News


 

For Immediate Release
Music Works International Expands Market Reach With Germany-based Unger Music
Unger roster will expand with MWI artists Dianne Reeves, Christian McBride, Vijay Iyer
Boston, MA | 6 June, 2023 — Music Works International (MWI), a leading global talent agency specializing in jazz, world music, and contemporary artists, is proud to announce its partnership with music executive Jutta Unger. This collaboration with Unger Music Booking and Productions will be key to create an enhanced presence of Dianne Reeves, Christian McBride, and Vijay Iyer in German-speaking territories of Europe, encompassing Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Unger, who founded her agency in 2015, brings a wealth of knowledge and a personal network of connections to this partnership with the United States-based Music Works International.. Her strategic insights and deep-rooted relationships within Europe makes her an invaluable asset to MWI’s strategic plan for Europe.
Speaking about the alliance, Jutta expressed her enthusiasm, "It is thrilling for me to begin working with Dianne Reeves, Christian Mc Bride, and Vijay Iyer in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. I’ve enjoyed their music for years and am motivated by their artistry to do what I can to create opportunities for them in Europe!”
Jutta also added, “MWI stands for a lot of the things I believe in: their approach to booking, the high level of artists on their roster, the projects they promote, all guided by Katherine McVicker for whom I have the greatest respect and admiration. I am very inspired about this new cooperation and look forward to collaborating with the MWI team. Their concept of handling artist bookings like a business partnership really resonates with me.”
Luigi Sidero, MWI’s Senior Agent for Europe, commented, "We are excited to join forces with Jutta Unger, whose expertise and passion for music align perfectly with our vision. With her experience and connections, we are confident that we can provide new and exciting opportunities for Dianne, Christian, Vijay, and our entire roster in this important region of Europe."

 



Dianne Reeves
Ms. Reeves is a multiple Grammy Award-winning vocalist and one of the preeminent jazz artists of our time. She has captivated audiences worldwide with her soulful voice and dynamic stage presence.
“The most admired jazz diva since the heyday of Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, DIANNE Reeves has a keen sense of herself as a custodian of a jazz vocal tradition that has fallen into disarray as the boundaries between genres have dissolved...[Her band] shares her concept of jazz songs as territories whose borders are ripe for expansion. Almost everything she does has the aspect of a semi-improvised tone poem.” The New York Times
MWI books Dianne Reeves for the World, excluding North America.

Christian McBride
World-renowned bassist, composer producer, McBride has played alongside the most celebrated names in jazz as well as leading his own groups and big band.  He has earned numerous accolades, including multiple Grammy Awards. His latest band to tour Europe will be a quintet comprised of members of Jazz’s next generation.
“The deep, dark-maple tone that Christian McBride elicits from an upright bass is one of jazz’s forthright pleasures, and so is the pleasure he seems to extract from it himself.” The New York Times
MWI books Christian McBride in Europe, Africa, South and Central America.


Vijay Iyer
Always pushing the boundaries of contemporary jazz, Vijay Iyer, a groundbreaking pianist, composer, and MacArthur Fellow, has earned widespread acclaim for his innovative compositions.
“Touching on both Cole Porter and Eric Garner, [Vijay’s] trio invigorate bop with thrilling, socially conscious free jazz...fired up improv.” The Guardian
MWI books Vijay Iyer for the World, excluding North America.

March 2023 tour: 

White Cities

A Musical Tribute to Charles White

By Gerald Clayton

On Tour in Europe – March 2023

LINK TO TICKETS

 

A single life spread across three vibrant American cities:

Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles.

 

Gerald chose the title as a way to immediately bring race and racial tensions to the front of the listener’s mind. He wants people to consider the whiteness of all three cities as a reminder of the overarching oppression pervading each place where White lived – and that his expression, birthed as the blues, is a testifying of the black experience

in a white world.

 

The title also refers to the artist himself. It is Gerald's intention to represent musically the evolution of White’s heart and mind – not just the subjects and messages of his works, but an accompanying examination of

the person who created the works. 

 

Each composition reflects one of five sections of White’s

5 Great American Negroes mural. 

 

Gerald composed a different melody for each figure, and chose to intercut their melodic and harmonic themes throughout the piece as a way to represent the dual experience of sight-reading and close-reading the mural in its entirety. He drew inspiration from different aspects of White's work that include the figures themselves, their contributions, their immortalized expressions through White’s unique artistic lens, and the spectrum of Gerald’s  emotional reactions to each section

and the mural as a whole.

 

Line up

 

Gerald Clayton – Piano, Organ, Fender Rhodes

 Joel Ross – Vibraphone

 Marquis Hill – Trumpet

 Logan Richardson – Alto Saxophone

Jeff Parker – Guitar