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vana
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- Tell us a little about you....
- 2 years ago, award winning pianist and composer Werner “Vana” Gierig was presented by legendary bassist Eddie Gomez as an outstanding next generation pianist in a special 3-day presentation at the Iridium Jazz Club in Manhattan. He consequently sold out 2 shows at the New York Blue Note, opened up for Dionne Warwick, and toured worldwide with his critically acclaimed quartet called Vana Trio plus Brazilian Percussion. His other projects include Mo'Vana (with former Earth Wind & Fire member Mo' Pleasure on bass), the Vana/Gino Sitson Project with the singer from Cameroon, and his Vana Trio plus Strings.
Vana was a featured pianist and composer on the 2006 NPR Jazz Christmas CD, Marianne McPartland & Friends, for which he co-wrote The Moon on Christmas Eve with Kathryn Williams.
In 2004, he won the SESAC Performance Activity Award for his composition Healing In Foreign Lands on a #1 Album, which Downbeat Magazine called "divine" and "a luminous testimony to Vana's sizable talent."
HBO’s Sex and the City solicited Vana in 2003 to compose and record a special piece for the season finale with Sarah Jessica Parker & Mikhail Baryshnikov.
In 2007, his composition and recording of An Awakening Thought, was chosen for Showtime’s TV series The L Word.
Vana was executive producer, artistic musical director, composer and pianist on Regina Carter's #1 album Paganini: After a Dream (Verve/Universal). He was deeply involved in the vision and realization of the historic idea for Regina to become the first non-classical musician allowed to perform on Paganini's priceless violin, and it was to become the only instrumental #1 album on the Billboard charts in years. The recording, as well as the historic concerts at Lincoln Center in New York and in Genoa were extensively covered by CBS' 60 Minutes II (Charlie Rose), NPR's All Things Considered, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Oprah Winfry's O Magazine, Downbeat, JazzTimes, and countless other media. Vana had been an integral part of the Regina Carter Quintet fro 9 years, and is featured on most of her recordings.
Vana has also been commissioned twice by the prestigious Wharton Center for the Performing Arts at Michigan State University. He premiered both pieces at The Wharton Center, “Morning Cadence” in April '04 with the Regina Carter Quintet, and “Açaí” in October '02, with his Vana Trio Plus Brazilian Percussion. Vana has performed with the Boston Pops in a televised PBS special, toured with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and performed with numerous other orchestras throughout the US and Europe.
- Website:
- http://www.vanamusic.com
Vana's 2nd CD A New Day, will be re-released by Challenge Records in 2008 (Feb. for most of Europe, May in the US).
Vana Trio
Vana Trio plus Brazilian Percussion
...with the Boston Pops
....performing his award winning "Healing in Foreign Lands"
Vana Trio
Vana Trio plus Brazilian Percussion
...with the Boston Pops
....performing his award winning "Healing in Foreign Lands"
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Hey there Jaijai ~
It was a pleasure and an honor to be featured on The Jazz Network...the response was warm and generous and I look forward to many other connections over the course of time, again I just want to thank you....please keep up the great work you are doing with this most amazing of all art forms created in the U.S. Wherever I go people always connect with jazz thankfully and as I suspect will continue to in the many years ahead...Your site is a conduit for this connection to carry on ....
Peace and molto leggiero
~Jeff
"I think that what Jaijai Jackson has done with the Jazz Network shows how the eternal love for this music is passed down from generation to generation. The fire her father lit in her has burned brightly and has inspired her to pass this torch on to future generations. I'm very proud to be featured and I'm very happy that Jazz has a voice and spirit like Jaijai looking after it."
~ Ron Kearns
"What a wonderful place is Jazz Network for all of us musicians, we'll get the possibility to know new ones and meet always new musicians from all over the planet, thanks Jaijai for doing this incredible work and for the love you put in it and keep doing it forever..."
~ Giuseppe Continenza
“But let there be spaces in your togetherness and let the winds of the heavens dance between us. Love one another, and let the love be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.”
This is how I have felt and continue to feel since I joined The Jazz Network on March 4th 2008.
If we look back at our Village Elders one sees how they worked together to achieve and be innovative, and thanks to Jaijai and thejazznetwork.ning we are able to continue on the same path as our Village Elders.
~ Robert Wayne
"Thanks to Jaijai for creating this wonderful site. She has drawn on her own extensive history in music to make a truly comfortable place for "unusual" kindred spirits to meet, share and motivate. It's been uplifting, comforting and facinating to meet fellow musicians from cultures and countries around the world."
