Dr. Michael White and NEA National Heritage Fellowship

Posted by  mark

DR. MICHAEL WHITE OFFICIALLY RECEIVES 2008 NEA NATIONAL HERITAGE FELLOWSHIP

Shown left to right –NEA Chariman Dana Gioia, Dr. Michael White and Congressman William Jefferson at the September 17th official NEA National Heritage Fellowship award ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington D. C. As part of the NEA ceremonies Dr. White performed September 19th at the Music Center at Strathmore and September 20th at the Kennedy Center for their performing arts series: Prelude 2008: Arts Across America.
Honored for and in carrying on the tradition of New Orleans Jazz, Dr. White’s latest CD Blue Crescent has received unprecendented critical acclaim, heralding it “a major American work of art for the new millennium” and “one of the greatest examples of New Orleans traditional jazz ever recorded!”
# # #

Kermit Ruffins Signs New Recording Contract!

Posted by  mark

THREE MORE RECORDINGS!
BASIN STREET RECORDS AND KERMIT RUFFINS
RENEW EXCLUSIVE RECORDING AGREEMENT
(New Orleans, September 23, 2008) Mark Samuels, president and founder of the award-winning New Orleans’ based record label, Basin Street Records, is pleased to announce the label has renewed its exclusive agreement with Kermit Ruffins. The first recording of the three record deal is scheduled to begin next month with a proposed spring 2009 release date.
“This is a momentous and sentimental occasion,” states Samuels. “Kermit Ruffins was our first artist signed in October 1997, the first to record in November 1997 and the first CD release in February 1998. It also marks the first new contract for Basin Street since October of 2003.”
Master trumpeter Ruffins, a native of New Orleans has released a total of 6 CDs on Basin Street Records including: The Barbecue Swingers Live (1998), Swing This! (1999), 1533 St. Phillip Street (2001), Big Easy (2002), Throwback (2005), and Live at Vaughan’s (2007).
He is the recipient of many prestigious honors and awards most notably; multiple Offbeat Best of the Beat and Gambit Big Easy Entertainment Awards including “Entertainer of the Year.” He has been on the cover of Downbeat, Offbeat, Gambit, and Global Rhythm and has been a leader in the cultural rebuilding of New Orleans. He was featured on CNN’s international New Year’s Eve show, and at this year’s NBA All-Star Game.
Mark Samuels formed Basin Street Records in 1997 with a focus on New Orleans based jazz, blues, funk, R&B and rock. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Basin Street artists have been honored with Grammy nominations, Billboard Music Awards, Blues Awards, and have topped the charts on national jazz radio. In conjunction with the tenth anniversary and rebounding from the hurdles posed by Hurricane Katrina, the label released four highly critically acclaimed recordings in 2008 by artists Irvin Mayfield, Dr. Michael White, Henry Butler and Theresa Andersson. Additionally, the artist roster includes Jon Cleary, Jason Marsalis, Los Hombres Calientes, and the Headhunters. Since 1992, Kermit has been managed by Tom Thompson of RubyArts Entertainment. Thompson can be reached at tom.thompsonjr@gmail.com.

Wall Street Journal reviews Dr. Michael White’s Blue Crescent CD

Posted by  mark

The Wall Street Journal today ran a review of Dr. Michael White’s Blue Crescent, along with reviews of 4 other New Orleans’ based artists. Pick up a copy or check it out online HERE.

Dr. White will be heading to Washington, DC this week to be presented with the National Endowment for the Arts’ National Heritage Fellowship Award and will perform a free show at the Kennedy Center on the Millenium Stage on Saturday, September 20th at 6pm.