BIG RED MEDIA • Fred Ho's Saxophone Liberation Front

FRED HO’S
SAXOPHONE LIBERATION FRONT
coming soon!

Fred Ho unleashes in 2008 his newest project and band featuring Ho as composer/leader-baritone saxophonist, Sam Newsome on soprano saxophone, Bobby Zankel on alto saxophone, and J.D. Allen on tenor saxophone.

Ho has composed a vast repertoire for the saxophone quartet that evoke his signature world music and African American “jazz” mixture with radical socio-political themes. These compositions are a grand mix of virtuosity and complexity with blisteringly bluesy and soulful improvising. Epic extended works include THE BLACK NATION SUITE (honoring the different phases of the black liberation struggle in America); THE YELLOW POWER YELLOW SOUL SUITE (a tribute to the struggles and contributions of Asian America); as well as marvelously unique arrangements of “jazz” standards such as Billy Strayhorn’s LUSH LIFE and Errol Garner’s MISTY, all spiced up with tongue-in-cheek humor and poignancy.

BIOS

SAM NEWSOME (soprano saxophone)
Chosen as one of the "Rising Stars" of the soprano saxophone for the past four years in the Downbeat Critics Poll, Sam has already established himself as a leading voice on the instrument having recorded seven albums as a leader, and over 30 as a sideman.

He spent his first five years in New York as the featured tenor saxophonist with legendary trumpeter Donald Byrd and with the critically acclaimed Terence Blanchard Quintet (trumpeter/film composer for movies such as Malcolm X and Jungle Fever). His well-known recording Sam I Am debuted on Criss Cross Records and was selected by the New York Times as one of the "Top Ten Jazz Albums of the Year."

In mid-decade, Sam made the liberating switch to the soprano and founded a band featuring musicians playing exotic instruments from around the world. Together they brewed up their own brand of cross-cultural jazz. Their debut album Sam Newsome & Global Unity on Columbia/Sony Records, was chosen by Billboard as one of the "Top Ten Jazz CDs of the Year."

Sam began playing professionally by the age of 16 in his hometown of Hampton, VA. where he began his long-time association with bassist James Genus and saxophonist Steve Wilson while still in high school. Sam received his degree in Jazz Composition & Arranging from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston.

www.samnewsome.com

BOBBY ZANKEL (alto saxophone)
Brooklyn born composer-saxophonist Bobby Zankel first began attracting national attention in the early 70s for his work with Cecil Taylor's large ensemble, which he still performs with, and for his presence on the early "loft scene", performing with William Parker, Ray Anderson, Sunny Murray…A Philadelphian since 1975 he has recorded with such brilliant diverse artists as Johnny Coles, Marilyn Crispell, Uri Caine, Tyrone Brown, Ralph Peterson Jr., Odean Pope, Gary Thomas, Samrai Celestial, John Blake. Zankel’s award winning compositions are characterised by a stunning blend of rhythmic layers, a highly personal complex chromatic harmonic language, and a hauntingly beautiful melodic lyricism.He has recorded seven CDs as a leader.

www.bobbyzankel.com

J.D. ALLEN (tenor saxophone)
has been hailed by The New York Times as “a tenor saxophonist with an enigmatic, elegant and hard-driving style.” The Detroit natives’ apprenticeship has largely been in New York City with Lester Bowie, Betty Carter, Ron Carter, Louis Hayes, Frank Foster Big Band, Butch Morris, David Murray, Wallace Roney, Cindy Blackman, Meshell Ndegeocello, Dave Douglas and Nigel Kennedy, among others. His debut album IN SEARCH OF…(Criss Cross, 1999) won him the Best New Artist award in Italy. His second release, PHAROAH’S CHILDREN (Criss Cross, 2002) won him JazzIz magazine’s Critics Pics Top 10 Albums of the Year. His most recent recording I AM – I AM (I Am – I Am Records, 2007), features his trio. www.myspace.com/jdallen11

FRED HO (baritone saxophone-composer/leader)
is a Chinese American composer, baritone saxophonist, leader of the Afro Asian Music Ensemble, the Monkey Orchestra and co-lead CALIENTE! CIRCLE AROUND THE SUN with poet Magdalena Gomez.

