Jongleur Vocal Arts Performance School


Jongleur Productions has produced over 20 years of professional programming dedicated to vocal art form with a variety of voice/instrumental ensembles. Productions have included collaborations with established radio, television, theatre, independent record labels including CBC TV and Radio, Vision TV, BET, Justin Time Records, Variety Records, Antelope, and JKNM Records. In studio and live recording projectsngleur Productions have include gospel, spiritual, avant garde, contemporary jazz, classical, world and contemporary music and independent professional artists projects. Jongleur Productions archives includes such Canadian artists as: Erich Kory, Nova Scotia Mass Choir, Bucky Adams, Bill Jardine, Chris Tauchner, Dominique Cote, Roddy Ellias, Madeleine Therriault, Eileen Harvey, Arielle Legere, Al Sutherland, Jeff Johnston, Joe Sullivan, Alex Walkington, Remi BolducSabenita, Woody Woods, Zephyr Orchestra, Spiritica Sextet, Simon Sloutsker, Paul Cram Orchestra, Upstream Orchestra, St. John String Quartet, Blue Engine Chamber Quartet and Sergiu Popa. International archives include: Avery Sharpe, John Betsch, Jobic La Masson, Pierre De Bethmann, Woody Woods and Jeri Brown. With several film documentaries Jongleur Productions has collaborated successful film projects including the following: 2006 Paul Simon Tribute, as artist coordinator, performer & choral director for audience of 150,000 for Canadian Broadcasting Corporation TV featuring a host of international artists from Elvis Costello to Jamie Cullum 2005 tribute to Nina Simone in live video performance for Global TV, documented on DVD, featured Onaje Allan Gumbs Trio (Global TV-International broadcasts) 2004 Jeri Brown: The Spirit Comes Through (CBC, BRAVO, VISION-Canada broadcasts) 1998 Once Upon a Summertime: Jeri Brown à Paris (Northern Line Productions, IO Productions, Jongleur Productions-France broadcasts) 2002 Jeri Brown Performs: An Evening of Gershwin Concert (BET, BRAVO, World Affairs Productions-Canada & US broadcasts) 2001 Jeri Brown with Spiritica Concert (Amerimage Productions, BRAVO, CBC- Canada broadcasts) 1996-1999 Jongleur Productions has recorded youth ensemles for CBC radio in collaborations with Maritime School of Music Established in 2001, Jongleur Productions theatre company remains active in the theatre community through, writings, performances and productions. In several theatre performances Jongleur Productions has produced successful projects including the following: Theatre Highlights: 2013-Fathom International Reading Tour-U.S. (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Temeculah) U.K.,(Salford), Canada (Edmonton, Halifax) 2013-First Ladies of Jazz International Tour- (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Temeculah) U.K.,(Salford), Canada (Edmonton, Halifax) 2012,2011-Sempre Nina International Tour- (Canada (Montreal), U.S.(Los Angeles) 2011- Fathom premiere-Crowley Arts Centre, Quebec, Canada 2001 Image in the Mirror: The Triptych, Jeri's electrifying one woman musical including song highlights recorded of musical title of same name for Justin Time Records- International Tour 2001 Four Walls of Blue, by Jeri Brown featuring a 12-member cast, jazz band, and 18 compositions by Ms. Brown (26 show run showcasing some of Atlantic Canada's finest talents) - Neptune, Nova Scotia, Canada 2000 936 Laurel by playwright Jeri Brown featuring a 6 member cast, jazz band, and 15 compositions by Ms.Brown-Oscar Peterson Hall, Montreal, Quebec, Canada 1998 Voices of Sassy, Marian, and Ida one-woman musical-Neptune, Nova Scotia, Canada Jongleur Productions currently produces for audio, film, and theatre. Non-profit society, Jongleur Artist Group, founded in 1994, has remained committed to providing local talent with education and performance opportunities. Itcontinues to produce and provide support through scholarship, mentorship, and training. Several participants who have entered university or won praise in performance competitions such as Canadian Idol through this humanitarian success effort. About the Founder: Jeri Brown - Biography "Life is so precious and often overwhelming. Sometimes we need to take time to become obsessed about it...to bathe in the belief that we are here for a purpose and a destiny...to become grounded and firmly rooted in our belief system. I can testify about and ponder over the 'journey of life' and live it in song. I take a song and work it in my own way. I love the challenge of a musical moment, the immediacy of it." Founder and executive director of Jongleur Productions, Jeri Brown was born in Missouri, and has been singing publicly from the age of six. It was in Iowa, on a four-year scholarship, that she studied classical voice under the direction of Frank Summerside. As a result of student performances in