COLA Fellowship Artist Project "Orbit"

“Orbit” is commissioned by the Department Of Cultural Affairs, composed by the Living Legend Jazz Violinist Michael White as the prestigious COLA Individual Artist Fellow. It will be premiered and performed LIVE at Grand Performances, the SoCal largest free public concert presenter, with his band “Michael White Quintet”, consists of such Jazz master musicians who performed with numerous Jazz Giants throughout their careers - Michael Howell guitar, Heshima Mark Williams bass, Kenneth Nash percussion and the world best kept secret Jazz vocalist & Qigong/Taiji artist Leisei Chen.

Also we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Michael's bona-fide classic Impulse records "The Land Of Spirit And Light"

Sharing the stage with a beautiful fellow COLA fellowship recipient, indian choreographer, dancer, writer and designer Malathi Iyengar and her dance company. 

"This performance is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs." - All Ages : Free

Spirit Dance CD Reissue

This morning we saw groups of cute little Armenian boys with grand fathers and mothers in the mall where we take a walk everyday. Reminding us of "Praise Innocence", the song in Michael's first Impulse album "Spirit Dance" 72', this song is considered the first JAZZ album with children singing! THEN we got home, got a message from Ian Scott Horst left on our facebook wall saying "Do you know about this cd reissue?

Hey we did not know Oh well kind of know . . . :))) What we know is we are in SYNC with the UNIVERSE! LOVE IT ♡ 

Salute to Michael's Legendary Album "Spirit Dance" is finally reissued just yesterday September 14th 2011 in JAPAN, as a part of  the Impulse Record 50th Anniversary Reissue Total 20 Titles which all were highly requested for CD reissues, and in the high quality CD series called SHM-CD. it will be on sale in September 20th 2011 in USA, now in pre-order worldwide. 

NOW we can answer all our fan's inquiry and request, yes Spirit Dance is in CD!!! LOVE from Leisei & Michael

Buy Spirit Dance in USA at DustyGroove : Amazon

One of the killer albums that Michael White cut for Impulse Records in the early 70 – a sweet set of spiritual jazz that took his instrument to a whole new level! Normally, the violin isn't an instrument we love in jazz, but White really transforms it here – playing it with a stretched-out, spiritual sound that's almost like a saxophone – really hitting a fresh sound that's mighty nice. Other instrumentation includes a nicely organic blend of piano from Ed Kelly, bass from Ray Drummond, and percussion and flutes from Baba Omson – often building in the way you'd get with a Pharoah Sanders album, but with a gentler, more personal sound. There's a bit of vocals at points from Makeda & Wanika King – and tracks include "The Tenth Pyramid", "Spirit Dance", "John Coltrane Was Here", and "Unlocking The Twelfth House" - dustygroove.com

Buy Spirit Dance in JAPAN at cdJAPAN : Amazon

In Sync With The Universe

Yesterday Michael & Leisei were chilling out at "Barnes and Noble" in the Americana for coffee where they have a beautiful third-floor balcony. We were looking out at the fountains, the lawns surrounded by trees, children laughing and playing, old JAZZ playing through many many speakers, birds flying over hopping and pecking crumbs. "Peace in Chaos" : ) so to speak with the sun shining blissfully.

On the way out, we were coming down an escalator, got to go through bookshelves to get to another. Then all of a sudden, we smelled good fragrances and STOPPED, PAUSED, LOOKED around . . . Ahhhh it's the music section Ahhhh the Jazz section.

ZOOM! TWO JAZZ books on the shelve came to Leisei's eyes, we found out that Michael was featured in those books : )

John Coltrane: His Life And Music By Lewis Porter

It was on Page 367 " - 1962 - May 1-20. San Francisco. Jazz Work. DB, July 5 says Dolphy, Wes Montgomery, and violinist Michael White sat in during the last day, when there was a matinee and possibly a final evening show as well."

Michael never mentioned it till 6 years ago, his brother Teddy reminded him to make sure we should add it (playing with John Coltrane) onto our press kit. Yes, Michael has been and still is the man looking ahead hardly ever looking back, busy improving his music, playing and dreaming. But in recent years we have looked into all of his musical histories. Also with modern technologies, we have found quite a bit of written proof. And nowadays he is more willing to share his stories with the public!

Freedom, Rhythm, & Sound - Revolutionary Jazz Cover Art 1965 to 1983 By Gilles Peterson & Stuart Baker.

A beautiful hardcover weighs tons : ) with an incredible collection of revolutionary jazz album cover art from 60s & 70s! It featured the cover art Michael's Impulse Album "Pneuma", and "The Blessing Song" was also featured on their accompanied two set compilation CDs "Freedom Rhythm & Sound Revolutionary Jazz In The USA 1965-80" from Soul Jazz Records 2009. We were happy to see that many of our friends and Jazz masters were also featured Cecil McBee, Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders, Phil Ranelin, Prince Lasha among others.

When we are in the ZONE, our senses will over-ride any pre-conceived notions & knowledge, and we flow with least resistance. Then we know we are in TUNE, in SYNC with the UNIVERSE * . * * . * Receiving through and sending out. We love those moments!

With LOVE, Leisei & Michael

Michael's First Appearance With Impulse Recordings

"Astral Traveling" A Memorable Recording. The producer Ed Mitchel called Michael one day asking him to join the recording and being BIRD SOUNDS. This Recording led to sign by Impulse with His leading FIVE Recordings "Spirit Dance"71' "Pneuma" 72' "The Land Of Spirit And Light" 73' "Father Music Mother Dance" 74' "Go With The Flow" 74'. The Impulse Tours with Bands of Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp, John Klemmer and Michael White Quartet for major International Jazz Festivals appearances, Jazz Camps, Colleges * . * See Below "Program Set For 73' Montreux Festival" What a lineup!!!



A Very Supportive Environment with Impulse Recordings. Artists were free to express their music through his/her musical visions fully without restrictions or demands. Michael also was in order to keep all his mechanical rights of his compositions as well as his band member's compositions for all five recordings.

What a blessing!

Pharoah and Michael were known each other way back and played together around 1948 in Oakland. Pharoah came from the Little Rock Arkansas so his nick name was "Little Rock". They formed a group called "Oakland Raiders" with Young Jazz Greats in Oakland such as Ed Kelly, Smiley Winters, Skippy Warren etc. They went to Jazz Clubs in San Francisco often to have Jazz Jam Battles with "San Francisco Raiders" :))))))))))

william, pharoah, michael @catalina's 11.08.08 photo by leisei chen