Students Play Cambridge Club

Artists on Jazz Revelation Records celebrate new disc with show at Regattabar.

March 20, 2008

Berklee's student-run label Jazz Revelation Records will celebrate the release of its culturally groundbreaking new album, Common Ground, Tuesday, April 15, at the Regattabar, One Bennett Street, in Cambridge, Mass. The concert will feature four of Jazz Revelation's most exciting student bands, including French guitarist Edouard Brenneisen (contemporary jazz); Korean acoustic/electric bassist Hyunwoo Han (hard-bop, fusion); French pianist Cedric Hanroit (acoustic, electric jazz); and Russian pianist Evgeny Lebedev (fusion, funk). Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $7.00 and are on sale now at 617 395-7757 or at regattabarjazz.com. The Regattabar is wheelchair-accessible.

"On this record, we present artists from entirely different backgrounds, cultures, and countries. A bass player from Korea plays blues-influenced jazz with a guitarist from Slovenia. A Japanese piano player swings a gospel piece with her American compatriots. A Frenchman gets low down on some swampy New Orleans funk. This is a universal voice," says Kevin McCluskey, faculty advisor to Jazz Revelation Records.

Common Ground-the label's fifth compellation CD in as many years-features student bandleaders from Slovenia, South Korea, France, Spain, Japan, Russia, Canada, and the United States, with influences ranging from flamenco and avant-garde to the deep South and everything in between. Producing the CD is an education in itself for the label's staff. Working with a strict budget, they are responsible for selecting the artists (the label received over 50 submissions), booking studio time, recording the tracks, promoting the album, and designing its artwork. The artists, in turn, receive a free professional-grade recording and invaluable production experience, preparing them for life after Berklee. Common Ground costs $10.00, and will be available at the Regattabar, April 15, as well as at Newbury Comics, iTunes, and jrrecords.com. All proceeds will be poured back into maintaining the label.

About the artists performing April 15:

Edouard Brenneisen, of Paris, France, considers himself equally a guitarist and a composer. With a strong background in classical and jazz, having studied both in Paris, he is now on scholarship at Berklee, where he has honed a unique sound that blends  European and American jazz aesthetics. Brenneisen has studied with Dave Liebman, Tim Miller, Lionel Loueke, and Jean-Michel Pilc.

Hyunwoo Han, of Seoul, South Korea, started playing bass in 1998 at the Seoul Jazz Academy. Two short years later, he was hired as a faculty member at the academy, while also working as an assistant professor at Yeojoo College. In 2006, he came to Berklee on scholarship, where he has studied with the likes of George Garzone, John Lockwood, Hal Crook, Terri Lyne Carrington, Greg Hopkins, and Phil Wilson. Han has released two albums with his Korean jazz fusion band, and is the published author of the instructional book Fingerboard Harmony for Bassists (Seoul Music Communication, 2005).

Cedric Hanroit, a pianist, composer, and arranger from Paris, France, would generally be considered a latecomer to the world of music. After earning his master's degree in electronics at 21, his life took an unexpected turn as he sat at the piano for the first time. Since this moment, he has devoted most of his waking hours to music, surrendering to his overwhelming love for jazz. Hanroit's awards and honors include the French-American Fulbright Grant; the Sacem great prize; the Spedidam great prize; band and soloist prizes at the St Germain Jazz Festival, in Paris; and the band prize at the Enghien Les Bains Jazz Festival.

Evgeny Lebedev, from Moscow, Russia, grew up listening to Russian folk music with his family, which inspired him to take up the accordion at 8. Driven by his strong interest in jazz, at 15 he switched his main focus to the piano. Levedev went on to attend Moscow College of Arts, and Gnessins' Russian Academy of Music, where he studied with internationally acclaimed jazz pianist Igor Brill. In 2004, he entered Berklee College of Music on scholarship, where he has performed with such top-tier musicians as Marcus Miller, David Sanchez, and Dave Fiuczynski. In 2007, he released his debut CD, Fall.

Jazz Revelation Records, Berklee's student-run jazz record label, was formed in the spring of 2003. Under previous management, Jazz Revelation Records successfully released the compilation CDs RebirthTwo, and Ars Nova. Under the direction of current president, Michael Borgida, the label released The New Old School in 2007 and Common Ground in 2008. For the new CD, the label gathered 10 passionate and committed artists from around the world-Slovenia, South Korea, France, Spain, Japan, Russia, Canada, and the United States-all speaking the traditional language of jazz in a new way. This summer, the label will present its fourth annual Kendall Square Concert Series and second collaboration with the Institute of Contemporary Art, Harborwalk Sounds: Berklee at the ICA. Both are weekly showcases of the label's artists. For more information on Jazz Revelation Records, visit jrrecords.com.

The Regattabar is Boston's premier jazz, blues, and world music listening room, housed inside the luxurious Charles Hotel in the heart of Harvard Square. Since 1985, the Regattabar has hosted the finest music from all over the world inside its intimate 220 capacity space, serving a tasty snacking menu and an array of fine wine, liquors, and beer. The venue has been honored byRolling Stone, the Boston Globe, the Boston Phoenix, and others for its commitment to live music and its excellence in service and ambience./p>