Americano, NYC; Arete Venue and Gallery, Brooklyn; 10-year relationship with The Medicine Show Theatre; NYC; Joe’s Pub, NYC; Clement's Place Jazz - Newark, NJ, and Michiko Studios Music Series; NYC.

DISCOGRAPHY

Currently McCarthy has ten CDs out—seven as a leader. RedZenRecordsTM is Ms. McCarthy’s Label; Spontaneous Expressions - (RedZenRecordsTM) upcoming release 2021 Manna For Thought - (RedZenRecordsTM) - 2018; blesSINGS - (RedZenRecordsTM) - 2016; A Time For Love - (RedZenRecordsTM) - 2013; Spirit Driven - (RedZenRecordsTM) - 2013; In The Language Of Dreams - (RedZenRecordsTM) - 2013; Toward The Hill of Joy - George Brandon-Blue Unity Ensemble (Blue Unity Music) - 2011 Circle Completing - (RedZenRecordsTM) - 2009; A Small Dream In Red - (Sundown Jazz) (RedZenRecordsTM) - 2005; red&blue - (RedZenRecordsTM) - 1998

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Check out the livestream on the Clement's Place Jazz and IJS Facebook pages and on our YouTube channel -

https://www.facebook.com/events/407513298157352/?ref=newsfeed

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf8W7q1qlz0yt5Ebcn4tkSQ

https://www.facebook.com/InstituteJazzStudies