Baruch Performing Arts Center Presents The Milt Hinton Jazz Series With The Harvard Jazz Band And Bassist Cecil McBee

Harvard Jazz BAND
Jazz programs at Harvard were initiated in 1971 by Director of Bands Thomas G. Everett and have developed in conjunction with the Office for the Arts at Harvard since 1976. Programs currently include two eighteen-piece undergraduate jazz ensembles, with opportunities for improvisational and combo experience, and an annual Jazz Master in Residency in which artists work and perform with undergraduates. In addition to playing local jazz festivals, concerts, and dances on campus, band students study the history, styles, and literature of jazz and develop listening and improvisation skills. Through the websites of the Office for the Arts at Harvard you can view more information regarding the jazz program and past artists and programs at http://www.ofa.fas.harvard.edu/music/jazz.php. Jazz Bassist Cecil MCBEE
Cecil McBee was born in Tulsa,OK, a community of rich and varied musical roots - encluding Country and Western, Rhythm and Blues, Classical and Jazz.
Mr. McBee's musical career began in High school, where he first played the clarinet. He and his sister Shirley soon thereafter gained statewide fame performing clarinet duets at concerts. By the age of 17 Cecil had begun to experiment with the string bass and played frequently at local nightclubs with top Jazz and Rhythm and Blues groups.
He attended Central State University at Wilberforce/OH, as a clarinet major and received a bachelor of science degree in music education. There the deep Jazz tradition inspired him to focus his attention on the bass, the classics, and Jazz composition. Throughout college Cecil supported himself by playing the bass professionally. However, his formal studies were interrupted by his induction into the US-army.
He spent two years as a member of the 158th Army Band at Fort Knox Kentucky, which was concluded by his graduating to conductor of the band the last three month of his military responsibility. There he developed a personal study of bass composition and improvisation. By the time he graduated from college Cecil realized that although he had prepared for a career in education he was now more inspired by Jazz Improvisation. Because of this Cecil decided to spend time in Detroit after his graduation from university.
Detroit was then one of the most powerful Jazz communities in all the world. Within a year he joined the Paul Winter Sextett and moved to New York City, while a member of the band.
Since his arrival in New York City Mr. McBee has been embraced for his talents and has traveled worldwide with such powerful Jazz personalities as:
Elvin Jones, Alice and Ravi Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Miles Davis, Jack DeJohnette, Bobby Hutcherson, Keith Jarrett, Wayne Shorter, Yusif Lateef, Dinah Washington, Betty Carter, Jacky McLean, Pharoah Sanders, Freddy Hubbard, Charles Lloyd, Art Pepper, Chet Baker, Woody Shaw, Sam Rivers, Sonny Rollins, James Newton, Joe Henderson, Joanne Brackeen, Joe Lovano, Michael Brecker, Dave Liebman, Kenny Barron, Billy Hart, Victor Lewis and Eddie Henderson and others. Cecil McBee is also acclaimed as one of the world's finest composers of Jazz Music. His compositions can either be heard during performance of the Cecil McBEE Band, or others, such as "The Saxophone Summit", "The Cookers" - or available on CD.
Location: Engelman Recital Hall