Wendell Harrison and Mama's Licking Stick Clarinet Ensemble awarded French American Cultural Exchange grant from Chamber Music America - French American Cultural Exchange project

Wendell Harrison and Mama's Licking Stick Clarinet Ensemble will perform another gala event, Friday, September 5, 2008, at the Detroit Institute of Arts. This ensemble will perform Wendell's original compositions, commissioned by Arts Serve Michigan and Chamber Music America-Doris Duke New Works and Creation program. Also, featured in this performance is Quatour Issy, a magnificent clarinet quartet from Paris, France. This clarinet quartet is a chamber music ensemble formed by four professional clarinet players, performing in prestigious Parisian orchestras.

Issy is a suburb of Paris, France, formally known as Issy-Les-Moulineaux. The city is located 4.1 miles form the center of Paris and has a population of 62,000, which is considered one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe. According to the Wikipedia, the city of Issy has successfully moved its' economy from an old manufacturing base to a high value service sector. The largest cluster of telecommunication, media businesses and most major French TV networks in France are located in Issy. This suburb of Paris employs more jobs than its' inhabitants.

Quartet Issy, met and organized in the Paris suburb, Issy and decided to adopt the name, Quartet Issy-Paris. These Parisians will fly to New York City for a recording session, and continue to Detroit to perform their original music. Quartet Issy's members are: Mathieu Dush-B flat soprano clarinet and bass clarinet, Benjamin Masciotta-B flat, E flat soprano and bass clarinets, Frederic Estoup-B flat, soprano and bass clarinets, Oliver Faure-bass and contra bass clarinets. This quartet, exemplifies the broad Parisian culture in the styles of classical and jazz idioms. Mama's Licking Stick and Quartet Issy ensembles will perform separately and for the final climax come together to play one of Wendell's compositions, SIR OLIVER.

On October 7, 2008, Wendell Harrison will fly to Paris to perform with Quartet Issy at the Selmer Paris Performing Center, October 10. He will play compositions from his famed suite SOMETHING FOR POPS as well as other selections. After the Paris engagement, Harrison will travel to Linz Austria on October 12 to perform and teach a workshop at the Buckner University, and return to Detroit on October 15.

This program is sponsored by Chamber Music America, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, The Cultural Services of the French Embassy, The Florence Gould Foundation, SACEM, Cultures of France, FEMO - Le Bureau Export de la Musique Francaise, French-American Cultural Exchange, The French Embassy, The Detroit Institute of Arts.