Avishai Cohen headlines bass symposium concert
Oct. 16, 2002
KALAMAZOO -- Israeli double bass phenomenon Avishai Cohen will be the featured artist for the Midwest Bass Symposium Saturday, Nov. 2, in the Dalton Center.
Cohen and several bass ensembles from the symposium will perform in concert beginning at 8:15 p.m. in the Dalton Center Recital Hall. General admission is $15 and $5 for students and senior citizens.
Avishai Cohen has created a sensation as both soloist, bandleader, and sideman. He came to prominence in the bands of Danilo Perez, and is featured in Chick Corea's group. He was the talk of Kalamazoo's Gilmore Keyboard Festival this past spring as a result of his performance with Corea's band. Cohen leads the International Vamp Band, which has several critically acclaimed recordings and appears at festivals worldwide.
The Midwest Bass Symposium is the longest running bass event in the United States, celebrating its 34th anniversary this year. Guest artists and students from throughout the region will gather for this event which begins at 9 a.m. with a student recital, followed by Midwest artists from 1 to 3 p.m. Cohen will conduct a class at 3 p.m.
At the morning student recital and again at the evening concert, a WMU student bass quintet will perform "Ode To Ray," written for the Midwest Bass Symposium by Rufus Reid, in memory of Ray Brown, legendary jazz bassist who passed earlier this year.
All activities are open to the public and all except the evening concert are free.
Serving as director for the Midwest Bass Symposium is Tom Knific, professor of music and chair of jazz studies in the WMU School of Music. For more information, contact Knific at (269) 387-4710 or <thomas.knific@wmich.edu>.
Media contact: Kevin West, 269 387-4678, kevin.west@wmich.edu