Tuesday, October 16, 2012

2012 Chicago Jazz Festival


2012 Chicago Jazz Festival Review
article and photos by Greg Turner

Dear Ron;

In case you were wondering, I did not go to the Detroit Jazz Festival this year even though I was asked several times. With their larger budget and “more-big-names” booking policy. Detroit’s has become the most anticipated Labor Day Weekend jazz festival for area music fans. But having attended every Chicago Jazz Festival except one since 1985 my heart still belongs to the Windy City and its active jazz and improvised music scene.

Friday evening at Millenium Park began with a late addition, a tribute to Chicago tenor saxophonist Von Freeman, who died in August. Von’s son, saxophonist Chico Freeman,  an old favorite of mine,  was one of the musicians who played the tribute, but not knowing about it, I arrived at the park just as the last note sounded. In a bizarre end to the evening the legendary drummer Roy Haynes, still working regularly at 87, spent too much of his 90 minute set tap dancing, talking to the audience, and letting audience members speak on mike, instead of driving his band of 20-and-30-somethings. Guess he was pacing himself.

Saturday at Grant Park began for me with memorable performances from the groups of young trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and another veteran drummer, Billy Hart, playing originals from their latest releases on Blue Note and ECM respectively. Akinmusire is one to watch, possessing impressive technique, an aggressive attack, and excellent interplay with his saxophonist, Walter Smith III. Through his his relentless drive and impeccable touch..Hart once again proved himself as one of the best living practicioners of the drumset. I don’t remember any particular songs that vocalist Dianne Reeves sang, a couple of them seemed to be  conversations with the audience, but so powerful was her voice and so commanding was her stage presence, it provided a joyous conclusion to a great day of music.. 
Sunday began early at the annual breakfast at Jazz Record Mart, with pastries, coffee and sounds from a group of Delmark recording artists led by saxophonists Ernest Dawkins and Ira Sullivan. Energized by such physical and spiritual “food”, I walked to Grant Park for the first Festival set of the day from the Milton Suggs Philosophy. Suggs, a Chicago vocalist, and several members of his group have actually visited our area via the Loft Society. His “philosophy’ is to write and perform his own lyrics to  jazz classics by artists such as Wayne Shorter, Lee Morgan, and Benny Golson, and it worked. The rest of Sunday afternoon I went from stage to state trying to check out a little bit of everything and wore myself out, although I did enjoy what I caught from the groups of former Chicagoans Jeff Newell and Tito Carillo.

Sunday’s headliner was  New Orleans pianist Allen Toussaint, playing music from his Bright Mississipi project. With such a title plus guest musicians clarinetist Don Byron and guitarist Marc Ribot. I was expecting to hear a Monk tribute, but they played a variety of music, including several of the R&B hits that Touissant played on or produced and more Ellington than Monk. Toussant is not a jazz pianist per se, but he can seemingly play anything and play it well.

Despite their limited budget, The Jazz Institute of Chicago and city Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events do a great job of programming this festival. I hope they can keep doing what they are doing. And, as always, here are some pictures…

Sincerely,
Greg Turner
9/28/12

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Eddie Brookshire Quintet +1 & JD Allen

Saturday night found me finding the time to pop on down to Gilly's in downtown Dayton to catch the Eddie Brookshire Quintet, always enjoyable. Turned out it was also Eddie's birthday. Happy Birthday Eddie! He was joined by the usual cast of characters, Jack Novotny on saxophone, Gary Onady on trumpet, Fenton Sparks on drums, Kega Harikawa (sp?) on piano and Barry Ward as guest trumpet player. They kicked off with the first song off their recording entitled Surrendered Life, an Eddie Brookshire original. It was the hard driving bebop I have come to expect from the Quintet and it was just what I needed. At the end of the first set Eddie's wife, Brenda Flowers was invited up to sing a couple and she sang/scatted one of Eddie's favorites, My Funny Valentine. Keep up the good work fellows! I then moved on up the street a couple of blocks until I was across from The Victory Theater downtown to catch JD Allen on tenor sax playing at D'Lish. I was pleasantly surprised to find that his bass player was accomplished Cincinnati bass player Jim Anderson. What a treat! JD was also accompanied by a recent CCM graduate on drums, Jeff Merrott. I listened to their first set before calling it a night. A couple of tunes that I remember from that set were It Could Happen to You and Friday the 13th, a Thelonious Monk tune. I had tried to arrange a phone interview with JD for my WDPS, 89.5 FM radio show, BeBop and More which broadcasts on Wednesdays at 1:00 (and then again on Saturday nights at 7:00 on wdpsfm.com) but logistics and short timing intervened. I did plug the gig on my show so hopefully that did some good but it was a pretty good crowd that night and the performances were enjoyable. As I say on my show, get out there and support live jazz!

Monday, August 13, 2012

Jazz Central Does it Again!!!

My favorite place on a Sunday night is Jazz Central out on East Third Street, just a few blocks out of downtown Dayton. I have been going there for over a decade and there are not many Sunday Night Jazz Jams that I have missed. Sunday night, 8-12-12 was one for the books. Walked through the door and the first person I saw was Dale Carpenter, trumpet player extraordinaire! I am thinking all right, this is beginning to shape up to be a special night. Dale has not been available to come down in quite some time. Walk in to sit down and who is spread out on stage but Mark Smarelli, a vibraphonist from Springfield who just lights the place up with his solos. He has not been there for many months. The excitement is building! Sit Down and who is also there, being greeted by all the regulars in the place but WDPS Modern Big Band Host Conrad Jessee, currently on hiatus from his show due to health issues, but apparently well enough to get down to Jazz Central now and again. Things had just barely started to warm up when who darkened the door ( I say this because he is large enough to block the light from one room to the next, larger than life one might say) but Mike Teckenbrock. Arguably the best flugel horn player in the Dayton area. Now I am thinking that the night is really gong to be special and let me tell you, it really was. A core group of the usual Sunday Night Jazz Jammers were there, Kenny Baccus on B3, Greg Webster on drums, Jeff Slinker on guitar and of course John Hampton Wagner on trumpet, vocals and general master of ceremonies duty. Dale Carpenter lit things up first, Mark Smarelli kept it lit and finally Mike Teckenbrock joined in to burn the house down. What a great night of music, then when Wagner, Carpenter and Teckenbrock joined forces it was simply over the top. If you weren't there, believe me, you missed it.

