Project World Drum:
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Photo Credit: Ami Motivelli
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Freedom Jazz Movement
A closer look at Freedom Jazz Movement: Bio Profiles
Marcus L.
Miller
Artist/Percussionist Marcus L. Miller is a
multi-talented artist based in Southern California. Miller is bandleader of his World/Jazz
ensemble Freedom Jazz Movement. Among
his various positions, Miller serves as Music Director for the Lula Washington
Dance Theatre, Artistic Director/Founder Young Drummers of Los Angeles,
President Universe Soul Records, and Co-Owner TaMar Productions. Marcus is also a member of SESAC, ASCAP, and
the Recording Academy. He is a composer for Heavy Harmony music publishing.
Miller’s musical accomplishments include the release
of 10 albums on his record label since 2002. He has composed music for modern
dance choreographers Lula Washington, Winifred Harris, Jordi Caballero, and
Tamica Washington-Miller. Marcus has also written music for several independent
film scores and soundtracks including Love and other 4 letter words (2006), and
My girlfriend’s back (2009). His music
was used in the Twentieth Century Fox DVD release Avatar, the Last Airbender
(2010).
As a drummer, Marcus has toured internationally and
performed with artists including Bennie Maupin, Steve Coleman, Ben Harper, The
Watts Prophets, Michelle Shocked, Ashanti, Sheila E., BoujouBumBastick, Da
Lion, Jazz Poetry Collective, & Ozomatli. He has recorded with numerous
groups and covers styles ranging from jazz, blues, rock, gospel, reggae,
folkloric traditional, and alternative.
In 1998,
Marcus began his drum workshop program. MarcusMillerDrums…From around the
world, has entertained, educated, and enlightened countless thousands of
audiences worldwide. The program is for
all ages and has enabled Miller to work with many great organizations such as
St. Elmo Village, William Grant Still art center, Jack & Jill, Boys Club of
America, and the YMCA. Marcus has worked closely with local L.A. museums
(Skirball, LACMA, CAAM, & Kids Space Museum) schools, and arts
organizations in an effort to bring the art of drumming to as many people as
possible.
Dancer/Choreographer
Tamica is the director of programs for both the Lula Washington Dance School and the Dance Company. Tamica graduated from UCLA with a major in Dance Theater. She is an acclaimed modern dancer who has studied at the Dance Theatre of Harlem, the Alvin Ailey Dance school, with Otis Sallid, and her mother Lula Washington. She is versed in all modern, tap, hip hop, ballet, African, Brazilian, and Afro-Cuban styles of Dance.
Tamica’s movement style is an organic blend of traditional, modern, and jazz dance, with hip-hop and vernacular flavors mixed with the traditional dance styles of the African Diaspora. Her most recent dance works include “Beautiful Venus and Serena,” “Message to My Peops,” and “Together, Spider and the Bee.” Tamica was nominated by the 2008 NAACP Local Theater Awards committee for best choreography on “Gilgamesh,” directed by Stephen Sachs and Jessica Kubzansky at the Boston Court Theatre. She also choreographed “Hippolytos,” the inaugural production at the Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman Theater at the Getty Villa in Malibu, also directed by Stephen Sachs.
Tamica’s other works include choreography for Tupac’s “Brenda’s Got A Baby,” commissioned by the USC School of Law for its Race, Rap, and Redemption lecture demonstration; staging and choreography for James Cameron’s film Avatar, in which she played the body double and stand-in for CCH Pounder’s High Priestess in the film; choreography for “Cuttin’ Da Mustard,” starring Keisha Knight Pullum, Moesha, The Parkers, and Steve Harvey; choreography for over 50 high school students in the 2009 Nike Black History Month Celebration; and choreography for the Kappa League’s annual ball.
