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JORGE SYLVESTER , Alto saxophonist, Conductor, Composer, Arranger, Producer.Born in Colon, Panama attended the Panama Conservatory of Music and the University of Panama. He received a Bachelor of Science in music from the State University of New York College at New Paltz in 1981. A unique innovator in the idiom of creative music, Sylvester's sound is reminiscent of another time in jazz history when artists like Dolphy and Ornette were exploding on the scene and experimenting with concepts that would ultimately revolutionize music at large. A throwback to the future, Mr. Sylvester has been on the cutting edge of that scene since 1980 when he first came to New York City.His blend of African-Caribbean Rhythms with New Music is what gives Sylvester his distinguished voice ( it's all in the Rhythm ! ) An impressive composer and arranger, his music moves, entices and stirs the imagination, as visual as it is physical, his ability to transform colors into sounds and sounds into textures place him in the company of the great expressionist painters.By age 14, Jorge was alredy fronting his own Caribbean dance band and writing his own arrangements and compositions. He studied privately with saxophonist , Euclides Hall, who took him along on gigs to observe from the bandstand in the " OLD SCHOOL STYLE " .When Jorge's professor at the conservatory, Efrain Castro, sent him to sub for him in a band led by the great Panamanian pianist Victor Boa, Jorge was taken on as a regular.Heading for Europe in his early twenties, Sylvester spent ten years touring and recording with his ensembles and as a freelancer. Upon his arrival to New York, he studied with Dave Holland, Oliver Lake, Steve Lacy,Ramsey Ameen, Marion Brown and many others at vibraphonist Karl Berger's Creative Music Studio in Woodstock. Since that time, Sylvester has performed with such notables as Karl Berger, Ed Blackwell, Ramsey Ameen,Marion Brown,Sunny Fortune,Stefon Harris, Tony Moreno, Marvin Sewell, Claudio Roditi,Monte Croft,Santi Debriano,Rodney Kendrick,David Murray,Sekou Sundiata,Oliver Lake, Kuumba Frank Lacy's Vibe Tribe, Joe Bowie's Defunkt Big Band and most recently with vocal artist, composer and poet, Nora McCarthy, with whom he co-leads several groups, namely: The ConceptualMotion Orchestra, A Small Dream in Red ( voice and saxophone duet ) and The ACE ( Afro-Caribbean Experimental ) Collective -- all of which also include spoken word and poetry contributed by McCarthy.The ConceptualMotion Orchestra, conducted and orchestrated by Sylvester, is a 20-piece all original music orchestra with compositions contributed by both he and McCarthy , opened the renowned avant garde VISION FESTIVAL X in New York City, June, 2005..Most recently, Jorge Sylvester was on tour with the World Saxophone Quartet in the Spring of 2006 playing concerts and festivals throughout Europe and Israel.A SMALL DREAM IN RED – (Sundown, 2003) released in 2005, with vocal artist, Nora McCarthy, captures the duo live at Cleveland State University’s Sundown Jazz Series - is a mixture of original music by both Sylvester and McCarthy as well as deconstructed and reformulated standards in the expressionist style that establishes them as unique and formidable voices in the avant-garde world as well as pioneers in the field of creative music. Look for the next CD to be released at the end of 2006, of original compositions interpreting the work of master painter Wassily Kandinsky.Co-leader of the quartet Asymmetry with pianist, Lucian Ban, Sylvester recorded a CD for Jazzaway Records which was released in December, 2005 entitle PLAYGROUND ---which is also the name of the title track, a composition written by Mr. Sylvester.
IN THE EAR OF THE BEHOLDER ( Billboard’s Spotlight , Feb. 2001 ) -- Sylvester's most recent release on Jazz Magnet Records features Donald Nicks on electric bass and Bobby Sanabria on drums and is his second release as a leader since the critically acclaimed MUSICOLLAGE (Postcards, 1996, re-released on Arkadia Records) features Claudio Roditi-trumpet, Marvin Sewell-guitar, Monte Croft-vibraphone, Gene Jackson-drums, Santi Debriano-acoustic bass, and Bobby Sanabria-percussion . It received a **** rating from Downbeat Magazine and won a Billboard Critics's choice in 1996).In 1999 Jorge Sylvester appeared on BET JAZZ "Live From the Knitting Factory†with his group, The ACE Trio. Additional discography includes: MAGIC NIGHT ( Jazz Stop Records, Madrid Spain, 1984 ) with the Chastang/Sylvester Sextet; VIRIATO BLUE (Jazz Stop Records, Madrid Spain, 1983 );THE MASS ( Palmetto Records, 2000 ) with the Collective Identity Saxophone Quartet featuring Sam Newsome, Aaron Stewart and Alex Harding ; ANOTHER SIDE ( CIMP RECORDS,2000 ) with tenor saxophonist Ken Simon Quartet featuring Barry Altschul; THE BLUE ONENESS OF DREAMS (Mouth Almighty Records, 1997 ) with Poet Sekou Sundiata ; THE ESSENCE ALLSTARS featuring Doug Carn, Idris Muhammed and Josh Roseman (Hip Hop Records, 1997)UPCOMING : a new release in 2006 with trumpeter, composer Waldron Ricks, Danny Grissett, Jaleel Shaw , Nashiet Waits and Vicente Archer.On january 19th & 20th Mr Sylvester perform with the Panamenian All Star Jazz Band at the Fourth Annual Panama Jazz Festival 2007. The All Star Band Feature Jorge Sylvester, Carlos Garnett, Danilo Perez ,Billy Cobham, Santi Debriano and Renato Thoms .