He has over 15 recordings as a leader and a new DVD, THE BLACK PANTHER SUITE. He is currently working on an opera with writer Quincy Troupe entitled MR. MYSTERY: THE RETURN OF SUN RA TO SAVE PLANET EARTH.

His most recent martial arts samurai sword ballet and music-theater epic DEADLY SHE-WOLF ASSASSIN AT ARMEGEDDON! with writer Ruth Margraff, had its world premiere in Philadelphia in June 2006.

In 2009 Ho and Margraff will unleash their newest blockbuster, DRAGON VS. EAGLE at the Apollo Theater and the BAM Next Wave Festival, co-produced with Peregrine Arts.

Fred Ho has won numerous awards and major recognitions internationally.

In 1988 he was the youngest and first Asian American to receive the Duke Ellington Distinguished Artist Lifetime Achievement Award from the 17th annual Black Musicians Conference.

In 1996 he and co-editor Ron Sakolsky won an American Book Award for their anthology Sounding Off! Music As Resistance/Rebellion/Revolution.

Fred Ho is the editor of the ground breaking collection, LEGACY TO LIBERATION: POLITICS AND CULTURE OF REVOLUTIONARY ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICA.

His current books are AFRO/ASIA: REVOLUTIONARY CONNECTIONS BETWEEN AFRICAN AND ASIAN AMERICANS co-edited with Bill Mullen to be published by Duke University Press;

WICKED THEORY/NAKED PRACTICE: FRED HO’S COLLECTED WRITINGS ON RADICAL POLITICAL AND CULTURAL THEORY, a collection of Ho’s writings over the past 30 years, to be published by the University of Minnesota Press.

He is also beginning work on a new anthology: THE SLANTED VAGINA MONOLOGUES: Asian Pacific Women Word Warriors in the Americas.

