Warren Byrd, an African-American pianist, and Jewish-American bassist David Chevan combine their talents to fuse two centuries-old traditions that have served as time-honored sources of comfort and strength. The two musicians have selected pieces from their traditions that speak to the soul and emphasize and reveal the strong similarities that are at the heart of the passions, suffering and joys of these two worlds.
"Avadim-Hayinu" was originally presented at Congregation Mishkan Israel's annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial service in Hamden, Conn. Since then they have performed at colleges, synagogues, churches and other venues throughout the Northeast United States. They have also released a CD of the performance, recorded live at Southern Connecticut State University in April, 1998.
Chevan is an assistant professor of music at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven. He has published numerous articles on the history of early jazz. He leads his own ensemble, BASSOLOGY, which recently recorded its first album, "The Feeling that I Get."
Byrd is an accompanist of the School of Hartford Ballet, the Hartford Camerata and the Greater Hartford Academy for the Performing Arts. He has extensive experience accompanying and directing gospel choirs in the Hartford areas. He is also a member of BASSOLOGY.
Byrd and Chevan will also perform in Central New York at noon on Monday, Jan. 17 at the Radisson Hotel, Utica, hosted by Frontier International, and will visit Proctor High School on Tuesday, January 18.
