Kupferberg Center for the Arts & Louis Armstrong House Museum presents
Armstrong Now
SAT, APR 1, 8PM

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

BIOS

Matthew Whitaker – Piano
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 on 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.

Ulysses Owens, Jr. – Drums
A drummer who The New York Times has said, “take[s] a back seat to no one,” and “a musician who balances excitement gracefully and shines with innovation.” Performer, producer and educator Ulysses Owens Jr. goes the limit in the jazz world and beyond; claiming eight successful albums of his own. Owens has also gained special attention for his performances on GRAMMY Award-winning albums by Kurt Elling and The Christian McBride Big Band . In addition to five Grammy nominated albums with Joey Alexander, Christian McBride Trio, John Beasley’s Monk’estra, and Gregory Porter. Both Jazziz and Rolling Stone Magazines picked his album “Songs of Freedom,” as a Top Ten Album for 2019 and in 2021 his most recent Big Band release, “Soul Conversations,” was voted the top album in May 2021  by JazzIz Magazine. “Soul Conversations,” was released on the the Outside In Music Label and received rave reviews; was added to multiple playlists on Apple Music, Spotify, and Sirius XM, and now the band is touring nationally. The Ulysses Owens Jr. Big Band has also been voted “Rising Star Big Band ” of 2022 by Downbeat Magazine. Ulysses is also the creator of multiple online jazz drum video courses: “Finding Your Beat,” “The Art of Swing” and “Jazz Drumming 101: Everything you need to know to get the gig,” for Open Studio. Ulysses was also host of the highly successful weekly live YouTube series, “From The Drummer’s Perspective,” for Open Studio. As an author Ulysses has penned multiple articles for multiple publications (Jazz Times, Downbeat, and Percussive Arts Society.)  He has released a Hallmark Drum instructional book titled: “Jazz Brushes for the Modern Drummer: An Essential Guide to the Art of Keeping Time,” which is published and distributed by Hal Leonard. His second book which is a career narrative and instructional book about Music Business, Entrepreneurship and Career Development for creative students is titled, “The Musicians Career Guide: Turning Your Talent into Sustained Success,” was released by Skyhorse Publishers, and Simon and Schuster on June 8th, 2021 and has been in the a top 5 on Amazon in the Music Business, and Arts and Entrepreneurship book categories. He is now working on is third manuscript “Jazz Big Band for the Modern Drummer” for Hal Leonard Publications. His passion project is his role as the Artistic Director for his family’s non-profit organization, “Don’t Miss A Beat,” in Jacksonville, Florida that utilizes the arts as a bridge to a better life for “At-Hope” students. He is also the Artistic Director for the annual Don’t Miss A Beat Jazz Festival that premiered In 2021 as an Inaugural Community Event; and continues every July at Woodstock Park in partnership with the City of Jacksonville and Jacksonville Jazz Festival with over 2000 people from the community. Ulysses has also received the “Difference Maker” Award from Beacon College, the “Robert Arleigh White Advocacy Award” from the Cultural Council of Northeast Florida; and has been multi-year recipient of the Individual Artist Grant from the Community Foundation of Northeast Florida. Most recently he was recognized as part of the 2022 “40 Under 40” list of Influential Business Leaders in Jacksonville by the Jacksonville Business Journal; and recently selected to be part of the 2023 Leadership Jacksonville class. He was also awarded the 2022 Ann Baker Art Ventures Award from the Community Foundation of Northeast Florida for his work in the Beaver Street Community. Ulysses remains consistently in demand for new projects, and consulting opportunities,  remaining one of the most sought-after drummers, bandleaders, educators 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.

Alain Lauture – Dance
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.

Liany Mateo – Bass
Liany Mateo, a jazz bassist from Jersey City, NJ, has already studied and performed with some of the country’s top names in jazz. While in high school, she studied under renowned bassist Ben Wolfe. Through her involvement with the New Jersey Performing Arts “Jazz for Teens”program she has been able to work with vocalist, Jazzmeia Horn, saxophonists, Mark Gross and Wayne Escoffery, and drummer Alvester Garnett. Liany has received numerous honors as an aspiring jazz musician. In 2016, she had the honor of performing with an all-star band that included drummer, Jerome Jennings and pianist, Benito Gonzalez in Newark, NJ, Sarah Vaughan’s hometown, during the U.S. Postal Service’s ceremony unveiling of the Sarah Vaughan Commemorative Stamp. Notably, in 2015, she received the Governor of New Jersey’s Award in Arts Education, and was awarded the first place title in the Hudson County, New Jersey’s Solo Strings Competition. Liany is currently studying with the legendary bassist, Rodney Whitaker at Michigan State University where she is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies.