overzealous jazz fan correction

Egg on my face! Guess I've heard too much great jazz by too many talented musicians to keep them all straight all the time. I must make some corrections to what I wrote about the Josh Adkin Quntet that opened for George Benson at the Fraze on 8-11-12. Yes Melvin Broach was the drummer but no doubt both he and Eddie Brookshire would be surprised by the fact I linked the two together in The Eddie Brookshire Quintet. Fenton Sparks is the excellent drummer who plays with The Eddie Brookshire Quintet. Melvin Broach is longtime drummer par excellance' associated with The Broach Approach, along with Mike Wade. And last but not least, while Eddie Bayard is an outstanding sax player from Cincinnati and always worth the trip, it is former Cincy sax player Stacy Dillard that is taking New York by storm. Just check it out on Google/You Tube. In fact, you can check out all these wonderful jazz musicians on Google and You Tube. I still wish I had been there to hear the opening act for George Benson.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Mystery band opens for George Benson

Hopefully some of you caught the George Benson performance last night (Saturday, 8-11-12) at The Fraze Pavilion. And if you DID, then you may have wondered who the band was that opened the evening. I have it from a musician who was on that stage in that band that it was a last minute rush around, as the original opening act was stuck in an airport somewhere, and local jazz saxophonist Dan Nicora (of Dayton Jazz Orchestra fame) got the harried call. He was out of town as well, more phone calls ensued and the man to the rescue was Dayton's own Josh Adkin who pulled together the all star cast of Eddie Brookshire [of Eddie Brookshire Big Band and Eddie Brookshire Quintet fame], Melvin Broach [fantastic drummer, currently of Eddie Brookshire Quintet fame as well], Mike Wade [one of the best trumpet players in Cincinnati and who just recently played with New York sensation and former Cincy resident Eddie Bayard, plus he blows on one of my favorite Jazz recordings, The Jazz Circle] and even Khalid Moss came down from the mountain top. I am sorry I missed that performance, BUT, Josh Adkin hustled down to Jazz Central out on East Third to join saxophone player extraordinaire Gene Walker and the two of them had a great time. The audience enjoyed them as well. It was a highlight of the evening. Rumor had that George Benson himself might stop down to reconnect with long time friend Gene Walker but that was not in the cards. But thanks to Josh for help make the evening even more special than it had been up to that time.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Jazz Central Article by Khalid Moss

By Khalid Moss:
     Jazz Central is living up to its name. It is truly the nucleus for jazz in the city of Dayton. That mantle used to belong to Gilly’s nightclub where, for many years, jazz was the centerpiece, the “piece de resistance.”  But times change and with the winnowing down of the overall jazz scene in general, Jazz Central is the only place in Dayton where musicians can jam and patrons can listen to live jazz and blues on a consistent basis.
     Jazz Central fulfills the vision of Charles “Butch” Stone, an entrepreneur, jazz advocate and, lately, jazz DJ with a one-hour slot on the Dayton City Schools radio station, WDPS.
     “When I bought the building it wasn’t a jazz club,” Stone recalled.  “It was just a
building. I said this would be a good place for a jazz club. My first artist was a blues guy,
Piney Brown.”  “Piney was known in Dayton but actually he had a top ten record in the nation,” Stone said.  “Actually Piney helped construct that stage he performed on.  He was also instrumental in bringing my first jazz guy, (vibraphonist) Johnny Lytle. Johnny, in turn, introduced me to a lot of people who eventually played the club.
     Throughout the years, Jazz Central has been well-stocked with notable musicians
such as “Brother” Jack McDuff, Richard “Groove” Holmes, Albert Collins, Rusty
Bryant, Hank Marr and many others.  “I had to stop Rusty from talking and get him to playing when he was here,”  Stone said. “This was in the heyday of jazz when jazz was kickin.”  I had calls from all kinds of folks; some I stayed away from because you can’t just jump out there like that.”  Stone, a huge man with shaved head and a deep, sonorous voice, bemoaned the decline of jazz in the city.
     “Jazz is not king anymore,” he said. “But we still draw good. We have jazz, we have smooth jazz, we have promotional groups that come in once a month and also the Dayton Blues Society uses our place. They really pack it out.”
     Currently ensconced at Jazz Central every Sunday is a house band consisting of Kenny Baccus on organ and Greg Webster on drums.  The host and MC is John Hampton
Wagner, who sings and plays trumpet. Wagner described a typical night at Jazz Central’s Sunday night jam session.
     “Usually, on a typical night, me and Kenny and (conga drummer) Cliff Darrett will do a couple of songs and then we invite people to sit in,” Wagner said.  “Usually someone will pass a note to me to let me know who is out there and what instrument they play.
     “People usually check in with me to sit in. It’s not proper etiquette to just walk in and play.  We had one kid from UD who just walked in, pulled out his horn and started blowing.  He had no regard for protocol. He just started blowing.  I had to holler at him. I had to cool him out.  Another time some gal came in and said she wanted to sing. I asked her what song and she said ‘I’m just gonna scat.’ Afterward she asked me ‘How did I
do?’ I gave her three words of advice: Learn a song!”
     For Stone, the biggest job now is to get the word out about his club, which is clustered in a residential area of East Dayton -not considered a prime location for a jazz venue.
     “I believe a lot of people know about the club,” Stone explained. “But you have to  give them what they want.  If it’s not what they want, then…. Take for instance Saturday night (In March 2012). We were packed.  If you’re giving them what they want, they will come out.  But there are definitely obstacles to being a minority business.  Sometimes my ice just ain’t cold enough (chuckles).  My mother told me that! She said don’t look down. Keep going forward.”
The one thing Stone said he valued most during his trek through the iffy business of jazz is loyalty.
     “John Hampton Wagner has been with me almost fifteen years,” he said. “He’s always
there.  He’s a very loyal guy.  I’ve seen a lot of them who thought they were going somewhere but never did.  You see a lot of that.  I would have to say that (organist) Lincoln Berry is the most loyal entertainer that I’ve ever encountered.  He never wavered. He eventually moved to Minnesota but he still comes back here once a year to play. He packs them in.”
     Stone’s radio program, called Jazz Beat, is broadcast on WDPS-FM, Mondays at one
o’clock.
     “At the station, they call me the Iceman,” Stone said. “I forget who put that on me.  But it stuck.”
     Iceman, business man, jazz man; Butch Stone is in it for the long haul.  Jazz Central is located at 2931 East Third Street. For show schedule and details visit: www.jazzcentraldayton.com

Contact DCP freelance writer Khalid Moss at
KhalidMoss@DaytonCityPaper.com

Sunday, June 24, 2012

The jazz band camp as promised!

