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Shew, Bobby

Robert “Bobby” Shew ~ Albuquerque

Bobby ShewBorn In Albuquerque, New Mexico, Bobby Shew began playing the guitar at the age of eight and switched to the trumpet at ten. By the time he was thirteen he was playing at local dances with a number of bands and by fifteen had put together his own group to play at dances, occasional concerts and in jazz coffee houses. He spent most of his high school days playing as many as six nights a week in a dinner club, giving him an early start to his professional career.

He then spent three years as the jazz trumpet soloist in the famed NORAD multi-service band. Shortly after leaving he joined the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra under the direction of Sam Donahue, which, among other things, gave him the chance to perform quite a bit with trumpet legend Charlie Shavers. After his stint with Tommy Dorsey, Bobby was asked to play with Woody Herman’s band upon Bill Chase’s recommendation. He then spent some time playing for Della Reese and Buddy Rich, who’s big band had just been formed.

Many other similar situations followed and Bobby played lead trumpet for a number of pop stars. This brought Bobby to live in Las Vegas where he became prominent in various hotels and casinos. By this time Bobby was widely known for his strong lead playing rather than as a jazz soloist. So late in 1972 he decided to make a move to the Los Angeles area in order to get reinvolved in developing as a jazz player.

Once in Los Angeles, Bobby quickly found what he was looking for, and in the years to come he spent time with the groups of Art Pepper, Bud Shank, Horace Silver Quintet, and Frank Strazzeri-Sam Most, as well as numerous big bands such as Bill Holman, Louie Bellson, Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin, Oliver Nelson, Bill Berry, Nat Pierce-Frank Capp Juggernaut, Ed Shaughnessy, Terry Gibbs, Benny Goodman, Maynard Ferguson, Neal Hefti, Don Menza, and Bob Florence.

In addition to being a sideman, Bobby also became a leader around this time, recording many of his own albums. Several of these received very high accolades from critics and high placement on the airplay charts. One of his albums, ‘Outstanding In His Field’ was nominated for a Grammy in 1980, while, ‘Heavy Company’ was awarded the Jazz Album Of The Year in 1983 by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ).

During this time Bobby also found a great deal of studio work, including TV shows like ‘Hawaii 5-O’, ‘Streets Of San Francisco’, ‘Bob Newhart’, ‘Mary Tyler Moore’, ‘Midnight Specials’, ‘Don Kirschner Rock Concert’, ‘Happy Days’, ‘Laverne And Shirley’, and ‘Eight Is Enough.’ His work on soundtracks includes ‘Grease I and II’, ‘Rocky I and II’, ‘Six-Pack’, ‘The Muppet Movie’, ‘The Drivers’, and ‘Taxi’.

Today, in addition to a busy performing and private teaching schedule, Bobby spends a considerable amount of time actively involved in the educational system, conducting clinics and master classes at high schools and college campuses all over the world. Bobby has also been active on the Board of Directors of the International Trumpet Guild, and has acted as National Trumpet Chairman for the International Association of Jazz Educator’s for 16 years. He authors numerous articles of educational interest in various trade magazines, all translated into several languages for worldwide distribution. During a period of traveling to New Zealand, Bobby acted as host for a weekly TV show entitled ‘Just Jazz’ and has been in numerous artist-in-residence situations virtually all over the world. He has even had a few minor acting roles in movies and TV shows.

He continues to tour internationally and to produce and record excellent music. He has released several recent albums for the MAMA Foundation including Playing With Fire (w/Tom Harrell), Heavyweights (w/Carl Fontana), and Salsa Caliente. In addition, for other labels, Bobby has released the the highly regarded CD recorded with the The Metropole Orchestra, and a double-CD set for Seabreeze Records of The Music of John Harmon, plus others. Bobby never stops using his remarkable insight, sensitivity and creativity to inspire the next generation of jazz players and teachers. Bobby currently resides in Los Lunas, New Mexico.

above: Louie Bellson and his Big Band Explosion at the Cork Jazz Festival 1980 featuring Bobby Shew playing his own composition ‘Blue’ as a tribute to the great trumpet player Blue Mitchell.

for more information: bobbyshew.com

source: bobbyshew.com

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Artists

AlHaj, Rahim

Rahim AlHaj ~ Albuquerque

rahimGenre: Worldbeat

AlHaj, virtuoso Oud musician and composer, was born in Baghdad, Iraq (1967) and began playing the oud (the grandfather of all stringed instruments) at age nine. Early on, it was evident that he had a remarkable talent for playing the oud. Mr. Alhaj studied under the renowned Munir Bashir, considered by many to be the greatest oud player ever, and Salim Abdul Kareem, at the Institute of Music in Baghdad, Iraq. Mr. AlHaj won various awards at the Conservatory and graduated in 1990 with a diploma in composition. He holds a degree in Arabic Literature from Mustunsariya University in Baghdad. In 1991, after the first Gulf War, Mr. AlHaj was forced to leave Iraq due to his activism against the Saddam Hussein regime and began his life in Jordan and Syria. He moved to the US in 2000 as a political refugee and has resided in Albuquerque, NM ever since. Rahim became a US citizen on August 15, 2008.

Rahim has performed around the world and is considered one of the finest oud players in the world. He has won many accolades and awards including two Grammy nominations. Rahim has recorded and performed with other master musicians of varied backgrounds and styles including genre-busting American guitarist Bill Frisell, modern accordion innovator Guy Klucevsek, Indian sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan and indy-rock pioneers REM. He has composed pieces for solo oud, string quartet, symphony and beyond. Rahim’s music delicately combines traditional Iraqi maqams with contemporary styling and influence. His compositions evoke the experience of exile from his homeland and of new beginnings in his adopted country. His pieces establish new concepts without altering the foundation of the traditional “Iraqi School of Oud”.

Rahim has released seven CDs. His March 2009 release, Ancient Sounds (UR Music), a duet recording with Amjad Ali Khan, was nominated for a 2010 Grammy® in the Best Traditional World Music Recording category. In November of 2009 he released a special recording Under The Rose with Ottmar Liebert, Jon Gagan and Barrett Martin, with all net proceeds benefitting Direct Aid Iraq. Home Again (UR Music, 2008), is a tour de force of touching and evocative original compositions portraying his trip to Iraq after 13 years in exile. When the Soul is Settled: Music of Iraq (Smithsonian Folkways Recordings) was also nominated for a Grammy® in 2008. His earlier recordings include Friendship: Oud and Sadaqa String Quartet (2005), a unique East and West musical collaboration, The Second Baghdad (2002) and the live CD Iraqi Music in a Time of War”, (2003). Rahim is featured in the 2009 documentary film on Smithsonian Folkways Records . Capping off an artistically fruitful 2009, Rahim was awarded the prestigious US Artist Ford Fellowship Grant on December 14th. Look for a new recording Little Earth: Voices For Peace in 2010. The project features Rahim’s original composition in collaboration with the likes of Frisell, Klucevsek, REM, Maria De Barros, Liu Fang, Robert Mirabal, Hossein Omoumi, The Santa Fe Guitar Quartet and many more including, of course, Little Earth Orchestra.

Rahim is a 2015 National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellowship recipient.

above: “Taqsim Maqam Sharqi Rast” by Rahim Alhaj, with Souhail Kaspar (eMusic)

for more information: rahimalhaj.com

source: rahimalhaj.com