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Etienne Charles

There is no use in trying to pigeonhole 2006 National Trumpet Competition winner Etienne Charles. One listen to his debut album Culture Shock reveals the depth and breadth of his varied musical heritage. From the Calypso and Steelpan grooves of his native Trinidad, to sophisticated swing firmly rooted in the jazz tradition, Charles deftly incorporates a multitude of styles while maintaining continuity, freshness, and maturity in his sound that is often lacking in other young artists of his generation. Born July 24th 1983 in Port-of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, Etienne Charles comes from a rich legacy of folk musical tradition going back four generations. His grandfather was seldom seen without his cuatro. His father was a member of Phase II Pan Groove, one of the world’s top steel bands and one that Etienne himself would later join. Music surrounded Charles as a child, emanating from his father’s vast record collection, the sounds of calypso, steel pan, and African Shango drumming. These formative years inspired Charles’s playing and are evident in his sound today. Charles began winning awards at Fatima College in Trinidad. He was the first three-time winner of the coveted Provincial Cup and the youngest student to ever win the award. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Florida State University and was named Brautlecht Scholar of the College of Music. In 2008 he received his Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School where he was awarded the William Schuman Prize. Etienne is also an alumnus of the prestigious Henry Mancini Institute in Los Angeles where in 2006 he recorded on the album Elevation, which received two Grammy award nominations. He has shared the stage with Grammy Award winners Roberta Flack, Ralph MacDonald, Johnny Mandel, Maria Schneider and the Count Basie Orchestra, legendary pianists Monty Alexander and Marcus Roberts among many other artists.

Culture Shock, his debut album fuses Afro-Caribbean rhythms and straight- ahead jazz. Pianist extraordinaire Marcus Roberts is featured, with Ralph MacDonald, trombonist Vincent Gardner, Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, vocalist Pam Laws, saxophonist Dayve Stewart, and the hard swinging and solid rhythm section of Rodney Jordan and Leon Anderson on bass and drums respectively. This all-star cast brings together Charles’s diverse influences and creates a unified, fresh, and urgent musical presentation on par with the best jazz being made today. Etienne Charles is a creative soul with a unique vision and the will to bring it to the world.

Awards

2006 National Trumpet Competition Provincial Cup, Fatima College, Trinidad Brautlecht Scholar of the College of Music, Florida State University William Schuman Prize, The Juilliard School


Tags

8
Album Review

Diego Rivera: Indigenous

Read "Indigenous" reviewed by Kyle Simpler


The old saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words" might be a cliché, but it also contains an element of truth. Some of the most powerful messages come across without relying on words. And when it comes to music, lyrics are not always needed to convey a message. Such is the case with Diego Rivera's Indigenous. Named after the famous Mexican artist, Diego Rivera has established himself as a major figure in jazz music. Since 2000, he ...

Album Review

Alicia Olatuja: Intuition: Songs From The Minds Of Women

Read "Intuition: Songs From The Minds Of Women" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


È un tributo alla creatività delle donne in generale e delle cantautrici in particolare, questo di Alicia Olatuja, che interpreta composizioni di Tracy Chapman, Joni Mitchell, Violeta Parra, Sade Adu, Kate Bush e altre. Alicia ne aggiunge di proprie e partecipa come arrangiatrice in un progetto fortemente sentito e condiviso col produttore Kamau Kenyatta, noto per il suo ruolo nel successo di Gregory Porter, e con Ulysses Owens Jr. Alicia Olatuja è una versatile mezzosoprano, maturata ...

44
Radio & Podcasts

Etienne Charles, Newk & More

Read "Etienne Charles, Newk & More" reviewed by Marc Cohn


Etienne Charles plays Baton Rouge and, to mark the occasion, we track several selections from his forthcoming release, Carnival: The Sound of a People, Vol. 1. We also continue with our Sonny Rollins chronological celebration with tracks from his collaboration with the Modern Jazz Quartet. Pois não! There's more--classics & 21st century music. Enjoy the show! Playlist Andy Adamson “First Light" from First Light (Andros Music) 00:00 Etienne Charles “Dame Lorraine" from Carnival: The Sound of a People, ...

Album Review

Etienne Charles: San José Suite

Read "San José Suite" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Il trombettista di Trinidad conferma d'essere solista e autore raffinato, capace di trovare nuovi motivi d'ispirazione nell'incontro tra il jazz moderno e il folklore dei caraibi. La suite che presenta in questo ultimo disco è un tributo ad alcune popolazioni tradizionali di Trinidad (Nepuyo), Costa Rica (Boruca) e della California (Muwekma Ohlone) e alle loro musiche. L'indagine non ha il taglio etnografico o l'approfondimento evidenziato da autori recenti (pensiamo a Steve Coleman con le musiche di Cuba) ma ...

2
Album Review

Etienne Charles: San José Suite

Read "San José Suite" reviewed by Nigel Campbell


Whenever Trinidadian jazz trumpeter and composer Etienne Charles releases an album, it is an event. In this case, it is his latest opus, the ten-part San José Suite--soon to be performed live in Trinidad and Tobago for the first time on November 20. [The album was released in the US in June 2016 and debuted live at the San Jose Jazz Summer Fest in August 2016.] This suite dares to magnify the idea of the wider Americas as a crucible ...

