NAZIM RASHID & NEW RENAISSANCE

6/26/09 - Luke Air Force Base. Yes it looks like the government is going to bail us out and pay us to play for our dedicated airmen and women. This gig is only for those who have access to the base; security clearances or belong now or have belonged to the armed services. For those who are cleared we will be at the Desert Star Club/Restaurant; 13975 W. Phantom Street, way out west on Litchfield Road in Glendale. We are playing from 3:30pm to 7:00pm on a Friday late afternooon. We might be there on a monthly basis. Yay for our government bail out!!

10/3/09 - Desert Edge Mentoring Services is sponsoring their annual black-tie fundraising banquet. Crowne Plaza Resort Hotel; 2532 W. Peoria, Phoenix, AZ.  We are on from 6:00 to 9:00 even though doors open at 5:30 and activities end at 10:00pm. Funds received are for back-to-school supplies, hygiene supplies, computers, sports equipment, and mentoring activities in the community. Information regarding the company and registration costs, please visit their website www.desertedgementoring.com


2/13/10 - Estrella Mountain Community College. Black History month celebration with entertainment, arts & crafts and speakers all day. This is on the far west side in Litchfield; 3000 N. Dysart Road, the SW corner of Dysart and Thomas, off the Dysart exit from the 1-10 fwy. 623-935-8827. We are on from 1:30 to 2:30pm outside in a quintet format. This is a Saturdayu afternoon event. We will have our percussionist joining us on stage adding that special African flavor to our energetic original arrangements. It's a free concert and it happens once a year.

2/21/2010 - Luke Air Force Base. They have a new club now. It is called Club Six. Come hungry. We are displaying our ballad side at this brunch. Folks there want to listen to one another more than sit and listen to the band. We have to save our concert tunes for other gigs. Ballads they want, ballads they get.

3/21/2010 - Luke Air Force Base. Same channel as before. Come on down, the food is great.

4/10/2010 - Sunnyslope Art Walk - Central and Dunlap in Phoenix, AZ on a Saturday evening. There will be plenty of bands playing in front of venues up and down the area. There are also vendors and loads of fun for the whole family. We will be in front of Nielson Diversified Gallery; 8801 N. Central Ave. The number there is 602-997-6890 or 602-678-0078. We are on from 5:00 to 9:00pm. You can go to their website www.sunnyslopecommunity.org. for more details. For those of you who have been at our Luke AFB Sunday brunches, you will hear the energetic side of New Renaissance vs. the soft ballad touch at the brunches.

4/18/2010 - Luke AFB; our regular 3rd Sunday brunches continue.

The Luke AFB Sunday Jazz Brunches have come to an end. Oh well...

New exciting news!!!! -  We have a steady gig on Wednesdays starting June 2, 2010 at the Rack Shack. See info below

6/2/2010 - The Rack Shack BBQ, 5025 N. 7th Ave, Suite B, Phoenix, AZ 85013. We are back on the public map in the Valley. The Rack Shack BBQ is centrally located in the 7th Ave & Camelback area in Phoenix, AZ., right alongside the new communter rail train. There will be blues on Fridays, classic R&B on Saturdays, swing dancing on Tuesdays and of course our acoustic jazz on Wednesdays. We will play during the dinner hours of 6:00 to 10:00pm. They have a great menu, retro look of little jukeboxes on the table in the booths, a capacity of 200, nice stage and VIP area, and plenty of parking. Their website is www.shakeeground.com  Come out on our opening night! I believe there is a $3.00 cover charge and you have to eat something.

6/9/10 - Back at the Rack Shack. See above for details. You can call 602-615-9701 for reservations.

NEWS FLASH!! - The Rack Shack BBQ gig has come and gone. This is why when a new venue opens up you have to catch it right then while its hot and fresh. Oh well...

-Just a note to all our jazz fans - Optimism is the word for all of us to internalize during these so-called challenging times. The word optimism really means to firmly believe that the best is possible and probable in your life. We have to claim optimism and make it our best friend. The feeling of optimism carries a certain healing, uplifting energy that starts the process of change within and without. When we are optimistic we bring toward us the change that we seek. This takes a high level of faith to do this and that is what true jazz fans have as this art form is not considered "popular music," and is not heard readily on the radio. 

So we use our faith to bring on not only a healed financial picture for us, but also more choices in live jazz  in exclusive jazz venues: clubs, coffee shops and restaurants, so on any given day or night of the week you can go out and be guaranteed of hearing good, honest traditional, acoustic jazz reflecting the powerhouse masters like Art Blakey and John Coltrane. We can have New Renaissance and others exposed regularly out here, not relegated to duos or trios, but playing in the quartet, quintet, sextet and larger just like the masters did with fiery horn sections and hard hitting rhythm sections. We can have all of this and more as long as we have optimism as our creed. Yes we can, yes we can and yes we will.

"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."- Dr. Wayne Dyer