Neil Bridge 90th BDay CD Project
Donation protected
Dear Family, Friends, Fans,
In honor of his 90th birthday, a generous benefactor has agreed to match, dollar-for-dollar, up to $5000 to produce a 90th Birthday tribute recording! The recording will feature Denver Jazz Legend Neil Bridge, many of Denver's finest Jazz musicians and will spotlight vocalist KAREN LEE.
Neil Bridge has had an immeasurable influence on the Denver Jazz scene both as a jazz pianist and as a former Denver Public Schools (DPS) educator. Neil has accompanied some of the world's greatest Jazz performers of all time. Neil's former students are a 'who's who' of locally and nationally recognized jazz musicians and performed in the award-winning DPS Citywide High School Jazz Combo. In honor of Neil's contributions to Jazz education, the Jazz rehearsal room at the Denver School of the Arts is dedicated as the Neil Bridge Jazz Room.
We invite everyone - fans, former students, colleagues, friends, family, neighbors and Jazz enthusiasts - to celebrate this wonderful educator and musician with a contribution to make this recording possible!
All funds raised will be used to finance this incredible tribute project including musician, recording and all production costs!
A letter of thanks and stories from Karen...
Thanks so much for considering your donation to our GO FUND ME Campaign! We very much hope you will donate, and we want you to know that with your contribution - you are part of supporting and securing the success and Legacy of the Music of a Living Legend! What a gift from our fans to inspire Neil to continue "bringing on" the music with writing his arrangements specifically for this project in honor of his 90th Birthday year!
NEIL will be "90 years young" on Sunday August 18th, 2019, and we will be honoring and celebrating this monumental 90th at 2 exciting gigs for everybody to share in it all with us!
Our steady gig at BULL and BUSH
www.bullandbush.com
Sunday evening
August 18th, 2019
6 - 9 P.M.
NEIL BRIDGE 7 featuring KAREN LEE will be playing SWING and DIXIE!
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On Saturday evening August 24th
NEIL'S NINETIETH! at DAZZLE
purchase tickets at www.dazzledenver.com
6 - 10:00 P.M.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC !
The gig at DAZZLE will feature live performances with our 3 bands...
6 P.M. NEIL BRIDGE TRIO ADOLPH MARES Bass KEVIN SMITH Drums
7 P.M. NEIL BRIDGE'S "QUINTESSENCE! Spotlighting Vocalist KAREN LEE "
Legendary Jazz Guitarist WAYNE WILKINSON
RON BLAND Bass BRIAN CLAXTON Drums.
8:15 - 10 P.M. NEIL BRIDGE 7+ Spotlighting Vocalist KAREN LEE
Special guest artist, Latin Percussionist GARY SOSIAS!
Legendary Latin Percussionist JOSE MADERA
In attendance with La Familia and Sitting in Legendary Latin Percussionist PAPIRAY PACHECO
Bass RON BLAND and ANDREW HUDSON
Drums LARRY "LT" THOMPSON
Trumpet I DEREK BANACH
Trumpet II CHRIS WALTERS
Saxes CHUCK SCHNEIDER
Trombone AL HERMANN
10:30 P.M "THE BRIDGE AFTERGLOW " Jam session with musicians and vocalists - HOSTED BY ANDREW HUDSON!
PAT MCNULTY EMCEE! NEIL'S TOAST by "The Heartbeat of KUVO" CARLOS LANDO.
Additionally a CD release party will be held after we achieve our GO FUND ME goals, and production is completed.
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There is just so much to share , so here are a few stories and some info for you......
With this amazing opportunity to match dollar for dollar up to 5K- we will be able to choose experts needed to insure a stellar CD, and we will be able to finance this project - musicians, recording, and all production costs - and to also "get our music out there!"
This "chick singer" and her Bandleader, arranger, composer, musical director are so Jazzed about this recording - and can't wait to go deep into the process of choosing our vocal tunes and instrumental tunes for the CD!
A little Bio info and a dream come true!
