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Book Launch: Upright Bass: The Musical Life & Legacy of Jamil Nasser – A Jazz Memoir


November 10, 2018 | 2:00pm – 5:00pm

Upright Bass: The Musical Life and Legacy of Jamil Nasser – A Jazz Memoir
New York book launch.Vertical Visions Media Presents The Untold Story: “A book that uncovers why Miles Davis was so fascinated by the untold stories of how these Memphis musicians were so ahead of the others…”
About the Book:
George Joyner, Jamil Sulieman, and Jamil Nasser are three names that appear on the records of Phineas Newborn, Lou Donaldson, Ahmad Jamal, Red Garland and many more. These three names identify one jazz bassist, composer, and jazz advocate, who made an indelible mark in the jazz world for over fifty years. Upright Bass chronicles his evolution from a young bassist on Beale Street to a top-flight bassist on the New York Jazz scene. Miles Davis harbored curiosity about the environment that produced Jamil and three Memphis musicians he hired in 1963. Nasser’s narrative captures the untold stories of two piano giants Phineas Newborn and Oscar Dennard. He also shares anecdotes about his mentors: Papa Jo Jones, Lester Young, Charles Mingus, Oscar Pettiford, and Ray Brown. Moreover, Jamil describes his decade-long tenure with Ahmad Jamal, which included a life-threatening imprisonment in South America. Finally, we learn about his plight as an outspoken jazz artist fighting for greater union representation, the perils of heroin addiction in the music industry, media access, healthcare, and self-ownership.
About the Author:
Muneer Nasser is a musician, author, songwriter and historian. Born on June 3, 1967, to the late, great bassist Jamil Nasser, Muneer Nasser’s exposure to the jazz idiom was early and powerful. He has had the unique opportunity to meet many of the jazz greats that his father knew. Muneer’s lifelong commitment to jazz history evolved out of these encounters. Consequently, he has read over one hundred books, magazines, and conducted informal interviews with jazz masters whose answers stimulated his quest to document jazz history. Watch out for Muneer’s new CD release A Soldier’s Story available December 2018.
Guests include: Jimmy Owens, Lou Donaldson, Harold Mabern, Dick Griffin, Rufus Reid, George Coleman, Richard Wyands & others
Hosts: Jimmy Owens and Muneer Nasser; Book Presentation: Muneer Nasser and invited guests; and Book Signing: Meet the author and get your book signed. Please pre-order your book at www.jamilsnasser.com to ensure delivery of your book at event. Limited copies will be available for sale on-site. Media contact Amir Nasser, verticalvisionsmedia@gmail.com. Musical Notes: Musical tribute by Jamil’s friends and associates
“I loved the way Jamil played bass, so I asked him to join my band. His great bass playing and personality contributed much to my music.” B.B. King
Cost: Free. Please, RSVP via verticalvisionsmedia@gmail.com. 

St. Peter’s Church
619 Lexington Avenue at 53rd Street
New York New York 10022
More Info: www.jamilsnasser.com
 

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