FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2004
CONTACT: Faith Jackson
Office of University Relations
908-737-NEWS (6397)
Creature from the Black Lagoon to Visit Kean University
UNION, N.J. – Put on some retro 3-D spectacles and
sit back for a unique experience with Creature from the Black Lagoon
with The Jazz Passengers, which will be presented on Wednesday, October
20, at 7:30 p.m. in Kean University's Wilkins Theatre, located at 1000
Morris Avenue in Union, N.J.
The Jazz Passengers take on this 1954 creature-feature classic - radio-play
style. That's right: they're killing the sound and providing live music,
sound effects and dialogue, as the film rolls on the big screen above.
Centering on an expedition in a remote part of the Amazon River, Creature
from the Black Lagoon takes viewers on a journey with a team of scientists
that run afoul of a prehistoric monster. They capture the beast, but it
escapes and then returns to haunt its former tormentors, claiming lives
as well as a captive of its own. The Jazz Passengers, with support from
a commission from Celebrate Brooklyn, created an entirely new soundtrack
from beginning to end, infusing the original plot of the film with new
life. Admission price includes the 3-D specs.
The Jazz Passengers was founded in l987 by sax impresario Roy Nathanson
and trombonist Curtis Fowlkes, who toured together extensively in John
Lurie's seminal band The Lounge Lizards. These founding members now head
a group that reflects their strong affinity in their Brooklyn roots, affection
for hard bop, comedy and eccentric currents in modern American music.
They are known for their independent works as well as for their collaborations
with singers such as Mavis Staples, Jimmy Scott and Bob Dorough. In addition,
their two CDs, Individually Twisted and Live in Spain, feature
the inimitable Debbie Harry as the lead vocalist. The group has also done
orchestral arrangements of their work for the BBC Concert Orchestra and
the Buffalo Philharmonic. Relying solidly on the arranging skills of vibraphonist
Bill Ware, their composing talents are in clear evidence in the Creature
from the Black Lagoon project.
Tickets are $15 for the public; $13 for senior citizens; and $10 for children. Black-and-white
and color photographs are available upon request. For further information, to order tickets, or
request a brochure, call the Wilkins Theatre Box Office at 908-737-SHOW (7469).
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