Karen Lee is also a Denver CHANNEL 7 EVERYDAY HERO, for her work in offering free dance classes for Inner City Youth at Boys and Girls Club and beyond, through her Non Profit org. - Karen Lee Dance Theatre. KLDT also provided years of live music entertainment and dance performances au gratis, for the VETS, at their nursing home. This featured Karen Lee as vocalist, her Husband Neil Bridge on piano, and the youth of Karen Lee Dance Theatre. Karen is also is a former 2 time UNITED STATES BALLROOM Dance Champion.
Now, in her second career as a professional vocalist- she has been joyfully singing and sharing in her sound with her Husband's musical arrangements for two decades. "Singing the gorgeous Jazz Standards, arranged by my Husband, is a dream come true.
I actually feel I have been in preparation for it my whole life!"
Neil Bridge is part of the flow of American Musical History - swinging it for years. A boy from Kutztown, Pennsylvania and a depression baby - he went to NYC after High School. He was actually there on 52nd Street, as a young man, "back in the day" , when he was listening and being influenced by all the greats! Neil knew in High School that he wanted to play Jazz Piano. His Mom dreamed of him playing Classical Music ( which he started with as a young boy and also studied all through College ) but Mom and Dad and his Family were was so very proud of him and his illustrious career as a Professional Jazz Pianist and Jazz Educator. Neil says "One of my classical teachers at New England Conservatory of Music in Boston loved Mozart ( and so do I ) but Geez" - "I just couldn't play even eighth notes" - Neil always naturally would SWING the notes!!!" Poor Ms. Chagier! She put him on Debussy and said "ahhh Neil - much better!" As a teenager - hearing WOODY HERMAN at OMG! one of my Grampa's shows - Neil knew Jazz was "it" for him!!!
Karen's Grampa ... "Thanks to my Grampa - Max Kearson, who promoted big time entertainment professionally for 50 years in Scranton Pa. - I grew up hearing and seeing many of the greats live!!!" I feel that Quality Music from the greats is a gift to us all - As a young girl, I began to embrace - particularly the music from THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK, and the outstanding sounds of musical giants that my Grampa brought into Scranton and Northeastern Pennsylvania, such as Count Basie Orchestra, Sarah Vaughn, Harry Belafonte, Sammy Davis Jr., Buddy Rich, and so many others. Karen's parents loved and listened to Sinatra, Nancy Wilson, Jobim, Barbra Streisand, Broadway Music and just great quality music.
Her Uncle Barry Kearson was a booking agent and started the Millard Agency and Shady Management in association with Bill Graham in San Francisco. He has been associated in the music industry with many legendary artists including The Grateful Dead, Santana, The Beatles, and more. He is currently working as a Producer and Director in Los Angeles. His unconditional love was and is monumental to Karen's life journey.
Cousin Larry Gelb was a child prodigy who began composing at 8 years old. He became a professional Jazz Pianist as a teenager and has written of 800 songs to date, along with musicals and film scores.
"My Husband of 26 years, with his Legendary expertise, has very gently and patiently walked me into the "center of the music" - and that is where the two of us currently reside."
After decades of both of us giving joyfully in our Industry to our Community - it is so incredibly cool to have someone help us jump start this GO FUND ME campaign! Thank you again and again to our generous benefactor, and in advance to all who will donate! Thanks to every single family member, person, musician, teacher, mentor, coach, doctors, healers, lawyers, our fans, and everyone who have believed in us along the way and inspire us to keep going!!!
“Neil has upheld the highest standards in musicianship and music education…as well as swinging without remorse! Truly a long-time giant of Denver’s jazz scene, Neil and his muse, Karen Lee Bridge, will remind you with his classic arrangements and impeccable taste, of why we love this most American of music styles.” Ricky Rodriguez Denver City Park Jazz Festival 2013.
Love and Blessings
and...
With A Song In Our Hearts,
Neil and Karen
PHOTO CREDITS - Top Photo - JOHN AKAL
In Story Photo - MARYLYNN GILLASPIE PHOTOGRAPHY
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Ph: [phone redacted]
Email: [email redacted]
Website: http://www.neilbridgemusic.com
Organizer
Karen Lee Neil Bridge
Organizer
Denver, CO
