Northridge, CA: ArtsNorthridge at California State University, Northridge presents

Judy Carmichael and Ken Page in a celebration of Jazz great Fats Waller

on Saturday, October 16 at 8 PM. One thing for sure…the joint will be really jumpin!

Stride Piano, ragtime's brash young cousin, is a style usually associated with men with gnarled fingers and unlit cigars jammed in their mouth. Seventy years ago its thunderous chords rang out at parties across Harlem, played by the great practitioners of the form such as the colorful Willie "The Lion" Smith and that master showman Fats Waller.

They would surely have been amused to see the tradition maintained today by a
petite Californian blonde. Judy Carmichael is, however, the genuine article, a spirited improviser who was taken under the wing of no less a figure than Count Basie. A man of few words--his speech was as economical as his playing--the bandleader gave his young protégé the simplest of nicknames: "Stride".

The musician that critics have referred to as "astounding, flawless and captivating" (The New York Times) has played in a variety of venues from Carnegie Hall with Skitch Henderson and the New York Pops, to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice (the first concert ever presented by the museum) to a recent all Gershwin concert with Michael Feinstein. In addition, Ms. Carmichael has done comic skits and performed her music on radio and TV with Al Hirt and Garrison Keillor, among others.

Ms. Carmichael has appeared frequently on Garrison Keillor's “A Prairie Home Companion,” and has been featured on National Public Radio's “Morning Edition,” “Entertainment Tonight” and CBS' “Sunday Morning” with Charles Kuralt and recently

with Charles Osgood. She hosts her own Public Radio Show Judy Carmichael’s “Jazz Inspired,” broadcast on over 170 stations through National Public Radio and on the Sirius Satellite Network through Public Radio International.

Judy’s SPECIAL GUEST, the Tony Award winning singer Ken Page, made his Broadway debut in 1976 playing Nicely-Nicely Johnson in an all-black revival of Guys and Dolls, for which he won a Theatre World Award. Page went on to star in many other musicals including: Ain't Misbehavin', Cats, and The Wiz. Page played "Old Deuteronomy" in both the New York and London productions of Cats, for which he received a 1987 Tony Award for best actor in a musical.

Page auditioned for the original Broadway production of Ain't Misbehavin' because a friend of his had told him that he looked a lot like "Fats" Waller. Although Page was not a piano player himself, he did win a Drama Desk award for playing the legendary Waller. Twenty-five years later Ken directed his own acclaimed touring production of the show.

Along with Page's theatre career he also made many guest appearances on television on such programs as: “Charmed,” “Touched by and Angel,” “Duckman” and “Family Matters.” Page had a notable appearance in the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas, in which he sang the "Oogie Boogie” song.

A Handful of Keys: Judy Carmichael Celebrates the Music of Fats Waller with Special Guest Ken Page will perform on Saturday, October 16^th at 8:00 pm in the PAC. Adult tickets are $45 in the Front Orchestra and $30 in Rear Orchestra (Group rates available). Student Tickets are available for $15 with current proper ID (sorry, not available on line). Regular priced single tickets can be purchased by calling the Ticket Office at 818-677-2488 or log on to www.ArtsNorthridge.csun.com

The Performing Arts Center is located on Zelzah Avenue, between Prairie and Plummer Streets in the Student Union Complex. Patrons should use Parking Lot G4. IMPORTANT NOTE: The CSU system has recently instituted that parking fees be assigned on a 24/7 basis, therefore patrons are required to purchase a $4 parking permit for all performances on the CSUN campus. (During the renovations of the Student Union Complex, there will be personnel and additional signage to assist patrons to the alternate entrance of the PAC.) We apologize for any inconvenience. Note: All programs and artists are subject to change.

High-resolution photographs (300dpi) will be available soon for download at www.ArtsNorthridge.csun.com If you require images immediately contact:

William C. Martin, Artistic Director and Marketing for the Performing Arts Center:

818-677-7687, Fax 818-677-6617 or e-mail: william.c.martin@csun.edu .

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