Mike Longo Performs Bebop and Beyond for Gold Coast Jazz Society Season Finale May 13, 2015

THE FINALE for a

Season of Classic Jazz &

The Great American Songbook

GOLD COAST JAZZ 2014-2015 
JAZZ CONCERT SERIES 

Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 7:45pm

Bebop and Beyond 
Features Dizzy Gillespie Protégé, 
Mike Longo 

Jazz pianist, composer and arranger, Mike Longo, was a protégé and music director for the legendary Dizzy Gillespie.  He lived in Ft. Lauderdale as a child and was mentored by Cannonball Adderley.  Longo returns to Ft. Lauderdale on Wednesday, May 13 as the featured guest artist for the Gold Coast Jazz Society’s final jazz concert of the season, “Bebop and Beyond”.  He’ll be joined by Jamie Ousley on bass, Martin Hand on guitar, Teddy Mulet on trumpet and John Yarling on drums.  The concert occurs at the Amaturo Theater of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW 5^th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale at 7:45pm.  Tickets are $45 per person and student/teacher tickets are $10 (with valid ID).   To purchase tickets call the Broward Center AutoNation Box Office at 954-462-0222 or online at either www.browardcenter.org. or www.goldcoastjazz.org. 

Mike Longo began his professional career at the age of fifteen working with his father’s club band in the Miami and Ft. Lauderdale area.   It was fortuitous that Cannonball Adderley, who was the band director at Dillard High School at the time, heard Longo at a jam session and became interested in helping the young pianist. Adderley coached Longo and helped established Longo’s fledging career on the east coast of Florida on what was known at the time as “the chittlin’ circuit. 

Longo continued his jazz studies in Toronto as a student of Oscar Peterson.  He eventually relocated to NYC, was hired by Nancy Wilson and worked with other notable singers including Gloria Lynn, Jimmy Rushing, and Joe Williams.  While working in New York City, Longo was introduced to and formed a collaboration with jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie.  During his first year with Gillespie, Mike began writing material for Gillespie’s band and eventually became Dizzy’s musical director. The two developed a close friendship and musical collaboration which lasted until Gillespie’s death in 1993.

Mike has recorded several albums and CD’s on various labels with some 45 recordings with various artists like Gillespie, James Moody and many others. He, at present, has 19 solo albums to his credit. For five years Longo hosted a local cable TV show in Manhattan called Jazz Perspectives. 

He now appears with his trio at festival and club venues around the world.  In 1998, he formed the New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble, an 18 piece big band, made up of the top musicians in New York. 

Broward Center for the Performing Arts - Amaturo Theater

201 SW 5th Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale FL 33312

Single tickets $40 per person. 

Student tickets $10 with ID.

Broward Center Box Office (954)462-0222

or online at browardcenter.org

Tickets are available at the Broward Center’s AutoNation Box Office at 954-462-0222.  For information about the Gold Coast Jazz Society, call 954-524-0805 or online www.goldcoastjazz.org

Funding for the Gold Coast Jazz Society is provided in part by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and Funding Arts Broward, supporting innovative local visual and performing arts in Broward County.  Season sponsors include American National Bank, Helen Ingham Foundation; the Mary Porter Fund of the Community Foundation of Broward and MorganStanley.   Inkind sponsors include the Broward Center; PaperMill Media Group, and WLRN FM.

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