The band camp finale kicked off with four jazz drummers [Drum Mania] under the direction of Slammin' Sammy K (and Jim Leslie during the camp). Sarah Dabe, Kelly Edsall, Evan Danielson and a drummer to be named in the next jazz drummer trade, played some coordinated drum beats/riffs and got the crowd going. Next up was the Bill Burns Big Band (THE Band) playing A Sackful of Soul by Roland Kirk and Memphis Underground by Herbie Mann. Bill Burns was off earning his keep so Hal Melia directed the band and they sounded like the week had paid off. Next was the Dan Nicora & Hal Melia Big Band [Jazz Dispenser, a.k.a. Jaz -re Pez- Dispenser]. This group played Freddie Freeloader by Miles Davis, Blue Bossa by Kenny Dorham & Moanin' by Bobby Timmons - my vote for outstanding soloist was Owen Berg on guitar. He is a 7th grader. Then came a band that called themselves the Groove Dispenser under the direction of Alyssa Mehnert (not Maynard) and they played Impression by John Coltrane, St. Thomas by Sonny Rollins and Cold Duck Time by Eddie Harris, all three very credibly performed. Last but not least, the jazz band campers were getting more experienced and the music was sounding more sophisticated, The Big Band Theory under the direction of Scott Belck played Things Ain't What They Used to Be, Such Sweet Thunder by Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn - an excellent choice, and Spain by Chic Corea which was very well done (and got the crowd involved in the hand clapping sequences). Natalie Semsel gets my vote for soloist of the night on clarinet in Things Ain't What They Used to Be. Andy Kemer was also impressive on his trumpet solo on Such Sweet Thunder. I have not been able to catch the band camp finale for several years and this one was worth catching. Keep up the good work campers and you band camp instructors. Great job!

Friday, June 22, 2012

Jim "jazz guitar" Smith & band camp finale!

I did see a few of you there tonight at the Miami Valley Jazz Band Camp grand finale. It is always enjoyable to see how the new generation of jazz musicians and jazz fans are doing. But first I must make a correction to my Stubbs Park Wednesday evening performance comments. As I walked into the auditorium tonight, one of the first people that I saw in the audience was jazz guitar aficionado Jim Smith. Jim was also in the audience last night at the DJO performance BUT he was also in the final performances by the smaller group of band camp teachers, playing his usual wonderful guitar. Somehow I omitted his name, even have it written down in my notes, but as soon as he offered me a seat and I sat down beside him a HUGE light bulb came on in my mind - oops, I left Jim Smith off the performance list. My apologies Jim and thank you for your hospitality and the conversation this evening. Glad to hear that the jazz program at Central State is alive and well. There will be more on the Jazz Camp finale to follow...

2012 Jazz camp & DJO

The Miami Valley Jazz Camp and The Dayton Jazz Orchestra are doing their thing again this year. And Thanks to Jim Leslie, jazz drummer extraordinaire, I was there Wednesday night to hear it. Called Jim about another matter, Jim mentioned Wednesday night, I took the bait and ran with it - what a night. The evening kicked off with a group of band campers that were testing their chops and demonstrating what they had been working on all week. They were well received by the crowd, a pretty sizable crowd too, given the 90 degree temperatures. The jazz camp teacher version of the DJO was Brian Cashwell on piano (you can find him most Monday nights at Brio's ... with the trio), Dan Nicora (ts), Jeff Spurlock (as), Hal Melia (as), Josh Adkin (as) and Bill Burns (bari-sax). The second row consisted of either Jim Leslie or Slammin' Sammy K on drums, Tom Billing (trombone), Vaughn Weister (trombone), Alyssa Maynard (trombone) & Todd Couch (trombone). Third row was made up of Chris Berg (b) [another of the trio at Brio's], Brian West (t), Dave Halpin (t), Bill Dixon (t) & Al Parr(t)..... an all start cast for sure. Since moderator, jokester, musician and jazz enthusiast Hal Melia was so great about announcing each tune I will let you in on what you missed if you were not in attendance; Begin the Begine featuring Scott Belck and Josh Adkin (oh yeah, neglected to mention that Scott Belck wowed the crowd as well with some great solos), Nancy with the Laughing Face featuring Dan Nicora, Emily featuring Vaughn Weister, Sweet Georgia Brown featuring the entire band doing some great ensemble work with some room for Al Parr, Bill Burns and Jeff Spurlock to stretch out on some solos, Time After Time featuring Alyssa Maynard and Chris Berg, Where or When featuring Bill Burns on bari-sax and then finally Stella by Starlight featuring Hal Melia on alto sax. The crowd was thrilled throughout with the usual memorable performances. But that was not all - then we were treated to some small group interpretations featuring Jim Leslie on drums, Chris Berg on bass, Brian Cashwell on piano, Alyssa Maynard on trombone, Hal Melia on alto sax and flute & Scott Belck on trumpet. Sammy K jumped in for a song as well. The group played an Alyssa Maynard arrangement entitled Blue Freeze then a Scott Belck composition entitled Pot Kettle Black and ended with Hal Melia on flute playing Its You or No One. A great night of music and band camp finale is Friday night, hey, that's tonight - see you there!!

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Who is Eddie Brookshire?



From Jack Novotny: "Through the grace and interest of Jerry Giloti, proprietor of "Gilly's" Jazz Club in Dayton, OH he has helped "The Eddie Brookshire Quintet" gain exposure in becoming a regional voice. The ensemble plays regularly in Pittsburgh, PA and has had visits in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, and Lexington."

