Baum, Wessel, and Harris

Flutist Jamie Baum, guitarist Ken Wessel, and bass guitarist Jerome Harris celebrated the 100th Birthday of Louis Armstrong during their March-April tour of Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and India, a trip postponed from October 2001. They reprise their tour performances in tonight’s Millennium Stage concert. Flutist and composer Jamie Baum’s first tour as a Kennedy Center/Department of State Jazz Ambassador took place in Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic in October 1999. She has lived in New York for twelve years, working as a leader, as well as a band member for others including Paul Motian, Randy Brecker, Billy Hart, Mick Goodrick, and George Russell. Baum has developed a powerful personal style from her many influences of jazz, blues, and Latin cultures. As a teacher she focuses on improvisation, ear training, compositional techniques, and flute technique. She has also developed two very successful workshops: “A Fear-free Approach to Improvisation for the Classically-Trained Musician” and “A Jazz Flute Survey/Retrospective.” Guitarist Ken Wessel has performed at major jazz festivals, concert halls and on radio and television throughout 21 countries. He has toured and recorded as a member of Ornette Coleman’s Prime Time group since 1988. He has also worked with Gloria Lynne, Arthur and Red Prysock, Steve Turré, Pat Metheny, David Leibman, Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, and Johnny Hartmann. He performed Skies of America, Ornette Coleman's seminal work for symphony orchestra and jazz ensemble, with the Philharmonia of London and the New York Philharmonic conducted by Kurt Masur. Wessel, who leads and composes for his own jazz quartet and jazz trio, also is co-leads a trio with jazz tabla master Badal Roy and bassist Stomu Takeishi, an ensemble that combines jazz with North Indian music. As a teacher, Wessel is a member of the faculties of Rutgers University and the Music Conservatory of Westchester, and he has given clinics and master classes at numerous institutions, including Yale University, Columbia University and the Manhattan School of Music. Bass guitarist and composer Jerome Harris, a native of Flushing, New York, now living in Brooklyn, is known for his warm, full sound. He received his B.A. degree from Harvard University and his Bachelor of Music degree from the New England Conservatory of Music. He has performed with creative jazz stylists ranging from Sonny Rollins and Jack DeJohnette to Bill Frisell and Bobby Previte. He toured on behalf of the United States Department of State with Oliver Lake & Jump Up in 1982 and with Jay Hoggard in 1985. His latest album, Rendezvous (issued by the audio magazine Stereophile), includes six original works by Harris. In October 2002, Harris will join soprano saxophonist Sam Newsome and guitarist Marvin Sewell as Kennedy Center Jazz Ambassadors on a Blues Tour to Africa.

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8/15/02: Baum, Wessel, and Harris

The Kennedy Center/Department of State Jazz Ambassadors present a Louis Armstrong program, recently performed on a Far East tour to celebrate Satchmo’s 100th birthday.

Baum, Wessel, and Harris

The Kennedy Center/Department of State Jazz Ambassadors present a Louis Armstrong program, recently performed on a Far East tour to celebrate Satchmo’s 100th birthday.

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Baum, Wessel, and Harris

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