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Steve Forse, Alex Han, Earl Travis
Jr, and Charlie Foldesh on stage at the Lapataia
International Jazz Festival in Punta del
Este.
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Steve Forse, Nick Stubblefield, and
Alex Han.
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Rakim Yarbrough and Corey
Fonville.
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Francisco Yovino, Linda
Gonzalez.
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Francisco Yovino, Tourism minister
Hector Lescano, Linda Gonzalez, Rodolfo
Schuster.
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A group of teen musicians sponsored by the U.S.
Embassy Montevideo were a huge hit during the "Jazz by Teens
for Teens" segment of the Lapataia 11th International Jazz
Festival held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, January 4-8, 2006.
The group consisted of 9 young jazz players from Virginia,
North Carolina, Texas and Arizona.
In the best traditions of jazz, more than half
of the musicians had never met until the day before their
concert but they immediately coalesced as two bands. One was
The Phoebe Stubblefield Quartet, with Phoebe Stubblefield in
vocals, Corey Fonville in drums, Mark Steinert on piano, and
Rakim Yarbrough on base. The other band was The Alex Han
Quintet, with Alex Han on saxophone, Charlie Foldesh on drums,
Earl Travis Jr on trumpet, and Nick Stubblefield on piano.
Fans and veteran musicians agreed that the
group belonged at an international festival based solely on
their talent and musical skill rather than just the novelty of
their age, and they immediately clicked with the Uruguayan and
other world class musicians with whom they shared the stage.
The five day festival attracted jazz
enthusiasts from many different countries, including many from
neighboring Argentina and Brazil. The near sellout crowds
included Uruguayan Finance minister, Danilo Astori, and
minister of Tourism, Hector Lescano.
The U.S. Embassy's Public Affairs officer
Linda Gonzalez hosted a lunch with the musicians that was
attended by the director of Uruguay's largest selling
newspaper, the Ambassador of Poland, former Speaker of the
House and Colorado party member Congressman Abdala, as well as
many local musicians, representatives of government, and
industry. The lunch brought together the festival organizers
with sectors of government involved in culture and tourism and
with the local chambers of commerce.
The embassy donated over 100 tickets for
students at local schools and the binational centers to attend
the festival.
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Corey Fonville, Alex Han, John
Topping, Rakim Yarbrough, Linda Gonzalez, Mark
Steinert, Earl Travis Jr, and Charlie
Foldesh.
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 VIDEO (Steve Forse
and Alex
Han) | | |
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Story: Tom Hamm Photos and video: John
Topping
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