This concert is for everyone. It is FREE
This Sunday Feb. 1st--- 1p to 4p
California African American Museum
600 State Drive
Los Angeles, CA
Exposition Park (Across from USC)

Featuring: Karen Briggs (world renowned violinist)
Antwone Fisher (writer of "Antwone Fisher" w/Denzel Washington)
Sandra Booker (extrodinary Vocalist from New Orleans)
Brandon Coleman (dynamic pianist and arranger)
Lesa Terry (violinst/arranger Daughter of jazz legend Clark Terry)
Miguel Atwood Fergusson (talented violaist/arranger)
Chris Woods (standout violinst)
Paul Cartwright, Tylana Enomoto,
 Dennis Timashpolsky, Edgar Sandoval,
Stefan Smith, Taisha Morris, Clifton Antoine, Adrenne Woods, A J., Peter Jacobson

The
Elevation Orchestra is a group consisting of 17 string players and
rhythm section (piano, bass, and drums). Members of the group include
such names as world renowned violinist Karen Briggs, Chris Woods,
Miguel Atwood Ferguson and Lesa Terry. Its mission is to uplift the
urban community through musical inspiration. Special guest vocalists
and musicians are featured at every concert and the music blend ranges
from Motown to hip-hop and jazz to classical. The goal is to bridge the
generation gap in the African American community as well as expand the
musical pallet by using traditionally classical instruments to tell our
history through music.

Ryan has commissioned arrangers who have
written for Michael Jackson, Earth Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder, and
Alicia Keys to produce the performance pieces. The musicians’
collective experience includes recording with present and future
legends such as Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, Dr. Dre, Erikah Badu and
many more. The orchestra opens the door for young talented players to
be mentored by experienced masters.

The Elevation Orchestra is
on the path to become a non-profit organization. The orchestra strives
to work closely with children and parents in the urban community to
elevate their knowledge of culture, history and art by playing concerts
all over the country in schools, churches, museums and symphony halls.

The
Elevation Orchestra will change the face of music appreciation in the
urban community. By doing so, it will give those children the
confidence to dream the dreams they never thought could come true. From
Compton to Carnegie Hall, the Elevation Orchestra will bring light to a
rich history that has been in the dark for way too long.

I am throwing a New Year's Eve party with my friends and our band Soul Funk @ Harvelle's in Santa Monica. It is going to be amazing. We will feature an astonishingly talented vocalist, James Tormé. We just recorded his album for KOCH records and it sounds amazing. When it comes out, things will be very different. Come celebrate with us and plan for the New Year.

Harvelle's is one of my favorite clubs because the people dance. There is a dance floor right in front of the band. There are booths that surround the edges of the room. Get your tickets now so you can reserve a booth.

Go to: www.harvelles.com and Buy Tickets

Pre sale tickets are $30 @ the door (if there are any left) will be at least $50

Buy now or you will probably miss out.

Some of you have heard Soul Funk Coleman/Cross/Coye but many of you have not. It features one of the best keyboard players in the country Brandon Coleman. A super funky drummer Gene Coye. Then me on Bass. It is a combination of Soul, Jazz, Funk and R&B. It will definitely get you dancing all night. Make sure to spread the word about the party.

Thank you to all who have supported me this year. It has been a year of learning for me. I have worked with some extremely talented artists and made some dynamic friendships.

I will be in Washington DC on January 20th to see history made. It will help me focus and be ready to work to make amazing things happen in 2009.
Think Bigger!!!

Here is the movie I am in called Crazy. Check it out.