~ Diane Hoffman
What a great place you have created, Jaijai. Thank you so much for your dedication and vision. We musicians benefit immensely, as it brings us closer together, allows for many of us to reconnect, or discover each other for the first time. I am still getting acquainted with the enormous benefits of having this independent place for communication between all of us - artists, fans, promoters, etc., and it is a real honor for me to be featured on the Jazz Network Main Page.
~Vana
Hi Jaijai,
Stopping by to show you some love and tell you just how much I appreciate all you've been doing here, not just for me but for this incredible community of jazz musicians. I see that The Jazz Network is growing in leaps and bounds daily and want you to know that I recognize the importance of what's going on here, musicians having a place to connect with each other, young musicians having a place to meet and be mentored by musicians who have been around the block. You've created a beautiful space here and it's obvious that folks are feeling very much at home. Thanks for sharing your time, your heart, your soul. This is a huge commitment and you've taken it on with such determination. I wish you and The Jazz Network continued success and support you in all you're doing.
~ Marcus
Hey there Jaijai ~
It was a pleasure and an honor to be featured on The Jazz Network...the response was warm and generous and I look forward to many other connections over the course of time, again I just want to thank you....please keep up the great work you are doing with this most amazing of all art forms created in the U.S. Wherever I go people always connect with jazz thankfully and as I suspect will continue to in the many years ahead...Your site is a conduit for this connection to carry on ....
Peace and molto leggiero
~Jeff
"I think that what Jaijai Jackson has done with the Jazz Network shows how the eternal love for this music is passed down from generation to generation. The fire her father lit in her has burned brightly and has inspired her to pass this torch on to future generations. I'm very proud to be featured and I'm very happy that Jazz has a voice and spirit like Jaijai looking after it."
~ Ron Kearns
"What a wonderful place is Jazz Network for all of us musicians, we'll get the possibility to know new ones and meet always new musicians from all over the planet, thanks Jaijai for doing this incredible work and for the love you put in it and keep doing it forever..."
~ Giuseppe Continenza
“But let there be spaces in your togetherness and let the winds of the heavens dance between us. Love one another, and let the love be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.”
This is how I have felt and continue to feel since I joined The Jazz Network on March 4th 2008.
If we look back at our Village Elders one sees how they worked together to achieve and be innovative, and thanks to Jaijai and thejazznetwork.ning we are able to continue on the same path as our Village Elders.
~ Robert Wayne
"Thanks to Jaijai for creating this wonderful site. She has drawn on her own extensive history in music to make a truly comfortable place for "unusual" kindred spirits to meet, share and motivate. It's been uplifting, comforting and facinating to meet fellow musicians from cultures and countries around the world."
~ Diane Hoffman
What a great place you have created, Jaijai. Thank you so much for your dedication and vision. We musicians benefit immensely, as it brings us closer together, allows for many of us to reconnect, or discover each other for the first time. I am still getting acquainted with the enormous benefits of having this independent place for communication between all of us - artists, fans, promoters, etc., and it is a real honor for me to be featured on the Jazz Network Main Page.
~Vana
Hi Jaijai,
Stopping by to show you some love and tell you just how much I appreciate all you've been doing here, not just for me but for this incredible community of jazz musicians. I see that The Jazz Network is growing in leaps and bounds daily and want you to know that I recognize the importance of what's going on here, musicians having a place to connect with each other, young musicians having a place to meet and be mentored by musicians who have been around the block. You've created a beautiful space here and it's obvious that folks are feeling very much at home. Thanks for sharing your time, your heart, your soul. This is a huge commitment and you've taken it on with such determination. I wish you and The Jazz Network continued success and support you in all you're doing.
~ Marcus
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© 2008 Created by Jaijai Jackson aka "Woman of Jazz"
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Comment Wall (43 comments)
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Eileina
bruhahaha, so sorry, but i've remembered now;))))
see you, D
Nice to see you around here today :-)
I added your CD cover and spotlighted you so all will make sure to know (who missed your feature) about your new project. Hoping all is well and will look to hearing great things about your musical journey.
Your friend,
Jaijai
Your playing is very inspiring, and it is a pleasure to hear you, and to see such wonderful creativity.
Wishing you continued success,
Kathleen
Thnx to Jaijai's Front Page feature --- I just found You ...
WoW ~ What an amazing Sounds, thank You so much for sharing them with us here at TJN !
You surely are a Real Asset here !!
Would be a Great Honour to be Your Friend ...
Regards;
xdrd
...........
Also would be a real Pleasure to Invite You to Join, and share our Luv of J@zz ~ with the Great Sounds at The J@zz Network Listening Room here --->
http://thejazznetwork.ning.com/group/thejzznetworklisteningroom
Happy Listening;
xdrd
All my best,
Jaijai
Oh....and just where is your saxyphonist?
lol...MO'VANA!
:)
all over the jazz world. Peace, Diane
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