Helen Sung, Marcus McLaurine, and Steve Wilson- Livestream concert for the Vermont Jazz Center

Friday, August 14th at 7:00 PM

https://vtjazz.org/calendar/2020-zoom-into-jazz-livestream-concert/

Three of New York’s finest jazz musicians come together to build a fire of creativity in support of the Vermont Jazz Center.

The Vermont Jazz Center welcomes an all-star trio to wrap-up its annual Summer Jazz Workshop. Two faculty members, pianist Helen Sung and bassist Marcus McLaurine, will be joined by special guest saxophonist, Steve Wilson. The three will perform a set of solos, duos and trios that will be live streamed from Sung’s home studio.

Bassist McLaurine and Helen Sung first met in 1997 when he was touring as bassist for the legendary trumpeter, Clark Terry. She was a graduate student at the Thelonious Monk institute where Clark Terry was a guest instructor. Sung sat in with the band and later recorded two albums as featured pianist. McLaurine got to know Steve Wilson when the two were members of former Basie trombonist, Grover Mitchell Big Band.

One of the beauties of playing jazz music is the common language that is shared by musicians throughout the world. The ability to play familiar tunes together gets even deeper when others perform, interpret and improvise over each other’s original compositions. McLaurine was happy that the trio will be playing “Ivar,” one of his compositions that was written for his godson (Ravi), the son of famed trombonist, Clifford Adams.

Steve Wilson is regarded as one of the finest saxophonists on the scene today. The New York Times claims that he is “among the best New York jazz has to offer.” He is perhaps best known for his work with Chick Corea, but he has also recorded with Dave Holland, Dianne Reeves, Charlie Byrd, Donald Brown, Kevin Hays, Kevin Mahogany, Bruce Barth, Dave Liebman, Louie Bellson, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Don Byron, Geoff Keezer and many others. He has performed at the VJC with his quartet and as a duo with drummer, Lewis Nash.

As the daughter of Chinese immigrants raised in Houston, Texas, Helen Sung embodies two diverse cultures and has discovered a musical voice and identity that are true to both – and more importantly, true to herself. Initially a student of the Western Classical tradition (she holds a Masters in classical piano performance from the University of Texas), Sung says her first connection to jazz “felt like an emancipation.”
She was accepted into the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance in its 1995 inaugural year, where she studied with Ron Carter, Jimmy Heath, and Sir Roland Hanna. Her student ensemble toured with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. Upon graduation from the program, Sung began to garner awards while performing and recording with some of the top musicians in the field, including Clark Terry, Louis Bellson, Steve Turre, Regina Carter, T.S. Monk, and the Mingus Dynasty Band.
She has toured as a Jazz Ambassador with the US State Department. Sung has released six albums as a leader and has appeared on over sixty recordings as a side-woman. Her latest project, Sung with Words, is a composition and performance effort supported by Chamber Music America and a collaboration with former US Poet Laureate Dana Gioia. Sung performed this work at the VJC in March 2019 with an all-star ensemble.
Bassist-composer, Marcus McLaurine has shared the bandstand with Dizzy Gillespie, Melba Liston, Kenny Burrell, James Moody, Lou Donaldson, Dame Cleo Laine, Joe Williams, Jon Hendricks, Abbey Lincoln, and the Count Basie Orchestra under the direction of Thad Jones. McLaurine was a member of Clark Terry’s quintet for over thirty years.

Vermont Jazz Center presents Helen Sung and Marcus McLaurine with special Steve Wilson on Friday, August 14th at 7:00 PM via live stream on the VJC’s Facebook page and website, www.vtjazz.org. The VJC is grateful for the ongoing support from the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.