FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Carolyn McClair
McClair Public Relations
(212) 721-3441
CMPRNews@aol.com

FIRST-EVER
HIP HEALTH PLAN OF NEW YORK JAZZ CONCERT SERIES
"ALL THAT JAZZ. NOW THAT'S HIP"
features
PATTI AUSTIN, ELVIN JONES, DIANNE REEVES and RAMSEY LEWIS
MARCH 4 - 5, 8:00 P.M., ALICE TULLY HALL

NEW YORK, January 28, 2003 - In the jazz world, cool is hot and bad is good, but hip is really HIP. See for yourself at the first HIP Jazz Concert Series featuring Patti Austin "BeboperElla" and Elvin Jones' Jazz Machine on Tuesday, March 4, and Dianne Reeves and Ramsey Lewis Trio on Wednesday, March 5, each night at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall at 8:00 p.m.

Proceeds from the HIP Jazz Concert Series will benefit the Jazz Foundation of America's Jazz Musicians' Emergency Fund and the Jazz Program at the New School University. Co-Sponsors of the event are: Centralized Laboratories Services, (CLS), Pfizer, Vytra Health Plans and Amalgamated Bank.

Anthony L. Watson, Chairman and CEO of HIP Health Plan of New York said, "We proudly support nonprofit organizations that provide services in health care, racial/ethnic harmony, human services delivery, education and the arts. When music and art flourish within our institutions, it is a clear indication of an enlightened society. HIP is committed to doing its part to support artistic and cultural efforts within the diverse communities that we serve."

Vocalist Patti Austin is the goddaughter of the musical legends Quincy Jones and Dinah Washington, so it's no wonder that she has explored almost every genre of music over the past 30 years. At this concert series, Austin will present "BeboperElla," a tribute to the First Lady of Song, Ella Fitzgerald. Her album, For Ella, which was recorded before a live audience in Germany, has received accolades around the world. In addition to years of following Ms. Fitzgerald's work and spending two months listening intently to her catalog, Patti also gleaned insight from numerous people who counted the grand diva as friend, mentor and consummate star. However, it is Austin's unparalleled instinct, timing and abundant talent that gives her the edge to succeed in this lofty endeavor as well as in all of her musical feats.

Joining Patti Austin on March 4 is Elvin Jones. Determined to become a drummer, he practiced at least eight hours a day and never went anywhere without his sticks. After a stint in the army, he began to frequent a Detroit nightspot, where he performed with Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, Barry Harris, Milt Jackson, Miles Davis and others. Like brothers Hank and Thad, Elvin made his way to New York. He went to audition for Benny Goodman, but ended up with Charles Mingus and later Bud Powell, Donald Byrd, Art Farmer, J. J. Johnson and John Coltrane, among others. Today, he is one of jazz's most sought-after drummers and the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine is bound to bop with the best. Elvin Jones' Jazz Machine is Delfayo Marsalis on trombone; Edwin Livingston, bass; Anthony Wonsey, piano and Pat Labarbara, saxophone.

Another great vocalist, Dianne Reeves, takes the Alice Tully Hall stage on March 5. Long-time jazz fans often debate who will carry the torch now that Ella, Sarah and Carmen are gone. With singers like Reeves, the jazz vocal tradition is in good hands. On her ninth Blue Note recording and 11th overall release, The Calling: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan, Dianne covers nine Vaughan tunes and showcases an original, I Remember Sarah. Whether she's paying homage to Sassy or singing what's in her heart, Dianne Reeves' dynamic voice, magnificent phrasing and expansive border-crossing musical interests, are proof that she, too, is here to stay. Joining Dianne is a stellar trio of musicians, including Peter Martin on piano, Reuben Rogers on bass and Gregory Hutchinson on drums.

Also on March 5, catch the piano prowess of Ramsey Lewis. A composer as well as pianist, Lewis' playing displays his early gospel roots, classical training, his devotion to jazz and love for all types of music. A gift from the great Chicago music scene, Lewis became one of the nation's most successful jazz pianists, topping the charts with The In Crowd, Hang on Sloopy and Wade in the Water. With three Grammy Awards, seven gold records, three honorary doctorates and a constant touring schedule, he is truly a living legend. The Ramsey Lewis Trio includes Larry Gray on bass and Leon Joyce on drums.

For tickets to the first HIP Jazz Concert Series, call Center Charge at (212) 721-6500 or stop by the Alice Tully Hall Box Office at 65th and Broadway. For more information, contact Festival Productions at (212) 501-1390.

The Jazz Foundation of America (JFA), a not-for-profit organization founded in 1989, is dedicated to helping professional jazz musicians in need. Saving artists from homelessness, eviction and costly medial expenses, the JFA Jazz Musicians' Emergency Fund pays emergency living expenses and provides free medical care for uninsured artists through a network of pro bono physicians and the partnership of the Dizzy Gillespie Memorial Fund at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center.

The Jazz & Contemporary Music Program at the New School University prepares students for the artistic, technical and professional demands of employment and performance in the music world. Relying on the skills and expertise of an internationally renowned artist faculty, the Jazz Program encourages and nurtures each student's unique talents, while cultivating future generations of jazz leaders.

Now that's HIP

Known for over 50 years as the region's premier HMO, HIP Health Plan of New York offers an expanding range of health care choices as well as a growing provider network.

Now numbering over 19,000 physicians in more than 30,000 service locations, HIP's health care options include physicians in independent practice as well as physicians practicing in health centers. The centers are managed by outstanding medical groups of multi-specialty physicians, as well as groups associated with leading hospitals, such as Beth Israel Medical Center and St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center (Continuum Health); Lenox Hill Hospital; St. Barnabas Hospital; and Montefiore Medical Center.

Ranked No. 1 in the nation by InformationWeek for the use of innovative technology, HIP is the first health plan in the nation to offer a Web site in English, Spanish and Chinese. In addition, COR Health, a health care guide to the Internet that reviews and evaluates health care and medical Web sites, gave HIP's Web site, hipusa.com, a 5-star rating for Content. HIP has also held the National Committee for Quality Assurance's (NCQA) Commendable Accreditation for two successive periods.

HIP Health Plan of New York has more than 850,000 members and is not only the largest HMO but also one of the largest health plans in the New York metropolitan area. With its acquisition of Vytra Health Plans, HIP's total membership is more than one million. According to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, HIP is the largest Medicare and Medicaid HMO in New York State.