4
Live Review

All Star Tribute to Ralph MacDonald at Holy Cross College

Read "All Star Tribute to Ralph MacDonald at Holy Cross College" reviewed by Nigel Campbell


Etienne Charles with his All Star Band Jazz on D Hill Holy Cross College Arima, Trinidad May 11, 2014 On a picturesque plateau above the town of Arima overlooking the distant Caroni plains on the island of Trinidad, the Holy Cross College Alumni produced a jazz event for the ages--Jazz on D Hill-- featuring an All Star Tribute to Ralph MacDonald on Mother's Day, May 11. The music of the late ...

5
Live Review

Etienne Charles at The Little Carib Theatre, Port of Spain, Trinidad

Read "Etienne Charles at The Little Carib Theatre, Port of Spain, Trinidad" reviewed by Nigel Campbell


Etienne Charles Little Carib Theatre Creole Soul Port of Spain, Trinidad November 30, 2013 Fresh from an exciting TEDx Port of Spain talk in the morning, the always dapper Etienne Charles and his band delivered a superb set of jazz at the gala opening of his Creole Soul tour stop in Trinidad on the evening of November 30 at the Little Carib Theatre in Port of Spain. A homecoming of sorts—this is the second ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazz this week: TAUK, Jeff Hamilton, Etienne Charles, Big Sam's Funky Nation, and more

Jazz this week: TAUK, Jeff Hamilton, Etienne Charles, Big Sam's Funky Nation, and more

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

This week's jazz and creative music calendar in St. Louis is all about the one-nighters, with an eclectic handful of headlining acts in town for single-serve appearances. Let's go to the highlights... Wednesday, March 8 NYC-based funk/fusion band TAUK plays at the Old Rock House, and pianist Carolbeth True and Two Times True with saxophonist Larry Johnson will perform at Evangeline's. Also on Thursday, Jazz St. Louis in cooperation with COCA presents a “Rent Party Concert" at Jazz at the ...

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Video / DVD

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: The Creole Soul of Etienne Charles

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase:  The Creole Soul of Etienne Charles

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

This week, let's get acquainted via video with trumpeter Etienne Charles, who will make his St. Louis debut as a bandleader with a performance next Saturday, March 11 at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Born in Trinidad, the 33-year-old Juilliard graduate has made a name for himself by blending jazz with Caribbean popular music styles including calypso, reggae, and rock-steady into what he calls “Creole Soul.” Charles discusses the concept a bit in the first video up above, an electronic press ...

Education

Music Education Monday: A jazz trumpet clinic with Etienne Charles

Music Education Monday: A jazz trumpet clinic with Etienne Charles

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

Today for Music Education Monday, let's look in via video on a jazz trumpet clinic presented by Etienne Charles. Born in 1983 on the island of Trinidad, Charles has a master's degree from Juilliard and a bachelor's from Florida State University, and currently serves as assistant professor of jazz studies at Michigan State University. As a sideman, he has performed and or recorded with Monty Alexander, Roberta Flack, Frank Foster, Ralph MacDonald, Johnny Mandel, Wynton Marsalis, Marcus Roberts, Maria Schneider, ...

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Recording

Etienne Charles’ "Creole Soul" To Be Released July 23 On Culture Shock Music

Etienne Charles’ "Creole Soul" To Be Released July 23 On Culture Shock Music

Source: Sacks and Co.

WORLD TOUR BEGINS APRIL 27 “Mr. Charles knows how to make an album more than just a calling card for a small band, and how to sequence it too; he’s an auteur.” —The New York Times Trinidad-born trumpeter Etienne Charles' fourth full-length release, Creole Soul, is due July 23 on Culture Shock Music. An exploration of Charles’ musical roots featuring sounds from the French, Spanish and English speaking Caribbean as well as North America, Creole Soul highlights myriad inspirations from ...

"...had strength and a clear, almost classical sense of thematic organization." —New York Times

"A daring improviser, Charles also delivers with heart- wrenching lyricism" —Jazz Times

"Etienne aims at the blues feelings, as well as ballads full of dynamism and sharp, precious inflections." —All About Jazz Italia

"He rather prefers working on vibrations, like a whispered, aired sound according to Ben Webster’s style." —All About Jazz Italia

"The music was not simply reworked….Charles seemed to dissect the music studying every note and then proceeded to weave elements of Dixieland, Francesca, modal, bebop and modern styles into his arrangements, all while maintaining the integrity of the original compositions." —Trinidad Express

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Indigenous

Posi-Tone Records
2021

buy

Intuition: Songs From...

Resilience Music
2018

buy

San José Suite

Culture Shock Music
2016

buy

Soon

Detroit Music Factory
2016

buy

Creole Soul

Culture Shock Music
2013

buy

Kaiso

Culture Shock Music
2011

buy

Videos

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