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2012-2013 Schedule of Performances
Sundays 4PM Adults $15.00 Minors $10.00
One of the best kept secrets in Miami is not a secret within the music community of this area. The sanctuary of our congregation is one of the finest music venues in the county. Some of the best jazz and classical musicians have played our acoustically fine hall over the years, including jazz great Ira Sullivan and the classical guitarist Juan Mercadal. This year’s series will provide another mixed bag of great listening.
September 16: Oriente (Afro/Cuban Latin Jazz Fusion)
Formed in 1993 by Cuban-born guitarist Egidio Balzola, Oriente's unique sound was quickly conceived through the fusion of Eddie Balzola's deep Afro-Cuban roots with Blues, Jazz and Brazilian influences. In 1994 the band's style attracted New Orleans musicians and world class audiences at famed Snug Harbor Jazz Club and around town including Loyola & Tulane Universities. It was here, in Miami, they felt at home and took advantage of that fertile ground to develop Oriente's signature sound. They are frequently heard at the Van Dyke Cafe, Miami Beach. Bandmembers have played and recorded with among others Mongo Santamaria, Babatunde Olatunji, Cachao, Jaco Pastorius, Patato Valdes, Celia Cruz, Habana Sax Quartet, Jimmy Riley, Willie Stewart (Third World), Yma Sumac, David Byrne, George Porter Jr...
October 21: Paul Green and Klezmer East with Venezuelan vocalist Maria Rivas,
Jewish Jazz Fusion
Klezmer East joins forces with Latin Jazz and World Music star Maria Rivas in a unique concert fusing Latin music and jazz with traditional Klezmer music. In this exciting new collaboration, Maria and Klezmer East present beautiful and haunting Sephardic songs, plus special arrangements combining traditional Jewish melodies with a jazz and Latin flavor. In addition, Maria will sing some of her favorite Latin tunes, and the band will perform some old-fashioned Klezmer music. Join us for this exciting collaboration!
January 13: Vince Maggio, pianist and Randall Dollahon, guitarist
 
Randall: http://www.miami.edu/frost/index.php/frost/frost_profiles/jazz-dollahon_randall_k_bio/
Vince Lawrence Maggio received B.M. and M.M. degrees from the University of Miami. He studied at the American Conservatory in Chicago and was a private student of Oscar Peterson in Toronto. Vince toured nationally with his own "Vince Lawrence Trio" and has performed with Cannonball Adderly, Stan Getz, Sonny Stitt, Chet Baker, Kenny Dorham, and the late Mel Torme, and is a former faculty/artist member at the Aspen Music Festival as well as the University of Miami Music School were he was Professor of Piano Jazz.
Randall Dollahon, Associate Professor, ret. (Jazz Guitar), received a B.A. degree from the University of Houston and a B.M. degree from the University of Miami. In addition to directing the University of Miami's Jazz Guitar Program since 1977, he has played concerts, toured, and/or recorded with Burt Bacharach, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Placido Domingo, Bob James, Dave Liebman, Steve Morse, Jaco Pastorius, Ira Sullivan, Toots Thielemans, Stanley Turrentine, Edgar Winter, and many other jazz, country, rock, and Latin artists and groups.
February 10: Wendy Pedersen, jazz vocalist; Jim Gasior, piano
Wendy Pedersen is one of South Florida’s favorite performers. Her high-energy vocal delivery, with deep, convincing emotion has been impacting audiences for many years. A graduate of the University of Miami’s Studio Music and Jazz Vocal program, Wendy began her singing career in high school, but her earliest memory is poring through her mom’s record collection, practically wearing out the vinyl on Elton John and Beatle’s records. Eventually, her heart found it’s way to jazz and it has felt like home ever since. Wendy has won many awards including the Southern Bell/Pace “Jazz Artist of the Year” and a Miami New Times “best vocalist.” Leonard Pitts of The Miami Herald said, “when she sings, her voice an elegant melismatic instrument, evokes the standard emotions, yes, but deeper longings and muted desires.” Doug Adrianson, also of The Miami Herald said, “..she can steam up your contact lenses from 100 feet away.” The Miami New Times said, “Wendy can shake the rafters or break your heart...”
Dean Jim Gasior is a consummate musician and educator, with a BM in Studio Music and Jazz Performance and an MM in Jazz Pedagogy from the University of Miami. He leads the New World School of the Arts Jazz ensembles and students to national success where he is interim Dean of Music. He is a successful jazz and commercial pianist, composer and arranger. He has recorded and/or performed with Ed Calle, Arturo Sandoval, Duffy Jackson, Kevin Mahogany, Alan Harris, Jay Leonhardt, Kelly Clarkson, Smokey Robinson, Patti Austin, Little Richard, Jane Oliver, Chayanne and Raul DiBlasio. He is currently serving as Musical Director for New York readings of the new musical Cuba Libre by Desmond Child and Davitt Sigerson.
March 17: Ira Sullivan, multi-instrumentalist
The great multi-instrumentalist and true father of jazz at the UU, dating back to the '70s - will hold forth with a few surprise guests. Ira is the recipient of five Grammy nominations.