How long have I known Eddie Brookshire?
     My memory is not what it once was and I really can't say, all I know is he has always been there during the years I've been doing Jazz Advocate.  I have seen Eddie perform with many groups, ranging from Rick Evans' Masters of Jazz to the Sinclair College Jazz Ensemble.  I have seen the Eddie Brookshire Big Band, featuring wife Brenda Flowers at numerous locations including Gilly's and RiverScape.  These days you'll be most likely to see him with his quintet, which after going through some changes on piano and drums, has developed into one of the great groups from Dayton.
The Eddie Brookshire Quintes performs the Grand Opening
at the Thompson House in Newport, Ky

     Eddie was born in Carthage, Miss. and moved to Dayton Ohio at age 6. Originally a Clarinet player, while in the US Army taught himself Electric Bass, first toured and recorded with Piney Brown's Blues Band, then with the Coasters. He formed the fusion band The Casual Society, and soon joined Rusty Bryant, recording Friday Night Funk with him in 1970. After Acoustic Bass studies with Larry Gales, he joined James Newton's jazz group. Later, he attended Central State University and organized the University's Big band, and played in award wining jazz combos and Ethnic Ensembles in addition to numerous musicianship awards at jazz festivals. Eddie, listed in Who's Who in colleges, attended Northern Ill. for grad studies in World Music, where he studied bass with Larry Grey and Steel Drums with Cliff Alexis. He was a member of the Down Beat award winning symphonic orchestra, won more musicianship awards and ran jazz combos for the university.
     Throughout and upon completing college he traveled with Vibe player Johnny Lytle and backed up Little Jimmy Scott, worked in the bands of Elvin Jones, Norris Turney, Booty Wood, Sandra Reeves- Phillips, Buddy Webb, Cal Collins, Pherez Whitted, Karl Allen, Little Johnny Taylor, Lowell Folson, Bill Holman, Bob Curnow, Maria Schneider, Claude Williams, Snokie Young, Von Freeman, Jimmy Wilkins, Earl Warren, John Carter, Billy Harper, Benny Maupin, Jimmy Owens, Nathan Davis, Woody Shaw, Slide Hampton, Gerri Allen, Jay McShan, Roy Ayers, Wilbert Longmire, David Fathead Newman and Azar Lawrence. Eddie is a former Member of Kishwaukee Comm. Symphony Orchestra, present member of AAJC-IAJE Big Band, listed in The United States Achievement Academy College Directory (86-87), NAFEO award for excellent performance (Acoustic Bass) recipient of The Presser Foundation Award (Academic 1986-87). He currently teaches at Sinclair Comm. College, (Bass, Improv, and Jazz Combo) and the University of Dayton, (Bass, Jazz Combos). 
     He is a Member of A.F.M. Union 101-473 Executive Board, and along with his Quintet he also leads The Eddie Brookshire Big Band.


Riverscape MetroPark  2012 Music Series:
Saturday, June 2           Eddie Brookshire Quintet - 7:30 to 9:30pm
Saturday, June 9           Cla've Son - 7:30 to 9:30pm
Saturday, July 7            Dave Greer's Classic Jazz Stompers - 7:30 to 9:30pm
Saturday, July 14          Tropicoso - 7:30 to 9:30pm
Saturday, August 4       Deron Bell Jazz Band    - 7:30 to 9:30pm
Saturday, August 11     Son del Caribe - 7:30 to 9:30pm

Riverscape MetroPark  2012 Big Band Series:
Thursday, July 5           Hal Harris Orchestra -  7:30 to 9:30pm
Thursday, July 12         Dayton Jazz Orchestra - 7:30 to 9:30pm
Thursday, July 19         Tom Daugherty - Tommy Dorsey Tribute - 7:30 to 9:30pm
Thursday, July 26         Dayton Swing Era Big Band - 7:30 to 9:30pm
Thursday, August 2       Joe Aceto and his Orchestra - 7:30 to 9:30pm
Thursday, August 9       Pam Noah and Her Big Band - 7:30 to 9:30pm
Thursday, August 16     Jack Garrett & the Syndicate Orchestra - 7:30 to 9:30pm
Thursday, August 23     Bob Gray Orchestra - 7:30 to 9:30pm
Thursday, August 30     Kim Kelly Orchestra - 7:30 to 9:30pm


Sunday, May 27, 2012

Who is Greg Abate?

     It occurs to me that many people in our area, due to the lack of media coverage, may not know who some of the better jazz artists who perform locally on a regular basis.  In an attempt to rectify this shortcoming I'll be sending out newsletters from time to time featuring a different jazz performer.  Please note the flyers included in this message are recent events by Greg (not upcoming events) to enhance my story.





















How long have I known Greg Abate?
     My memory is not what it once was but I'm fairly certain that I've known Greg just about as long as I've been advocating jazz in our area.  He is the man that I always contribute as having instilled in me an appreciation of hard bop jazz.  He is credited by many as a force that refuses to let hard driving bebop die, don't let that fool you, while he loves to play bebop, I've heard him play a ballad like Angle Eyes on flute so sweetly it will make your eyes water. 
     Mr. Abate is a bonafide international jazz star that comes through our area twice a year, spring and fall, like clockwork.  He is one of the hardest working musicians that I know who spends around 150 days a year touring the globe.  After finishing a four year program at Berklee College of Music back in the seventies, Greg played lead alto for the Ray Charles Orchestra for 2 years.   He played with the revived Artie Shaw Orchestra under leadership of Dick Johnson in the eighties and went on as a soloist playing Jazz Festivals, Jazz Societies and Jazz Clubs throughout the U.S. Canada and abroad, including most of Europe, UK, and Moscow and Georgia Russia.  He has recorded over twelve albums, one of which was nominated for a Grammy in four categories.
     Greg Abate is a jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer, an International Jazz/Recording artist, an adjunct professor of Jazz Studies at Rhode Island College and is also a very active jazz clinician with company sponsorship from the Conn -Selmer Instruments.  In addition to conducting workshops and master classes through the U.S and abroad.
     Usually when he visits our area he will stay with his long time friend, local drummer, Lee McKinney, who is a wizard of bringing small high quality jazz groups together.  In recent times the Dayton area, formation has been Greg on various saxophones and flute, Lee on drums, Randy Villars on keyboard and Phil Bowden on bass.  In Cincinnati, his last time through, he played with Phil DeGreg on piano, Art Gore on drums and Jim Anderson on bass.  I have never seen him perform with his own trio, quartet or quintet that he records with but I do seem to recall him having done so at Night Town in Cleveland Heights.  Of course the reason is money; it cost to bring your own group along.  Over the years I have come to appreciate his performing with our local backup players because I know they are every bit as good as anyone he would bring in.  I'm not unique, my wife and most of our friends always make it a point to catch his events and his audience continues to grow.  He's just too good to miss, he gets better every performance, and he has as the say has developed a unique voice.   
     I'm looking forward to next September.



Swing & Ballroom Dancers Take Note!