mid-western U.S. and Europe, (Sweden, Germany, Norway and Holland), her voice caught the attention of musical directors and composers looking for an imaginative voice with incredible range effortlessly creating aesthetic touches to their contemporary or avant-garde works. Along with performances with the Cleveland Chamber Orchestra and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Jeri began performing more stylistic renditions of standards from theatre, film and pop culture. Past exposures included studio backup work for Gene Chandler, Oliver Sain, and other emerging artists in St. Louis area. As a child artist Jeri was a featured cast member of "Getting to Know You" St. Louis radio show for PBS. Drummer and renowned bandleader Bob McKee, former percussionist on the long- running Mike Douglas television series, invited Jeri to become lead singer in several of his combos in Ohio. This exposure and training led to notable PBS recorded performances with many renowned artists, including Ellis Marsalis, Dr. Billy Taylor, Oscar Brown Jr. and Dizzy Gillespie. It was also during this period that Ms. Brown was encouraged to improvise in concert with such emerging artists as Joe Lovano. Jeri Brown then rapidly moved into the front rank of jazz vocalists from the Cleveland area as resident vocalist with The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra and educator at Cleveland State University, University of Akron, Oberlin Conservatory, and Cuyahoga Community College. Focusing on vocal improvisation in jazz avant-garde and classic jazz standards, Jeri developed as an accomplished vocal stylist, lyricist, recitalist, concert soloist and recording artist, and has become one of the world's most respected jazz vocalists. Ms. Brown has traveled, recorded, adjudicated and performed extensively at festivals, concert series and noted jazz clubs to sold-out audiences worldwide including presidents and royalty where she appears frequently with her own ensembles on stages throughout Europe, Canada and the United States. Beyond the realm of music, Jeri Brown holds several degrees in such fields as Counseling, Education and English. Such diversity of studies, along with a growing performance record, has led Jeri into many different teaching opportunities, including the Oberlin Conservatory Of Music, Cleveland State University and The University Of Akron - all in Ohio. Jeri has also taught at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, and has held several teaching positions in Canada including Concordia University where she serves as Associate Professor of Music and Director of Vocal Studies in Montreal, Quebec where she is a tenured faculty member. Jeri Brown has also taught in Canada at McGill University and at St. Francis Xavier University. Jeri currently also serves as Artistic Director of Crowley Arts Centre, and Jongleur Production.

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Jeri Brown Quartet Performs in Tunisia April 13!!! > The Jeri Brown Quartet > Saturday, April 13, 2013, 8 p.m. > Carthage Jazz Festival > Tunis, Tunisia > > Featuring her talented band with > Peter Giron, bass > Jobic Le Masson, piano > Ichiro Onoe, drums > > Jeri Brown is pleased to announce as part of a spectacular tour, First Ladies of Jazz, her appearance at the upcoming Carthage Jazz Festival in Tunisia with her longtime Paris group The Jeri Brown Quartet. Jazz lovers will connect with this event based on the classic Dizzy Gillespie tune A Night in Tunisia. Jeri Brown is looking forward to the performance plus the vocal improvisation master classes that she will conduct. During the concert Jeri will perform a collection of modern jazz classics, including compositions by Dizzy Gillespie, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Djavan, Herbie Hancock, Avery Sharpe, Tania Maria, Sonny Rollins, and Kenny Wheeler in addition to her own originals. > > About The Jeri Brown Quartet – > Jeri Brown’s high-power performance group expresses a wide musical range from traditional jazz to free improvisational music including modern jazz repertoire. > > Pianist Jobic Le Masson was born in France in 1968 and started his musical education at the age of seven at the conservatory. At age 16 he moved to the US and attended Greenwich High School in Connecticut where he studied music theory and composition. In 1987 he attended Berklee School of Music and returned to Paris after graduating in 1990. Jobic is involved in many projects as composer, arranger and performer, and has appeared regularly as musical director of Jeri Brown’s acclaimed Paris based group Jeri Brown Quartet with Peter Giron and John Betsch since 2006. > > American jazz drummer John Betsch began on percussion at age nine, and attended Fisk University, Berklee College of Music and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. After