Musicians to Gather at Manhattan School of Music to Celebrate the Life of Lew Soloff, 6/8

A celebration of the life and music of Lew Soloff (Feb. 20, 1944-Mar 8, 2015) is scheduled for Monday, June 8, 2015 at the John C. Borden Auditorium, located at the Manhattan School of Music. This event is free to the public and begins at 7:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:15pm for early seating.

Lew Soloff, an essential player in the New York jazz scene since the early 1960s, created numerous musical associations during his career and many of those whose life he touched will come together to share their love and talent on this special evening. The musical program for this celebration is under the direction of Soloff's close friends Paul Shaffer and Noah Evans, son of the late Gil Evans, Soloff's "musical godfather." Some of the artists taking part include; Wynton Marsalis, Randy Brecker, Jon Faddis, Jimmy Owens, Cecil Bridgewater, Steve Tyrell, Chris Potter, Ray Anderson, Gil Goldstein, Danny Gottlieb, Mark Egan, Sammy Figueroa, Manhattan Brass, Jeff Berlin, Fred Lipsius, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Pete Levin and Jesse Levy. More information on the final line-up will be announced shortly. Visit lewsoloff.com for up-to-date details.

Shaffer will be the event's Master Of Ceremonies. In addition to musical guests and personal stories from those participating, the program will include a visual montage of Soloff's life and career. "We love our dad and are grateful for the overwhelming support from his friends and colleagues," notes daughter Lena Soloff. "Dad would have been thrilled to see this collaboration of artists come together in his honor," added daughter Laura Solomon.

For those who would like to honor Soloff's memory, tax-deductible contributions at all levels may be made to Manhattan School of Music with donations going toward the school's Jazz Arts Program. MSM hopes to create an endowed scholarship in Soloff's name, thus recognizing in perpetuity this extraordinary musician's indelible contributions, while also supporting young musicians. For further information, visit www.msmnyc.edu/Give-to-MSM/Tribute-Giving. For nearly 20 years, Soloff was part of the Jazz Arts faculty at Manhattan School of Music (MSM). MSM and the John C. Borden Auditorium are located at 120 Claremont Avenue (entrance on West 122nd Street, West of Broadway), New York, New York 10027.

Soloff was known as a virtuoso with tremendous range and superior technical command, with wisdom for quietness and melody. He was proficient on trumpet, flugelhorn, Harmon mute, plunger mute and was particularly recognized for his work on piccolo trumpet. Soloff was an in-demand player and had important musical associations with Gil Evans, Ornette Coleman, Carla Bley, Marianne Faithful, Maynard Ferguson and the groundbreaking group Blood, Sweat &Tears, to name a few. His studio work crossed all genres, including sessions with Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Elvis Costello, Lionel Hampton, Kip Hanrahan, Paul Simon, Dr. John, and Lou Reed. Soloff was also a respected bandleader, touring the world with his own quartet and releasing eight solo recordings.