     Ronald Hartwell is one of the hardest working musicians I know, every Wednesday night his Lizz & Rex Review host a dance on the east side of Dayton near the corner of Woodman and Linden.  On the 1st, 2nd and 4th Wednesdays the Lizz & Rex Quartet provides the music. $5 in advance $7 at the door.  On the 3rd Wednesday of each month he has an 11 piece "Pocket Big Band" in to perform and on select 5th Wednesdays of the month he has an 18 piece Big Band performing. $10 in advance $12 at the door.



































     Every Friday he conducts a jazz lab band work shop from 10:30 to Noon at the Earl Heck Community Center 201 N. Main Street in Englewood, Ohio.
     On the second Thursday of each month he presents the Retrospect Jazz Quartet at Jazz Central 2931 E. 3rd. Street doing Post-Modern Be-Bop and Neo-Classical swing along with Grant Koeller, Brad Mellen, and Elizabeth Lizi Hayes on vocals.



Jazz is dead?
     Who ever told you that lied!  Jazz is not only alive but is constantly growing and moving forward.  As proof to my statement, I offer, from personal observations.  My recent attendance at: Stivers School for the Arts fundraiser to go to the New York Jazz Festival.  The Beavercreek High School Weekend of Jazz Festival and tonight in Fairborn, Ohio; The Fairborn High School Jazz Band spring fundraiser concert.  All of these events were well attended and all the young players were outstanding and really into it.  I have to admit that as a commercial product jazz has its ups and downs but as an art form it continues at a remarkable pace.  Speaking of remarkable, tonight's performance at Fairborn's United Methodist Church was a packed house.  The way the High School Jazz Band and the Jazz Improvisation Ensemble played is a tribute to Mr. Gorretta, Mrs. Gorretta and Mr. Sparling!  In addition to pull of an event of the size and successful outcome is a tribute to the businesses and community who supported it. Well done!

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Kevin Dumont returns to Jazz Central

It has been over a decade since I became a regular at Jazz Central out on East Third.I have jazz aficionado Conrad Jessee to thank for getting that started although we started attending a Saturday night blues night after which we discovered there was a jazz jam on Sunday nights and we haven't looked back. You may be familiar with Conrad Jessee as the Modern Big Band Jazz host on WDPS, until recently a show broadcast from 2:00 until 3:00 on Wednesday afternoons. Health has caused him to take a hiatus but hopefully he will be back soon. And speaking of WDPS, I will shamelessly plug my own show, Be Bop and More which broadcasts on Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. - it is 89.5 FM on your radio dial from about 9:00 to 4:30 M-F and broadcast at http://wdpsfm.com 24/7. I digress. The reason for these words of musical notes from the field is the return of Kevin Dumont to Jazz Central. Kevin was playing there as a high school student when I first started attend the jazz jam at Jazz Central. In fact there were a number of high school students playing on Sunday nights. All have moved on to bigger and better things. But back to Kevin. Kevin always had a stage presence and not only that, he organized musicians on the stage to make the jazz jam even better, solis, fills, comps, etc. - always interested in making the jazz experience better. But he too took off for bigger and better things and while he has stopped in to Jazz Central upon rare occasion since leaving, it has been some time since he has graced the stage with his wonderful tenor sax playing. On Wednesday, 3-28-12, he came back with his blues combo, an excellent guitar player, a nearly perfect drummer which turns out I had heard at least one time before backing Kenny Baccus when Ron Gable and Jazz Advocate were promoting jazz through the Lady Day series and an electric keyboard player. While the music was very LOUD, the guitar player was quite accomplished but then I came to hear Kevin. My goal was realized beyond my expectations when King Koeller showed up and joined Kevin Dumont on the stage. I know for a fact that these two sax players had never met but the two songs they did you would have thought they had been practicing for a very long time. What a great musical interpretation of the two songs they played, Sugar was the one I was the most familiar with. We hear that at the Jazz Central jazz jams on Sunday night from time-to-time. It was simply fantastic. Kevin was one of my favorite sax players from the past, even as a high school student, and King is one of my favorite sax players from Jazz Central present. I am hoping that Jazz Central past in Kevin and Jazz Central present in King can join together and help make Jazz Central future a very enjoyable and long lasting experience. Let's hear another 30 years. Thank you Ron Gable of Jazz Advocate and Butch Stone, owner of Jazz Central, for making these moments possible.
Eric Scott, George Furman, Kevin Dumont and Kelly Mcdole

Jazz Central Cookin' Again

If you read this even occasionally you are aware that I spend most Sunday nights down at Jazz Central out on East Third Street. This past Sunday everything was hitting on all cylinders. Man-oh-man what a night at Jazz Central. When I got there Mike Pilkington was wailing on his alto sax and guitarist Jeff Slinker seemed to be carrying the tune being played. When I joined the crowd in the big room I also saw Kenny Baccus on B3 (of course), Henry Miles Preston on drums, Ron Applebury on electric bass, Cliff Darrett on Latin percussions and congas and Ahmed Muhammad down front on congas and the Master of Ceremonies himself, John Hampton Wagner. They were really cookin'. As the evening progressed the band was joined by another regular, who has not been quite as regular lately so it was good to see him, Rodderick Wilson on trumpet. Everything was clicking, they were jammin' on jazz tunes and the crowd was feelin' it. Then to top things off, Grant "King" Koeller showed up and raised the bar. Ishmael Mohammad was in the audience as well but he came to listen rather than play drums. Here was the most interesting part, King Koeller showed up with a baritone sax AND there was a trombone player in the house, combinations we have not seen at Jazz Central in many a year. What a treat! And not only that but everybody was playing off everybody else and creating quite the magical night. Someone in the audience kept yelling for Chameleon (given the bari-sax) and the band lit it up. Koeller did eventually switch back to his usual axe on the tenor sax but nothing was lost in the transition. I often say the last hour is the best hour but this night the entire night was a good one with the last hour over the top. Thanks to the jazz jammers and thanks to Butch Stone for keeping jazz central available for live jazz to continue in the Dayton area.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The Beavercreek Weekend of Jazz (WOJ), 2012

The Beavercreek Weekend of Jazz (WOJ), 2012

Saturday of the WOJ is one of my favorite days of the year. Where else can you hear so many high school jazz bands performing all day long. I love jazz but I love to hear all the musical talent in area schools. And I was able to attend the entire day again this year. Here is who played.

