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The Louis Armstrong House Museum Presents: Armstrong Now
Saturday, April 1, 2023, 8:00 pm
$25
PERFORMANCE DATE/TIME: SAT, APR 1, 8 PM
TICKETS: $25
(FEES MAY APPLY; QC students get 50% discount. Check for more offers HERE)
The Louis Armstrong House Museum & Archives holds one of the most significant Black archival collections in the world, and one of the most substantial of any jazz musician. Join this year’s Armstrong Now artists-in-residence drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr., pianist Matthew Whitaker, and dancer Alain Lauture, and their collaborators, for an inspiring evening of new and reimagined compositions and interpretations from the Armstrong canon.
PERFORMERS
Matthew Whitaker – Piano
Ulysses Owens, Jr. – Drums
Alain Lauture – Dance
Liany Mateo – Bass
Ivan Llanes – Percussion
Johnny Steele – Drums
Marcos Robinson – Guitar
Gianna Theodore – Dance
Milton Suggs – Vocals
Ulysses Owens, Jr.: Heralded as a “ legitimate jazz triple threat” (Critical Jazz) who “take[s] a back seat to no one” (The New York Times), performer, producer and educator Ulysses Owens Jr. goes the limit in the jazz world and beyond.
Owens has been named a Rising Star by DownBeat’s Critics Poll for five years straight, 3rd Runner-Up in “Classic Drum” category by Modern Drummer Magazine “Readers Poll.” He is a recipient of the 2013 ASCAP Plus Award, the 2014 Global Music Award and the 2015 Jazz at Lincoln Center Swing! Award. Claiming four successful albums of his own (It’s Time for U, Unanimous, Onward and Upward, and Falling Forward.) Owens has also gained special attention for his performances on the GRAMMY award-winning albums Dedicated to You (Kurt Elling) The Good Feeling (Christian McBride Big Band.) GRAMMY award-nominated albums; Giant Steps,” and Countdown (Joey Alexander) Out Here, Live at The Village Vanguard (Christian McBride Trio) and most recently, Nat King Cole, and Me (Gregory Porter.)
An active faculty member of the Jazz Studies Program at his alma mater, The Juilliard School, Visiting Artist in Residence at Utah State University, and Faculty Artist in Residence at Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Florida where he teaches the Music Business course. He also oversees artistic and community programming for hundreds of children and teens as Artistic Director for Don’t Miss a Beat, Inc., a youth-empowerment non-profit founded by his family in 2008 in his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida. Owens’ most recent album, “Songs of Freedom,” features the music of Abbey Lincoln, Joni Mitchell, and Nina Simone; released by the Resilience Music Alliance record label. This album has been selected by JAZZIZ Magazine of one of 10 Jazz albums to listen to in March 2019. The album features bassist Rene Marie, Alicia Olatuja, and Theo Bleckmann as the featured vocalists, and David Rosenthal, Allyn Johnson and Reuben Rogers in the band.
Ulysses remains consistently in demand for new projects as an Artist, Producer, and Educator, remaining one of the most sought-after drummers and thought leaders of his generation. Yet what matters to him consistently is giving back and continuing to be grateful for a new day, to make a difference in the lives of others.
Matthew Whitaker: Born in 2001 in Hackensack, NJ, Matthew Whitaker grew up surrounded by music. His love for playing music first began at the young age of 3 after his grandfather gave him a small Yamaha keyboard.
At 9, Matthew began teaching himself how to play the Hammond B3 organ. Four years later, he became the youngest artist to be endorsed by Hammond in its 80+ year history. He was also named a Yamaha Artist at 15, becoming the youngest musician to join the stellar group of jazz pianists.
Matthew has toured both here in the US and abroad, performing before The Youth Assembly at the United Nations headquarters in NYC, and on other world-renowned stages, including Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Apollo Theater, Carnegie Hall, and Jazz at Lincoln Center in NYC; SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco; the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC; The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Monterey Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, Playboy Jazz Festival, Telluride Jazz Festival and at international venues in France, Italy, Germany, Indonesia, UK, Australia, Switzerland, Portugal, Japan, Spain, Morocco, and South Korea.
In 2010, Matthew was a winning participant in the “Child Stars of Tomorrow” competition, as part of Amateur Night at the Apollo. A year later, at just 10 years old, he was invited to perform at Stevie Wonder’s induction into the Apollo Theater’s Hall of Fame. He returned to the Apollo for FOX TV’s revival of Showtime at the Apollo in 2016, where he won the audience over with his rendition of Stevie Wonder’s classic “I Wish.” Matthew has been on national and international radio and television, which includes the Today Show documentary series “Boys Changing the World,” Harry Connick Jr Show an appearance on the syndicated TV talk show Ellen and a segment on the most-watched news magazine on television 60 Minutes
Alain Lauture: Born in Port-au-Prince Haiti, raised in Stamford, Connecticut, and currently residing in NYC, Alain Lauture better known as “Hurrikane” found high interest in dance in 2007. Being very determined to seek knowledge and training while dancing everyday forced him to grow at an alarming rate. Known in the underground scene for his spontaneous freestyle as a “Locker”, and his versatility as a dancer granted him awards at many competitions & battles including “Juste Debout 2011” and “Locking Forever” during Amsterdam’s Summer Dance Forever Festival 2017 and 2018. Performing for MTV, Samsung, Microsoft, Madonna, and Janet Jackson he now adds to his resume his newfound skill in choreography, with “Motivating Excellence” program training with world renowned choreographer “Rhapsody James.” As he steps into the world of creation, cultivation, and direction, Hurrikane is determined to spread light and create magic through his talents as both a dancer and choreographer.
Effective February 1, 2023, proof of COVID-19 vaccination or testing is NO LONGER required. However, we encourage everyone to complete their primary vaccination series and get boosted if eligible before attending. Face masks are encouraged, but not required. All guests are recommended to wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth while inside the building. Please be reminded that if you need a mask, they are available upon request at every entrance to the campus. Learn More