CRAZY, AN AWARD-WINNING FILM INSPIRED BY THE LIFE OF GUITAR LEGEND HANK GARLAND, IS AN OFFICIAL SELECTION AT NJ'S HOBOKEN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, SCREENING TUESDAY, JUNE 3 AT 8:30PM

WAYLON PAYNE (WALK THE LINE) AND ALI LARTER (HEROES) STAR IN CRAZY, WHICH WON THE VANGUARD AWARD AT THE JACKSONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL, THE JURY AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE AT THE
CHARLESTON INT'L FILM FESTIVAL AND BEST SCREENPLAY AT METHOD FEST

Los Angeles, CA, June 2, 2008: CRAZY, an independent feature film inspired by the tragic life and groundbreaking music of legendary 1950s-era guitarist Hank Garland, is an official selection at the Hoboken International Film Festival (5/30-6/5) in Hoboken, New Jersey. CRAZY will be shown at 8:30PM on Tuesday, June 3 at Pier A in Hoboken. The "al fresco" screening is a free event.

CRAZY, directed by Rick Bieber, just won the Vanguard Award, the top honor at the Jacksonville International Film Festival in Jacksonville, Florida. Hank Garland lived the last four decades of his life in the Jacksonville area with his brother (and manager) Billy Garland and Billy's wife Amy, who both attended the opening night screening of CRAZY. The film also recently won the Jury Award for Best Feature at the Charleston International Film Festival. For Charleston, SC's Post and Courier, film critic Bill Thompson wrote, "CRAZY has a bedrock feel of authenticity...a lively, emotionally resonant movie — with wonderful music — that is an uncommonly seamless meld of character study and period recreation." Earlier this spring, at the L.A. area's 10th Annual Method Fest in Calabasas, CA, CRAZY won the Daily News Award for Best Screenplay for a script co-written by Bieber, Jason Ehlers and Brent Boyd.

Bieber was introduced to the project – and to the late Hank Garland – by Ray Scherr, who served as Executive Producer for CRAZY along with guitar hero Steve Vai (who performs a cameo as Hank Williams) under the Favored Nations Films mantle. Scherr had known the Garland family for over a decade, and believed Hank's true story had great potential for a compelling drama. Hank consulted on the screenplay and was involved with the project until he passed away in December '04, shortly before principal photography began.

Waylon Payne, acclaimed for his debut film role as Jerry Lee Lewis in the Oscar-winning film Walk The Line, stars as Hank Garland. LA.com recently wrote of his performance, "The brash and brilliant musician is well played by charismatic actor Waylon Payne." In addition to acting, Payne is a country artist with deep musical roots. He was named for his godfather, Waylon Jennings, and is the son of GRAMMY-winning country singer Sammi Smith and Jody Payne, longtime guitarist for Willie Nelson.

Payne headlines CRAZY opposite Ali Larter (Heroes, Legally Blonde, Varsity Blues, etc), who plays Hank's beautiful but deeply troubled wife Evelyn Garland. Cast members also include: Scott Michael Campbell, who plays Garland's friend and fellow Nashville guitar ace Billy Byrd; Lane Garrison as Hank's brother and manager Billy Garland; singer Stacy Earl, who performs as country crooner Goldie Hill; Evans Forde as Nashville music legend Chet Atkins; and Ryan Cross, who plays jazz bassist Joe Benjamin.

CRAZY chronicles Hank Garland's rise to fame in Nashville, from playing on hits for icons including Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, the Everly Brothers and Roy Orbison through his brief but influential solo career as a visionary jazz artist. It also explores his tempestuous marriage as well as his repeated clashes with the "Nashville Mob" – who then controlled the country music establishment – over artist's rights, civil rights and other issues. The car crash and electroshock treatments that eventually ended Garland's performing career and derailed his life are starkly portrayed, and the enormity of what was lost is deeply felt.

CRAZY is also an official selection at upcoming 2008 festivals including: the New Jersey International Film Festival (5/30-6/15); Colorado's Breckenridge Festival of Film (6/5-8), Boston International Film Festival (6/6-14); International Film Festival of England (6/9-13, Tamworth, U.K.), Maui International Film Festival (6/11-15); Provincetown International Film Festival (6/18-22), Long Island International Film Expo (7/9-17), Napa Sonoma Wine Country Film Festival (7/16-28) and the Scottsdale International Film Festival (10/3-7).

For more information, log on to www.crazy-themovie.com