Chromatology
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All Hands on Deck!
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UpSurge!
Produces entertaining cross-cultural performances
and products that contribute to progressive social change.
Voted "Best of the East Bay" (2003), the group was founded in 1990. UpSurge is an ensemble of piano, bass, drums, and frontline 'horns'—saxophone, trombone, and jazzpoets Raymond Nat Turner and Zigi Lowenberg, who bend metaphors and split similes throughout the swinging ride. On their recordings, several Bay Area luminaries also join forces with UpSurge as special guests.
With imaginative compositions, innovative arrangements and in-your-face consciousness, UpSurge is honing one of the most original group sounds on the music scene today. Their sound is a compelling mix of jazz, poetry and politics. But UpSurge isn't afraid to challenge fans or themselves by incorporating other elements such as funk, klezmer, calypso and found sound.
UpSurge is the ultimate hybrid. They're New York, and Los Angeles (co-leaders hail from both coasts). They're African-American, Jewish-American, and more. They march to a different drummer on the high wire of unpredictability. Their second release, Chromatology, mixes conscious words with assorted grooves and feels, dissolving boundaries that separate genres and people. This isn't surprising. UpSurge's diverse influences range from Abbey Lincoln, Sonny Rollins, to Allen Ginsberg, Amiri Baraka, Bertolt Brecht and Langston Hughes. The group's critically acclaimed debut CD, All Hands on Deck, garnered them an Indie Award nomination by the Association for Independent Music (AFIM) in 2000.
UpSurge has appeared at major festivals and venues including the Monterey Jazz Festival (with legendary drummer, Donald 'Duck' Bailey), Vallejo Jazz Festival, Panafest (Ghana, West Africa), Yoshi's, Cornelia Street Cafe (NYC), as well as Brown and Tulane universities.
Readers' Pick for Best Poet or Spoken-Word Performer: UpSurge!
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"Free-pushing jazz band with
two strong poets out front…"
—East Bay Express
Fan comments from the UpS! Anniv Celeb:
"Thank you again for an exciting and joyful B Day celebration.Rockin',Rockin'
Must be satisfying to look back and see how well your hard work,talent and good sense(plus luck) have paid off. Go,Go,Go!
One love,"
ADM
"was thrilled to be able to attend your show at Anna's ... you sounded
and looked WONDERFUL. I was very impressed. A very polished and moving
experience. I'm really glad I could be there.
I'm sorry I didn't make it to the panels but hope those were great also.
Please keep me posted as to any events you do in the future.
I'm a big fan."
Yours,
Lea
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Event Calendar 2009
UpSurge!
Don't fall into Recession Depression.
OPC offers affordable alternatives for music education and family entertainment.
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Save the Date July 3, 2009
Jazz Poetry Ensemble
and OPC present the
3rd Annual Frederick Douglass Day
Alternative 4th of July Celebration
UpSurge! with the Frederick Douglass Youth Ensemble and special guests Michael Lange and Cesar A. Cruz
Oakland Public Conservatory of Music
1616 Franklin Street, (bet. 16th and 17th St, downtown Oakland)
Friday, July 3, 2009
Showtime: 8:00 PM
BBQ: 6:00 PM
$12 show admission
1 block from BART or Bus and plenty of free street parking
Wheelchair Accessible
BBQ (incl. veggie burgers) available, donation goes to OPC music programs for youth
Event Info: UpSurge! (510) 835-5348 gig@upsurgejazz.com
Venue Info: OPC (510) 836-4649 www.opcmusic.org 
Introducing the
Frederick Douglass Youth Ensemble
On Friday July 3, the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music (OPCM) will host its 3rd Annual Frederick Douglass Day/Alternative 4th of July Celebration. Festivities kick off at 6PM with bar-b-que, refreshments and a raffle. Music gets underway at 8PM with the recently founded Frederick Douglass Youth Ensemble (FDYE) under the direction of OPC Youth Instructors and Mentors, Steven Turner and Jaz Sawyer. Sawyer, recently relocated from New York, where he worked with Jazz royalty like Abbey Lincoln, Wynton Marsalis and George Benson, teaches and coaches the rhythm section. Turner, super-talented multi-instrumentalist teaches and coaches the frontline. Together this pair extraordinaire has the young musicians 8 to 18 years old playing up a storm.
Headlining the event is the Bay Area's favorite jazzy truth-tellers, UpSurge! They'll feature some new tunes and special guests. Veteran Bay Area actor Michael Lange along with talented newcomer Jamani Williams will perform excerpts from Frederick Douglass' famed 1852 speech decrying the hypocrisy of slavery in a supposedly free country.
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