John Natsoulas Gallery

Exhibition: October 4, 2008, 12:00 noon to 6:00 PM
Opening Reception: 7:00 to 10:00 PM

The Second Annual Davis Jazz Artists’ Festival will offer a wealth of sparkling musical gems and a selection of exciting performance painters for families and fans of all ages. Whether you’re looking for the haunting tones of a jazz chanteuse, the sounds of cutting edge, or hard-driving big bands, or classical jazz combos—or just a great cultural experience, surrounded by music and art—the Davis Jazz Artists’ Festival will deliver it all. Mounted as an event to provide collaboration between music and the visual arts, the festival will serve as an educational event for younger artists and musicians and will benefit the Davis High School Bands Program.

This is the most unique jazz festival in the country, representing the first festival featuring jazz musicians in collaboration with performance painters. Painting to jazz has a history beginning, at least, in the early part of the twentieth century with Henri Matisse, the French Fauve painter. In the ‘30s. ‘40s, and ‘50s many contemporary painters, including Jackson Pollock, followed Matisse’s example, finding inspiration and fresh rhythms from working to improvisations of jazz.

All three venues at this year’s Davis Jazz Artists’ Festival will feature artists painting to the music of jazz bands. Much like the earlier jazz painters, these young artists express themselves at a rapid pace in a public venue—something not seen anywhere else in the country. This ground-breaking event will include 150 jazz musicians, 20 visual artists and one well-known jazz poet.

David Amram has composed more than 100 orchestral and chamber music works, written many scores for Broadway theater and film. He is a pioneer player of jazz French horn, he is also a virtuoso on piano, numerous flutes and whistles, percussion, and dozens of folkloric instruments from 25 countries, as well as an inventive, funny improvisational lyricist. Currently guest conducting orchestras around the world, Amram creates unique programs combining classical and popular favorites, jazz and world music designed especially for each orchestra's Pops, Young Adult, Family and Children's concerts.

Nancy Ostrovsky was born in North Africa and has lived in various countries in Asia. Her paintings reflect some of the reflections of growing up in different Asian countries particularly Taiwan, the Philippines and Bangladesh. Ostrovsky has been called "one of the pioneers of performance painting." Her "Paintings To Music" are done "live" while Ms. Ostrovsky is on stage with the musicians as they play. Ostrovsky uses the immediacy of the musicians, the music and environment to record the performance in a highly original and innovative context.

The evening opening will also celebrate the performance painters and their paintings of the day, which will be on exhibition. The winner will be announced and awards given out.

Jazz Bands Performing include UC Davis Jazz Combo, Davis High School Jazz Band and Combo, Adam Jenkins and The Ganbare Spirits Ensemble, Race!!!, Capital Jazz Project, Latin Jazz Ensemble CSUS, Gerry Pineda Trio, featuring Rob Lautz on vibes, Steve Roach, on trumpet and Gerry Pineda on bass, Lambazz, and a reunion performance by Free Association.