Ivan Llanes – Percussion
In an ever-expanding and increasingly globalized music industry, Cuban American percussionist and singer Ivan Llanes stands out as one of the most exciting musicians of his generation. Originally hailing from Camaguey, Cuba, Ivan has earned himself a top tier reputation in New York City for both his broad range of percussion skills as well as his distinctive voice and song writing style. Ivan is currently a member of jazz pianist Matthew Whitaker’s quintet, with whom he has performed in notable jazz festivals throughout the United States and has been featured on TV shows including The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Ivan is also lead vocalist with latin supergroup People of Earth, with whom he has performed alongside the Los Angeles Philharmonic and New World Symphony, among others. Prior to relocating to the United States in 2011, Ivan toured Cuba, Europe and the United States with legendary Cuban flutist Maraca. Since moving to the United States, Ivan has performed and/or recorded with Grammy-winners Arturo O’Farrill, Nella, Carlinhos Brown, Descemer Bueno as well as with Emmy award winning composer Katreese Barnes. As a prolific and creative composer, Ivan has led collaborative projects on Congahead, the premiere latin music youtube channel, with over 250k views across his various productions. He also leads his own project, Ivan Llanes and The Cuban Way, which has performed in some of NYC’s most prestigious venues including National Sawdust, Bonafide, Fat Cat, the Bronx Museum, and at the Havana Film Festival. Currently, the group is completing its first album entitled “La Vida Misma”, scheduled for release in 2023. On the educational side of his career, Ivan has collaborated with organizations including 92Y, Carnegie Hall, and Marquis Studios to share his passion and knowledge with young people throughout New York and New Jersey. In Ivan’s words: “I play all Cuban music genres, as well as styles from the United States and beyond. There is always a message of love, peace, joy and acceptance in my playing and I believe that when I share my music, art and culture with the world I can make an impact”.

Johnny Steele – Drums
Johnny Steele is a professional drummer, composer, arranger, and producer. He first picked up drumsticks at the age of three and has been in love with music ever since. Growing up in a small town in Maryland, he showed a musical musical aptitude that was uncommon for the area. Hungry to develop his skills as a musician, he moved to California at the age of twelve and attended the San Diego School for Creative and Performing Arts for both middle school and high school. It was during this time that he was able to study under musicians in the LA jazz scene as well as in jazz education programs such as Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Summer Jazz Academy, the Young Lions Jazz Conservatory, and the National YoungArts Foundation programs (of which Johnny was nationally recognized as a winner in 2016). Johnny now resides in New York City where he is attending the Juilliard School as a member of the vigorous accelerated masters program (BM ‘21, MM ‘22). He studies with Billy Drummond, Kenny Washington, Frank Kimbrough, Mark Sherman, and Gerald Cannon. Johnny has had the great fortune of collaborating and performing with esteemed artists on the jazz scene today including Wynton Marsalis, Gilbert Castellanos, Christian Hoff, Frank Kimbrough, Dan Nimmer, Marcus Printup, Sahara Grim, Giveton Gelin, Julius Rodriguez, and Jeffery Miller. As a sideman, he has performed at venues such as Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall and Atrium, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, The Django, Smalls Live, Panama 66, Rue-B, the Jacobs Center, the Embarcadero and at the 2018 ESPYS Sports Humanitarian Awards. He has also performed internationally at the Bern Jazz festival in Switzerland, Jazz-B in São Paulo, and The Keep an Eye Jazz festival in Amsterdam. In addition to his extensive performing career, Johnny is also a passionate composer and educator. He has found composition education to be incredibly valuable tools to express his mission. This mission is to alleviate the separateness felt in today’s world by unifying people through music. Both his compositions and his performances exemplify this mission. Johnny is known for his ability to capture the attention of an audience through expressive use of dynamics and articulations, creating a visceral mood that audiences can latch onto and thus feel in synchronicity with each other. His compositions provide that same contrast. Through education, he is able to spread this message to others.

Marcos Robinson – Guitar
Marcus Robinson’s emotive vocals and pulsing rhythm guitar make him a performer that people want to hear. Marcus honed his stage presence in Colorado before landing in the vibrant Portland music scene. He writes familiar pop songs with a literate edge of surprise. His songs stir the heart without being sugary. Marcus began writing songs as a teenager in Aurora, Colorado. He kept his music hidden for many years before bringing it out in coffee houses, pubs, and clubs. Marcus sharpened his songwriting craft with friends and trusted mentors. That effort was rewarded when he was invited to play a set at the Nowhere Else Festival’s Songcatcher’s Stage in 2019, hosted by Over the Rhine (Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist).  