Centerville

Under the direction of Josh Baker The Centerville High School Jazz Ensemble kicked off with a Bob Curnow Big Band composition, Slideshow. This was definitely a big band sound, five trombones, one solo after another and a nice sax soli. Then a Tito Puente piece, Ran Kan Kan, with a full drum set and full percussion set. The drums and percussion trade offs were attention grabbing. There was also good horn punctuation and the entire song had great Puente-like percussion sounds. Next up was one of my favorites, Fables of Faubus by Charles Mingus, with a bari –sax solo kick off backed up by two bass trombones, very well done and very enjoyable. The final selection was the band’s best, short but powerful, Won’t You Come Home Bill Bailey! I can’t even remember the last time I heard that song. The percussionist moved to the drums and there was a very nice sax soli kick off. It was very up-tempo and a great piece on which to finish.

Kettering

Under the direction of Dan Nicora (of Dayton Jazz Orchestra fame), The Kettering Fairmont High School Jazz Ensemble I was Big Band all the way! They started off with Duke Ellington’s Cottontail which included a good sax solo followed by a good guitar solo. It also included a well played sax soli. Next up was Groove Blues which was hard hitting from the very 1st note. And the band was definitely in a groove plus they were forceful when needed and subtle when needed. There was a strong trombone solo and even a bari-sax solo. The final selection was a Tower of Power tune entitled What is Hip? The drummer had a Big Band Sound that drove the band. There were two sax soloists who traded back and forth – very good! All I could say was wow!!

Centerville Jazz Ensemble II

Under the direction of Michael Voytek, The Centerville Jazz Ensemble II started off with a female vocalist on A Foggy Day (in London Town). She turned into a sax player on the next tune which was a Latin song entitled Juan of These Days. This was a very strong performance with a Big Band Sound and the drummer kept the beat going throughout. The last song was Another Excuse to Play the Blues and this selection had a Big Band Sound from the very 1st note. The song included nice trombone and sax solis. There were solos to go around but the drummer drove the performance.

Deer Park

Under the direction of Joe Vetter the Deer Park High School Jazz Band started things off with a tune entitled Go Ask Your Mother. Hit by a flu bug the band was only 12 musicians strong, small but mighty! Next up was a Thad Jones composition, Ah- That’s Freedom. The band had both strong and subtle punctuation throughout, helped by a jazz pro fill in on piano. A female drummer stood out on the first two tunes. There was a drummer switch for the next selection, After Sunset. An alto sax player carried the song throughout with a beautifully played subtle solo. The final selection was Herbie Hancock’s Chameleon. A female bass trombone player kicked things off and carried the song with strong help from her other three trombone mates. One of the fellows played a very confident solo that was followed by a well played electric bass solo.

Centerville

Under the direction of Bill Burns (also of Dayton Jazz Orchestra fame), the 32 piece Centerville High School Jazz Band III kicked off with a tribute to the birth of Glenn Miller with his song, A String of Pearls, and though perhaps a tentative start, Bill Burns had them up to speed quickly. Next up was Duke Ellington’s Mood Indigo. Possibly the smallest drummer I have ever seen rode the cymbals just right throughout the entire song. This was an ambitious selection and included an eleven piece sax soli very well executed. But the next tune took the cake, Count Basie’s April in Paris (don’t give them anything simple to do Bill) – the band did a great job on this one and when they hit the notes for the line “April in Paris” I can tell you that Count Basie would have been proud. The last selection, Street Beat, was a swingin’ funky tune with a number of soloists, five of which were sax players – Bill Burns is a sax player after all – but it also had a memorable guitar solo and even a clarinet solo! I would also mention this band had 2 guitars and a French horn – Bill Burns is a magician!

Lakota

Under the direction of Todd Hartman, The Lakota East High School 8 O’clock Jazz Ensemble had a Big Band Sound beyond their chronological age, kicking off their performance by playing a Thad Jones piece, Low Down. It was a short piece but very well done. Next was Sammy Nestico’s Katie, a toned down pace with nice drum brush work. The song also included a nice alto sax and muted trumpet solos. Next up was Straighten Up and Fly Right with a female vocalist. It was a very credible version of a Nat King Cole classic. The final tune was John Coltrane’s Naima which featured very nice tenor sax work by Merrick Morgan and a guitar solo done very well but played in a style that was closer to a rock guitar solo than a jazz guitar solo.

Kings

Under the direction of Joe Polen, the Kings High School Jazz Band started things off with Cole Porter’s I Get A Kick Out of You. A female bass player was an integral part of a Big Band Sound. This was followed by the jazz standard, Speak Low. Maggie Vetter had what turned out to be the best solo of the day as she was featured on trombone, very nice. Their third song was one of my favorite jazz tunes, written by one of my favorite composers (Bobby Timmons) and made famous by one of my favorite jazz groups in Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers. Director Polen added it to the repertoire as a reward to the band getting up to speed just in time for WOJ. The band performed wonderfully and did not miss a note. They finished with the challenging La Suerte De Los Tentos, a Stan Kenton classic. The song included very fitting percussion and a nice tenor sax solo. This band did very, very well on all four of their selections.

Miami East

Under the direction of Jeffrey Smith, the Miami East High School Jazz Band kicked things off with a great Cannonball Adderley tune, Sack of Woe. I don’t believe I have ever heard this a big band version of this song and they did a credible job with their female drummer helping them to big finish. Next was an original ballad entitled Matter of Time, which put me in mind of the jazz classic, Satin Doll, and it was challenging in its subtleties. The 3rd selection was the Jobim classic, The Girl from Ipanema, played with a slow tempo and a very nice tenor sax solo. Last up was the up tempo Count Basie tune, Jumpin’ at the Woodside and the band did a nice job of walkin’ the step downs. This song gave the female drummer a chance to show her chops with a nice bari-sax solo and another big finish.

Magsig

Under the direction of Tom Pompei (formerly the big band drummer for the Dayton Jazz Orchestra), the 27 piece Magsig Middle School Jazz Ensemble started things off with One for the Mooch. The band included 4 vibes players (only in a percussionist directed band), a violin and I believe a Euphonium and this song even had a bari-sax solo but the piano really helped carry the song. Next was Steep & Deep with a very catchy Latin beat, flute solo, violin solo and Euphonium solo. The final selection was a Chuck Mangione tune entitled Fun and Games and the drummer who had played so well earlier was now on vibes. As I had kept waiting to hear Director Pompei cut lose a solo from one of his drummers, it turned out that the vibes solo was used instead. Hyemin Kim did a great job on both drums and vibes. While the music stands were almost taller than the guitar player and a trumpet player, it did not keep them from having a Big Band Sound.