Poet/Spoken Word
JENNIFER BOWENS
- Grambling,Louisiana
- Graduated: 1995
- Student status: Alumni
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
- Major: Theatre
Vocals
_
Treva Offutt
Treva is a singer-songwriter, actress, dancer, and visual artist who combines these forms through an improvisational performance base. She has taught visual and performance workshops in conjunction with performances all over the country and abroad. Over the years, Treva has had the honor of working with many dynamic dance/theater/music ensembles including: Roger Guenveur Smith’s Iceland, Fred Ho’s Big Red Media in the martial art opera, The Further Adventures of Monkey, Yoshiko Chuma’s School of Hard Knocks, and The Living Room Project, Patricia Parker Nelson’s PaNic with The William Parker Quartet, Belgium’s Remote Control Productions, Ireland’s Daghdha Dance Company, India’s Adishakti Theater Company, and New York based Urban Bush Women. She has also had the great fortune to work as a vocalist with: Jamaican sacred and folk music ensemble Ancient Vibrations (also vocal arranger), the African Pop group Afro-Blue, the South African ensembles-Shyingoma, Osha, and Lucky Ngema and Friends, Mexican vocal project Choro Tajin, Phillip Hamilton, the David Murray Big Band, Sabir Mateen and Jeff Shurdett, Hammiett Blueit, Craig Harris,Dan Zanes and Friends, and with her own 8 member ensemble, a duo with guitarist Barry Salmon, and her new trio Lulutoy. In addition, she has written three plays, is a member of SAG, and was a curator at The Kitchen for 7 years.
Treva has toured the world with dance theater companies from New York, India, Ireland, and Belgium.She has performed for everyone from Coretta Scott King to the Dalai Lama. Through multiple bands from South Africa
and Jamaica, she has opened for Ben Harper and Burning Spear. Treva has taught Singing at Def Dance Jam along with
Dance at City Center, NYC, Manhattanville College, The Kitchen, Sydney Kahn's Summer Institute and West Hollywood
Elementary. She has also taught Sculpture and Puppetry among her other extensive endeavors.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
THE MUSICIANS:
Miller works with an array of talented musicians.
Edwin Livingston(bass)
Bobby Pierce (piano)
David Leach (percussion) Monday, March 19, 2012
USR artists
Universe Soul Records artist roster 2012
Freedom Jazz Movement - Performing "Open" Live : The name says it all...Freedom attained through jazz expressed in movement. Drummer/composer Marcus L. Miller formed this group in 1998 as a vehicle for music he had written for choreographed dance pieces. Each song tells a story that is expressed through a dancer's movement. The goal is to create music that blends the drumming traditions of Africa with beats analogous to African-American jazz traditions. See our Myspace Page or Contact Me for more Booking and CD purchase info.
Jazz Poetry Collective - Flowers Stolen From the Yards of Old Folks :The spoken word combines with mainstream jazz in a natural partnership. This highly recommended album provokes deep thought while clearing the air through innovation. Track listing: Those Who Keep Spirits Alive; Dance Women of Shulam; Lively Up Yourself; Soon I will be Done, Trouble of This World; The Rhythm; Flowers Stolen from the Yards of Old Folks; Invitation. Myspace page. Contact me forBooking to find out how to purchase a copy.
Formless Trio - Youtube Video : The Group came together in 2003 to do a recording date at Foma studios. . .A few weeks later, the three assembled and laid down tracks; unrehearsed, no charts, no talk throughs, just plain old simple jamming. It went so well, two years later that got together for another session. What began as just casual fun soon became a reality as June 2008 brought the band it's first gig at LA's Wiliam Grant Still art center. The event was a Kaprow "Happenings" art exhibit. Each individual brings their unique experiences to the stage. Together they become a unit focused solely on creating with deep expression and high artistic value. They are having fun and look forward to writing the next chapter of their story.Myspace Page. Booking. Buy Now
BoujouBumbastic - Theme Song on Youtube Video : Senegalese Kora meets western Drums and Bass. For more info on how to purchase this now out-of-print but well worth having CD, Myspace page. Contact Me Today.
World Drum Project - Trailer on Youtube Video : The World Drum Project is lead by Artist/Percussionist Marcus L. Miller. The group consists of percussionists and drummers based in the Los Angeles area. The group ranges in size from a trio to a 20 piece drum orchestra. The group is available for workshops, clinics, residencies, and live performances. For more information, please contact Tamar Productions 310-493-2851. Booking.
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