Dear Colleagues and Friends,
I hope you and your families are keeping safe and prepared for any obstacles that Florence may bring our way!
I am writing to let you know that on Thursday, September 20, the NCCU Department of Music will host an exciting residency by the Victor Provost/Rudy Faulkner Ensemble. Please attend, send your students and invite your colleagues and friends from the community and other institutions. The residency is co-sponsored by the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at Duke University.
Steel pan master Victor Provost is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading voices on his unique and often misunderstood instrument. He has developed a reputation as a dazzling soloist, crafting an impressive improvisational voice and style. With a strong foundation in bebop, a contemporary sensibility, and deep roots in Caribbean music, he seamlessly melds and mixes genres and has been named “Jazz Percussionist of the Year” six years running by Washington D.C.’s City Paper. His new recording, Bright Eyes debuted at #5 on the iTunes Top 40 Jazz Charts and has been praised by The Washington Post, Downbeat Magazine, and Hot House Magazine.
In addition to leading his own group, Victor tours with NEA Jazz Master Paquito D’Rivera, and is a member of the GRAMMY-winning Afro Bop Alliance. He has performed and recorded with jazz luminaries such as Wynton Marsalis, Hugh Masakela, Joe Locke, Nicholas Payton, Terrell Stafford, Dave Samuels, Steve Nelson, Ron Blake, and Wycliffe Gordon.
Victor is an Adjunct Professor at George Mason University and has conducted residencies and master classes at many schools, including Berklee College of Music, University of Akron, Miami University, NYU, TTU, and Northern Illinois University. He is an Arts Ambassador to the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he returns frequently to perform and teach for the United Jazz Foundation. USVI honored him with a Special Congressional Recognition in 2014.
Vocalist and percussionist Rudy Faulkner hails from the island of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Rudy combines his calypso heritage with jazz, funk, blues, gospel, r&b, Latin and operatic genres. The Richmond Times-Dispatch calls Faulkner “a musician’s singer” because of his improvisational mastery. Rudy’s remarkable blend of vocal styles has made him a hit in the opera houses in Italy and Austria. He has performed over 300 concerts throughout Europe,
Rudy’s childhood home was filled with music. His father was a wonderful musician who taught him the steel pan as soon as he could walk. He started singing in churches while still in grade school. While in high school, he won awards and regional notoriety as a lead vocalist in the University of Virgin Islands choir.
Rudy studied classical music and Jazz at Norfolk State University and Virginia Commonwealth University. While at the VCU, he absorbed the music of Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and John Coltrane, as well as great vocalists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McRae, Luther Vandross and Donny Hathaway. He also met many musical giants there, including Jon Hendricks, who lit a spark that has been key to his development.
Some of Rudy’s recent performances have been with vocalist and percussionist Vinx, as well as the group FRENS, which he co-founded in the mid 1990s. FRENS has played many regional and national festivals with artists such as The Roots, Joe Sample, Michael Franks, Chaka Kahn, Jonathan Butler, Rick Braun, Pieces of a Dream, Joyce Cooling, Boney James and Walter Beasley. Rudy has also performed with the Cuban group Timbason.
Victor and Rudy will be joined by bassist Brandon Lane, drummer Billy Williams and a special guest or two.
Their schedule at NCCU on Thursday the 20th will be as follows:
1:00-2:15—Workshop/clinic in the Jazz Band Room. Free and open to the public.
7:00-8:00pm—Concert in BND Auditorium. Free and open to the public
I hope to see you there!
Best regards,
Baron
Baron TymasAssociate Professor, Department of MusicNorth Carolina Central UniversityDurham, NC 27707USATelephone: (919)530-6343Email: btymas@nccu.edu