Kings Jr High

Under the direction of Joe Polen The Kings Junior High School Jazz Band kicked things off with Moten Swing. The band did a credible job with a swing classic. Next up, another classic in Comin’ Home Baby which included a nice tenor sax solo. The band was really tight on the next selection, Connecting with the Blues, which included a trade off between tenor sax and bari-sax very well done. Director Polen introduced the final tune as based on a world famous samba brought to his attention, La Negra Tiene Tumbab. The band did a nice job on this song as well.

Unfortunately, apparently illness struck the Lebanon Junior High School Jazz Band bad enough that they were not able to field a band so next up was a Beavercreek band. However, up to this point in the various band performances there had been back lighting throughout the auditorium sufficient to take notes about each band performance but inexplicably, suddenly the auditorium was pitch black and note taking was not possible. Much more could have been noted about the next two bands but notes were not possible.

Beavercreek

The Beavercreek High School Jazz Ensemble Two began in a highly unusual way, after being introduced there was little or no activity as the house lights went to dark. Then a female percussionist came out and sat down on stage with a drum and began a slow tempo, then stage right a trumpet player suddenly appeared in the back of the auditorium slowly advancing towards the stage playing slowly as well, then a trombone player entered suddenly from the opposite side of the auditorium slowly advancing towards the stage and playing slowly also. Then finally a sax player entered the auditorium and all three converged onto the stage and the drummer as the band filed in from offstage to take their seats. The first song was entitled Street Music. This was followed by a Lennie Niehaus composition, A Hint of Mint. The lone female drummer from the band entrance now played a vibes solo. Billie Holiday’s God Bless the Child was up next and trombone player Rob Aga did a very nice job fronting the band as he was featured on this tune. The final selection was Black Pearls and included an acoustic/classical guitar intro and a flute solo. The band was under the direction of Michael Bisig.

Thought with the unusualness of the previous performance that maybe the house lights being brought down to pitch dark had to do with a desired effect for the performance but unfortunately the house lights were brought down to pitch black for the next performance as well.

Lakota

Under the direction of Todd Hartman the Lakota West High School Jazz Ensemble started things off with John Coltrane’s Blue Trane. The performance was very tight and well done. This was followed by the band backing a female vocalist singing George Gershwin’s Someone to Watch Over Me. Duke Ellington’s Harlem Airshaft was up next with some well executed tenor sax trade offs. The final selection was a Thad Jones tune entitled Us. This performance contained a nice tenor sax solo and a clarinet solo. Maybe the clarinet is working its way back into big band jazz. I say hurray!

Edgewood

The pleasant surprise of the day for me was the Edgewood High School Jazz Ensemble I under the direction of Jon Arnold. I do not believe I had heard this band before and they were up to the task at hand throughout all three of their selections. First up was the Blood, Sweat and Tears tune entitled Lucretia Mac Evil. There was an excellent guitar solo by Adam Hacker which was more rock than jazz just like the previous guitar solo but in this case it fit the song very well as it was a rock hit from the 60s. With a sharp change in song selection, next up was Glenn Miller’s Moonlight Serenade. Jacob Hill was featured on clarinet throughout this performance. Last was Louis Prima’s Sing, Sing, Sing with the necessary excellent drums throughout and a well placed clarinet solo. The song was very well done and had a great brass ending. Hear, hear for the clarinet!

Xenia

Under the direction of former Stan Kenton lead trumpeter (and still of Dayton Jazz Orchestra fame) John Harner, the Xenia High School Jazz Ensemble kicked things off with something from the Buddy Rich book since The Buddy Rich Big Band was scheduled to play later than night. Groovin’ Hard had a great big band sound with a six saxophone soli and definitely a big band drummer. Next up was two female vocalists singing A Whole New World from the animated feature, Aladdin. This was followed by the Thelonious Monk tune, Round Midnight. There was an excellent trombone featured in this song by Alex McCoy and even after a three hour youth orchestra rehearsal he still had chops, possibly the best solo of the day. Interesting that the two best solos of the entire day were on trombone. The final selection was Whatever it Takes, and they busted out a Big Band Sound with big band drums, a cow bell with a driving beat and good ensemble work. The trombone and guitar solos were also very well done.

Lebanon High School Jazz Band

Under the direction of David Ianelli, The Lebanon High School Jazz Band kicked things off with the Dave Brubeck classic, Blue Rhondo a la Turk (strained my brain trying to remember the name of this tune that I readily recognized since there were no selection entries in the program for Lebanon). The band was tight with a Big Band Sound and with Rob Hodge and Trevor Able providing nice alto sax solos. Harrison Miller played some well timed drums and the vibes fit very well into the performance. The next song was Berceuse (Spanish for Lullaby) for Mallory played partially in 10/8 time. This was a beautiful song with good ensemble work which picked up the tempo with a couple of sax solos followed by a guitar solo. Next up was Queen Bee, really putting me in mind of Satin Doll. Their final selection was After You’ve Gone which had a very full Big Band Sound with confident guitar solos and very nice vibes work.

Lakota

Under the direction of Todd Hartman, the Lakota East High School Eastside Jazz Ensemble jumped into their performance with Duke Ellington’s Braggin’ in Brass with staccato muted trumpet and trombone followed by a staccato trumpet solo, followed by a staccato trombone and then a trumpet solo again. The next selection was Dizzy Gillespie’s A Night in Tunisia which interestingly enough included a female vocalist doing a slow melodic scat followed by a trombone solo, a trumpet solo, a tenor sax solo and finally a guitar solo and the female vocalist helped finish out the song. Ellington’s Tutti for Cootie [no doubt for long time Ellington trumpet player Cootie Williams] followed with excellent ensemble work and trumpet trade offs between Brendan Todahl and Michael Dudley. The final tune was Maria Schneider’s Bird Count, a rather frantic dissonant piece with another excellent Brendan Todahl trumpet solo. Brendan stood above most of the other trumpet soloists of the day. Three bands directed by Todd Hartman throughout the day and all three were on top of their game.

Troy

Under the direction of Brian Wissman, The Troy High School Jazz II band was up next. Unfortunately I missed their first two offerings, Just A Closer Walk with Thee and Short Circuit (actually I was back stage and while the band sounded good I was not honed in on specific aspects of the first two songs). The band was very tight on Come in From the Rain and blew out a Big Band Sound on their final selection, a Weekend of Jazz favorite, Area 51, which had good trumpet ensemble work.