Milton Suggs – Vocals
Milton Suggs’s voice and approach to music are a reflection not only of his direct lineage, but of the many great voices in Black American Music and culture from the past century and beyond. Firmly rooted in the blues Milton sports a rich baritone with the breadth and power reminiscent of Joe Williams, is able to emote with the soulful intensity of singers like Donny Hathaway, and achieve a velvet palette suggestive of Nat King Cole. Milton possesses a unique ability to evoke emotion with a masterful sense of phrasing and dynamics. A gifted composer, arranger, and lyricist, Milton’s music is both honest and inventive, drawing inspiration from a number of influences while forging a singular identity. As a visionary artist, Suggs seeks to pave new roads within the vast traditions that were laid before him for it is the spirit, struggles, triumphs, and stories from the many generations that preceded him that make up the foundation upon which his own artistry stands. Voted repeatedly a top 10 rising star male vocalist in Downbeat Magazine’s annual critc’s poll, the recognition of Milton’s talents have continued to grow throughout his years as a fixture in Jazz working with artists and bands such as the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Orrin Evans, Wycliffe Gordon, Ulysses Owens, and Marquis Hill among others. Milton has also been consistent with his own efforts as a recording artist, producing four albums to date and continually developing new projects with new ensembles. Born in Chicago, IL, a third generation musician, Suggs recognized music as a gift from a young age; it was later that he would accept it as a calling. While growing up in Atlanta, GA, though continually exposed to music of varying styles, it was with his church choir at the age of seven that Milton garnered his first experiences with singing and performance. While in elementary and middle school, he gravitated toward the upright bass and later played the alto saxophone and drums; however, it was not until after high school that he committed to the pursuit of music as his life’s work. Returning to Chicago, he began studying piano with the legendary Willie Pickens, while also honing his craft as a vocalist and performer. In 2012 Milton moved to New York where he immediately took to performing throughout the city, branching out internationally as a performer and educator. Presently, Milton Suggs continues to blaze a trail as a vocalist, composer, and educator touring throughout the world as both a sideman and leader, embracing each opportunity to explore new creative terrain and further the legacy left by his predecessors.

Gianna Theodore – Dance
A graduate of the Ailey School/Fordham University, Gianna Theodore was Raised in West Palm Beach, Florida, where she began her dance training at Ballet East Studio, formerly known as Susan Lyle Studios. Throughout the course of her training, she performed works created by Robert Battle, Chuck Wilt, and Bradley Shelver. While obtaining her degree at Fordham, she worked as a Freelance dancer performing with Helen Simoneau Danse, Mark Caserta, Ebony Williams, and Maleek Washington. During her Senior year of highschool, she joined A.I.M by Kyle Abraham as a dancer and collaborator and has been working with the company since. As she continues to dance full-time on tour, she spends most of her free time as an artist indulging in her cultures dances like House, and HIp Hop, participating in battles, working as a freelancer, and creating work.

 

ABOUT ARMSTRONG NOW


 

ABOUT LOUIS ARMSTRONG HOUSE MUSEUM

MISSION STATEMENT: The Louis Armstrong House Museum (LAHM) sustains and promotes the cultural, historical, and humanitarian legacy of Louis Armstrong by preserving and interpreting Armstrong’s house and grounds, collecting and sharing archival materials that document Armstrong’s life and legacy, developing programs for the public that educate and inspire, and engaging with contemporary artists to create performances and new works.

HISTORY: Louis Armstrong passed in 1971. His wife, Lucille, continued to live in their home on 107th Street in Corona, Queens, working to ensure that it became a National and New York Historic Landmark.  Lucille expressed the desire for the home and archives to become a museum honoring her husband. After Lucille’s passing in 1983, she willed the home and its contents to the city of New York which designated the City University of New York, Queens College to shepherd the process.  It took decades, but the archives became accessible in the 90’s, and the historic house opened for public tours in 2003. The Louis Armstrong House Museum (LAHM) became its own entity, with its expanded programs and official 501c3 non-profit status in 2008. LAHM administers the historic house under a long-term license agreement with the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and Queens College.

Learn more at www.louisarmstronghouse.org


 

ABOUT KUPFERBERG CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Kupferberg Center for the Arts (KCA) at Queens College was created in 2006 to honor alumnus Max Kupferberg for his $10 million gift to the College in support of the arts. KCA is charged with marketing cultural events, developing cross-disciplinary collaborations among Queens College’s arts units and between the arts units and off-campus partners, raising funds, and working with an Arts Advisory Board comprised of academic and community stakeholders.

The overall mission of Kupferberg Center is to provide high quality accessible and affordable cultural attractions to the Queens College community and the borough’s 2.2 million residents. The largest multi-disciplinary arts entity in the borough, KCA features world-class artists and performances at its main stage campus venues and showcases the talents of emerging and regional artists in off-site, neighborhood settings. A leader in the cultural renaissance of Queens, KCA connects residents of the most ethnically diverse region of the nation to their unique cultural heritages, showcasing these arts to a broader audience and validating the contributions each makes to the distinct nature of our campus and community.

Kupferberg Center for the Arts’ 2022-2023 Season is sponsored by New York Community Bank – A Division of Flagstar Bank, N.A. Major support is provided by the Max and Selma Kupferberg Family Foundation, the Kupferberg Foundation, and the Howard Gilman Foundation. Additional funding is provided by Resorts World NYC. Kupferberg Center’s presenting and outreach programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the NY City Council.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS AT KCA

Viva El Cinco De Mayo: Festival del Son
SAT, MAY 6, 3 PM

¡Viva México! Join us for our inaugural Cinco de Mayo family celebration at KCA! This festive program will feature four world-renowned ensembles on stage presenting traditional Mexican music and dance. MORE

En Vogue
FRI, MAY 19, 8 PM

Join us for an unforgettable night of R&B classics as En Vogue performs a set filled with top 10 hits that have helped the group sell more than 30 million records worldwide and crowned them as one of Billboard’s top female groups of all time. MORE

Find more events at KupferbergCenter.org