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	FRED HO’S SAXOPHONE LIBERATION FRONT *coming soon!* Fred Ho unleashes in 2008 his newest project and band featuring Ho as composer/leader-baritone saxophonist, Sam Newsome on soprano saxophone, Bobby Zankel on alto saxophone, and J.D. Allen on tenor saxophone. Ho has composed a vast repertoire for the saxophone quartet that evoke his signature world music and African American “jazz” mixture with radical socio-political themes. These compositions are a grand mix of virtuosity and complexity with blisteringly bluesy and soulful improvising. Epic extended works include THE BLACK NATION SUITE (honoring the different phases of the black liberation struggle in America); THE YELLOW POWER YELLOW SOUL SUITE (a tribute to the struggles and contributions of Asian America); as well as marvelously unique arrangements of “jazz” standards such as Billy Strayhorn’s LUSH LIFE and Errol Garner’s MISTY, all spiced up with tongue-in-cheek humor and poignancy. BIOS SAM NEWSOME (soprano saxophone) Chosen as one of the "Rising Stars" of the soprano saxophone for the past four years in the Downbeat Critics Poll, Sam has already established himself as a leading voice on the instrument having recorded seven albums as a leader, and over 30 as a sideman. He spent his first five years in New York as the featured tenor saxophonist with legendary trumpeter Donald Byrd and with the critically acclaimed Terence Blanchard Quintet (trumpeter/film composer for movies such as Malcolm X and Jungle Fever). His well-known recording Sam I Am debuted on Criss Cross Records and was selected by the New York Times as one of the "Top Ten Jazz Albums of the Year." In mid-decade, Sam made the liberating switch to the soprano and founded a band featuring musicians playing exotic instruments from around the world. Together they brewed up their own brand of cross-cultural jazz. Their debut album Sam Newsome & Global Unity on Columbia/Sony Records, was chosen by Billboard as one of the "Top Ten Jazz CDs of the Year." Sam began playing professionally by the age of 16 in his hometown of Hampton, VA. where he began his long-time association with bassist James Genus and saxophonist Steve Wilson while still in high school. Sam received his degree in Jazz Composition & Arranging from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. www.samnewsome.com BOBBY ZANKEL (alto saxophone) Brooklyn born composer-saxophonist Bobby Zankel first began attracting national attention in the early 70s for his work with Cecil Taylor's large ensemble, which he still performs with, and for his presence on the early "loft scene", performing with William Parker, Ray Anderson, Sunny Murray…A Philadelphian since 1975 he has recorded with such brilliant diverse artists as Johnny Coles, Marilyn Crispell, Uri Caine, Tyrone Brown, Ralph Peterson Jr., Odean Pope, Gary Thomas, Samrai Celestial, John Blake. Zankel’s award winning compositions are characterised by a stunning blend of rhythmic layers, a highly personal complex chromatic harmonic language, and a hauntingly beautiful melodic lyricism.He has recorded seven CDs as a leader. www.bobbyzankel.com J.D. ALLEN (tenor saxophone) has been hailed by The New York Times as “a tenor saxophonist with an enigmatic, elegant and hard-driving style.” The Detroit natives’ apprenticeship has largely been in New York City with Lester Bowie, Betty Carter, Ron Carter, Louis Hayes, Frank Foster Big Band, Butch Morris, David Murray, Wallace Roney, Cindy Blackman, Meshell Ndegeocello, Dave Douglas and Nigel Kennedy, among others. His debut album IN SEARCH OF…(Criss Cross, 1999) won him the Best New Artist award in Italy. His second release, PHAROAH’S CHILDREN (Criss Cross, 2002) won him JazzIz magazine’s Critics Pics Top 10 Albums of the Year. His most recent recording I AM – I AM (I Am – I Am Records, 2007), features his trio. www.myspace.com/jdallen11 FRED HO (baritone saxophone-composer/leader) is a Chinese American composer, baritone saxophonist, leader of the Afro Asian Music Ensemble, the Monkey Orchestra and co-lead CALIENTE! CIRCLE AROUND THE SUN with poet Magdalena Gomez. He has over 15 recordings as a leader and a new DVD, THE BLACK PANTHER SUITE. He is currently working on an opera with writer Quincy Troupe entitled MR. MYSTERY: THE RETURN OF SUN RA TO SAVE PLANET EARTH. His most recent martial arts samurai sword ballet and music-theater epic DEADLY SHE-WOLF ASSASSIN AT ARMEGEDDON! with writer Ruth Margraff, had its world premiere in Philadelphia in June 2006. In 2009 Ho and Margraff will unleash their newest blockbuster, DRAGON VS. EAGLE at the Apollo Theater and the BAM Next Wave Festival, co-produced with Peregrine Arts. Fred Ho has won numerous awards and major recognitions internationally. In 1988 he was the youngest and first Asian American to receive the Duke Ellington Distinguished Artist Lifetime Achievement Award from the 17th annual Black Musicians Conference. In 1996 he and co-editor Ron Sakolsky won an American Book Award for their anthology Sounding Off! Music As Resistance/Rebellion/Revolution. Fred Ho is the editor of the ground breaking collection, LEGACY TO LIBERATION: POLITICS AND CULTURE OF REVOLUTIONARY ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICA. His current books are AFRO/ASIA: REVOLUTIONARY CONNECTIONS BETWEEN AFRICAN AND ASIAN AMERICANS co-edited with Bill Mullen to be published by Duke University Press; WICKED THEORY/NAKED PRACTICE: FRED HO’S COLLECTED WRITINGS ON RADICAL POLITICAL AND CULTURAL THEORY, a collection of Ho’s writings over the past 30 years, to be published by the University of Minnesota Press. He is also beginning work on a new anthology: THE SLANTED VAGINA MONOLOGUES: Asian Pacific Women Word Warriors in the Americas.

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