playing in organ trios, he released an album as a leader, Earth Blossom, in 1975. That year he moved to New York where he played with Paul Jeffrey, Max Roach, Jeanne Lee, Henry Threadgill and others. Between 1977 and 1979 he joined Abdullah Ibrahim’s ensemble, and from 1980 to 1982 he was with Archie Shepp’s band. Since 1985 he has lived in Europe, playing with Jim Pepper, Mal Waldron, and Steve Lacy to name a few. As the drummer on Jeri Brown’s award-winning April in Paris CD of 1996, Betsch has continued to perform with Jeri in many events/concerts including collaborative projects with Kirk Lightsey and Erik Truffaz. > > Bassist Peter Giron, born in Bronx, New York in 1952, studied bass, viola and violin at Princeton College of Music in New Jersey and began his professional career in local jazz bands as a bassist at the age of 16. He performed Broadway shows and New York stage events with various musicians including several tours with Charles Earland and John Purcell. Established in France for over ten years, Peter has remained active on the international jazz scene, where he has performed and recorded alongside musicians such as Archie Shepp, Kurt Elling, Dave Liebman, and Kirk Lightsey. He has been a vital member of the Jeri Brown Quartet since 2008. He has taught at the Regional Conservatory, Montpellier and now officiates at the American School of Modern Music. > > Drummer Ichiro Onoe was born in 1957 in Tokyo. He studied drums at Berklee College of Music in Boston. With performances in Japan he accompanied such artists as Ron Carter, Norman Simmons Makoto Ozone and Yasuko Agawa. A Paris resident, Ichiro has performed with Bobby Few, Frank Lacy, and many others. This year Ichiro joins the Jeri Brown Quartet. > > Recent Jeri Brown News – > Jeri has just wrapped up a successful artist-in-residency at the famous Musician's Institute in Hollywood. With successful performances in February and March throughout California including famed Catalina Jazz Bar & Grill in Los Angeles, Ms. Brown’s final tour event at Target Sundays Series was held at California African American Museum to a warm and excited audience. She was also able to make a guest radio visit on the popular L.A. blog radio show hosted by The Oracle. "That felt so real. I was able to speak with a few callers who I actually met later at the end of the show...Spectacular!" > > To see a clip of the promotion for the Carthage Jazz Festival, click here. > > Jeri Brown: www.jeribrown.com > Meet Jeri Brown on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jeri-Brown/193847116961 > Collin Artists: http://www.collinartists.com/ > JONGLEUR PRODUCTIONS Distribution Ltd.: http://jeribrown.com/shop.cfm > > > Bookings: > Collin Artists > 323-467-4702 > collinartists@gmail.com > http://www.collinartists.com >> Jeri Brown has earned a reputation as one of jazz' most outstanding “artistic" vocalists. The French publication Jazz Magazine has hailed her as being one of the top 50 jazz vocalists of all time. Brown's illustrious international performance and recording career over a 20-year span has consistently conveyed her artistic signature. Ms. Brown's recordings and performances have filled the historical spectrum of classic American songbook themes, original jazz compositions and contemporary world themes with intense vocal improvisations, and include collaborations with diverse, legendary jazz artists including such musicians as Leon Thomas, Betty Carter, Oscar Brown Jr., John Hicks, Grady Tate, Kirk Lightsey, John B. Williams, Ellis Marsalis, Dr. Billy Taylor, Erik Truffaz, David Murray, John Blake, Jr., D.D. Jackson, Craig Handy, Billy Hart, Kenny Wheeler, Kenny Werner, Pierre Michelot, John Betsch, Alain Jean-Marie, James Williams, Fred Hersch, Roy McCurdy, Joe Lavano, Cyrus Chestnut, Chico Freeman, Avery Sharpe, Rufus Reid, Yoron Israel, Gerry Gibbs, and Jimmy Rowles. > > An active performer, recording artist, jazz composer, choral director, and producer. Brown has been a leader in vocal jazz pedagogy for over thirty years having taught at Cleveland State University, Oberlin Conservatory of Music, University of Akron, The University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Musicians Institute, St. Francis Xavier University, Queen’s University, Carleton University, McGill University, and Cluj Conservatory. Since 1990 Jeri has acted as founder and president of Jongleur Productions including her school, Jongleur Vocal Arts Performance School with two Canadian locations. Since 1989 Jeri has served as full-time faculty member at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada as Associate Professor in Jazz and Director of Vocal Studies. Jeri has also served from 2010-2013 as Artistic Director of the Crowley Arts Center in Montreal. >

Jeri Brown Quartet Performs in Tunisia April 13!!!