April 28: The Debbie Orta Quintet
Singer Debbie Orta performs a terrific jazz repertoire from the Great American Songbook in swing, Brazilian, and Latin jazz arrangements, as well as some jazz/funk, effortlessly flexing her range and feel in these varied rhythms. With her onstage energy and versatility, she explores jazz styles, offering something fresh and new. Educated at the University of Miami and Florida International University, Debbie has performed at premier Jazz Festivals and clubs, including The Deering Estate Summer Cabaret, The Van Dyke Café in South Beach, Blue Jean Blues, The SunTrust Sunday Jazz Brunch, Hollywood ArtsPark, Arturo Sandoval’s, The Seminole Hard Rock Casino, and the Setai Hotel on South Beach, among others. With her smoking band, she is a Founder of the Miami Jazz Coop and a featured performer of the prestigious Sunshine Jazz Organization of Miami. Debbie was the only South Florida jazz artist invited to perform at South Florida’s premier music festival, SunFest 2009, opening the Sunday Jazz Brunch for jazz fusion group, “Spyro Gyra”. In addition to the virtuoso Orta-Araya-Maina combination, she often sings with other local jazz masters, including Turk Mauro and Othello Molineaux. In June, 2011, Debbie collaborated with, and performed alongside, Wendy Pedersen and a stellar live band in the highly successful KCC Production, “Jazz Gals: Celebrating the Music of Peggy Lee and Billie Holiday” at Sunrise Civic Center, Sunrise, Florida. Debbie’s cultural experiences add to her style and choice of material, providing an eclectic mix. CDs will be available for purchase after the concert. Visit Debbie’s website, http://www.debbieorta.com/ and find her on Facebook.
Mike Orta is Director of Jazz Performance at Florida International University teaching jazz piano, jazz improvisation, and directing both jazz and latin jazz ensembles. Michael has released his debut album, FREEDOM TOWER on the Fantasy/Contemporary label. This CD features Paquito D'Rivera, Nicky Orta, Gary Campbell and others. His book, "Jazz Piano Etudes," will be out in August, 2003, on Warner Brothers Publications.Visit Mike's website at: http://www2.fiu.edu/~ortam/
Nicky Orta's current musical project is the Araya Orta Latin Jazz Quartet, a group consisting of two pairs of brothers: Michael & Nicky Orta along with Carlomagno & Ramses Araya. This group has performed at the FIA in Costa Rica in March 2010, the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival in Tulum, Mexico, and most recently at the Teatro Nacional in Costa Rica where the quartet performed two concerts with special guests Paquito D'Rivera and Diego Urcola. Nicky is on the adjunct faculty at University of Miami Frost School of Music teaching Electric Bass and directing several ensembles.Visit Nicky's website at: http://www.nickyorta.com/
Carlomagno Araya has performed in such venues as Carnegie Hall, The Apollo Theater, and the Montreux Jazz Fest, among many others. He toured extensively with dynamic Latin singer/actor/composer/activist Ruben Blades, with whom he performed on two multiple-Grammy nominated albums. His diverse touring experience includes such luminaries as Eddie Gomez, Paquito d'Rivera, Victor Mendoza, Richard Bona and Bob Mintzer to name just a few. Visit Carlo's website at: http://www.carlomagnoaraya.com/
Ed Maina is very active as a woodwind soloist and clinician as well as an educator. Just a sampling of his performing and recording credits include Linda Eder, Natalie Cole, Frank Sinatra, The Nelson Riddle Orchestra, Jaco Pastorius, Louie Bellison, Oscar Peterson, Mel Torme and The Maynard Ferguson Orchestra. Visit Ed's website at: http://www.songsofdavid.com/ChristianJazzArtistsMaina.html
A Little History of Lotz...
Our committee bears the name of John and Goldie Lotz, members of our choir in the ‘60s and ‘70s who were superb classical vocalists. They were dedicated to this congregation and to bringing us fine music. They sang German Leder, Hebrew, French,Spanish, Latin and Opera. John sang the Kol Nidre for us yearly, and both were guest artists at other houses of worship. When they died they left the profits from the sale of their home to be set aside as a way to enable us to hire professional musicians to enhance special Sunday services.
The original committee was formed by invitation of the minister. Over the years the committee has evolved as ministers retired,resigned, or died, and currently exists solely for the presentation of concerts. The Lotz Concert Committee has a well-known jazz history in the Miami-Dade community, which was nurtured by legendary Ira Sullivan during the early '70s. Our concerts have added to the Lotz Music Fund, enriching our congregation's musical life. We have also hosted fund-raising concerts for such jazz greats as drummer Steve Bagby, guitarist Simon Salz and singer Mel Dancy.
Additionally, we have been able to tap into the virtuosity available at the University of Miami, Miami-Dade College, and Florida International University, as well as the jazz giants who have retired to our area.
The current concert committee is composed of Carol Reiter, chair, Sally Vann Pyle, Beth Wiggert, Rosemary Timmony, Marvin/Rey Baumel, Andrea Mustelier, Marilyn Rutgers, Mary Gonzalez and Jeff Reiter.
The Lotz Concert Committee
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