Under the direction of Katherine McIntosh was the Troy High School Jazz I band who kicked things off with a Miles Davis classic, Four which contained a good trumpet solo and a good Big Band Sound. This was followed by Nat King Cole’s Straighten Up and Fly Right with a female vocalist who had some fun with the song and she was helped along by a good trumpet solo and good guitar backup all through the song. The third great selection was Moten Swing which really did swing, contained a good trumpet solo and built to a big finish. It was a great big band tune. Then going four for four, the last selection was a fun tune and had a great Big Band Sound, Dizzy Gillespie’s Oop Bop Sh’Bam – lot’s of fun and great big band musicianship.

Beavercreek

Under the direction of Doug McCullough, the host band Beavercreek High School Jazz Ensemble One kicked off the final portion of the day long high school band performances with Fly Me to the Moon, a well known jazz classic in this case arranged by Sammy Nestico, what a great full Big Band Sound. Up next was a song dedicated to the baritone saxophone, some might say appropriately entitled Honk and as might be expected, it was kicked off by a bari-sax solo. The song also contained an excellent tenor sax solo. Next up was a nice and easy piece entitled Carla. The piano solo by Clement Lu was not exactly a soft solo as the might have been expected with the way the entire band was playing but was very deliberate with punctuated notes, very well done, very interesting. The last, but most certainly not least (one must throw in a cliché now and then), song was entitled Celtic Aire, with ensemble work which put me in mind of a Gregorian chant as it started off with an alto sax Celtic-like solo. The remainder of the song did sound very Irish in nature with tempo changes and another sax (tenor) solo and building to a crescendo ending. I might just have to give this band the best performance of the day award. A fitting ending to a great day of high school big band jazz performances. Thank you Beavercreek for hosting the annual Weekend of Jazz and thanks for such a great performance to end the day.


But wait, there was one more treat in store. Sylvan Station came back to the stage (as quickly as they could change the stage around) and played four more songs to really did end the day in jazz. Since I did not get to attend the Friday night concert it was an unexpected very pleasant surprise. I dare say they knocked it out of the ball park. They played selections from their Grammy nominated recording Here in America, one selection that has gone viral on the internet was Free the Toronto Nine – naturally you can check it out on the internet. Another Grammy nominated tune was an original tune written by the keyboard player (believe that was entitled Song for M) which was a duet with the soprano saxophonist, quite moving. But the one that made the biggest impression on me was a trumpet duel which pretty much sounded like Arturo Sandoval dueling Maynard Ferguson, paint was pealing off the walls in this battle. Beavercreek Band Director Doug McCullough, who is a fantastic drummer in his own right, was a guest percussionist with Sylvan Street. What a great surprise ending to a fantastic day of jazz!!

Friday, January 6, 2012

Jazz Afternoons & Dance Evenings at Club Vault

Tom Downs, Grant Koeller, Lizi Hayes & Ronald Hartwell are just some of the featured artist at Dayton Vault every Thursday. Jazz set 4:00 to 7:00pm followed by Swing, Latin & Ballroom Dancing from 7:30 to 11ish

Perfect Thursdays at Club Vault Jazz set from 4:00 to 7:00.
Perfect: Jazz set from 4:00 to 7:00 featuring Elizabeth Hayes.
Perfect: Great food by Chef Jim
Perfect: Swing, Latin & Ballroom Dancing from 7:30 to 11ish
Perfect: Perfect Vodka specials.
Even Better: No cost dance lesson between 7:00 & 7:30
Happy hour cover $2 4:00 to 7:00
Dance cover $5 7:00 to 11ish

Start off your Perfect Thursday with jazz sets featuring Elizabeth Hayes on voice. Elizabeth is a major vocal talent, and we are very fortunate to have her in Dayton. She has been critically acclaimed and compared favorably to Nora Jones, Stacey Kent, Diana Krall and Peggy Lee. The City paper says, "Her voice is as clear and a bell (yet) wraps you in sound like a warm blanket." Make sure to look for her CD, Touche on Amazon, iTunes or CDBaby, and become a part of history as the Vault provides Liz a home base to expand to the next level. Plan to come now so you will be able to say "I new her when ..."
Samples found at www.Different-Hats.net

While you are enjoying one of the great cocktails from Club Vault make sure that you sample Chef Jim Shipley's incredible food offerings. Chef Jim pairs food and beverage combinations that are wonderful! His menus cover the top food palettes from around the globe. Make sure that you keep track as we offer a passport to taste sensations that are worth the trip to the Vault. - Perfect

For all of you who say "I don't know how to dance", we have a no cost dance lesson between 7:00 to 7:30. Our dance instructors are so good that if you can walk on to the floor, they can teach you to dance. - Perfect

The dancing starts up at 7:30. We feature social dancing so bring a partner or not. We love to share dance steps and talk about dance. We feature mainly Swing and Latin dancing. Dances styles include Swing, Jive, Jump, Blues, Tango, Bossa Nova, Cha Cha Cha, Rhumba, Bolero, Samba along with the occasional Waltz or Tango. Make sure to come and learn some new steps and meet new people or make is a great night out with all your dancing friends.

40th Annual Lakeland Jazz Festival


For Immediate Release
January 5, 2011

40th Annual Lakeland Jazz Festival
February 24 - February 26, 2012
Featuring the Yellowjackets, Dave Morgan's "The Way of the Slyman",
Big Band Matinee, and College and High School Invitational
Lakeland Community College Performing Arts Center
Mentor, OH
      Hi Folks. The Lakeland Jazz Festival is celebrating it's 40th anniversary and we have pulled out all the stops. In addition to all the great educational instruction and performances that take place, this years headline concert is the multi-Grammy award winning group, the Yellowjackets on Saturday February 25. Additionally on Friday February 24th we are featuring Dave Morgan's "The Way of the Slyman" with a fourteen piece ensemble of the regions best musicians. Sunday February 26 features a double bill Big Band Matinee.

We have assembled a complete and detailed media resource page for you. It has all the details, contacts, hi-res photos, authorized YouTube videos, etc. The link is http://jwpjazz.com/Lakeland/PR.html. We will add all updates at they are completed and will periodically email you when something has been added.

We very much appreciate your giving this great jazz festival publicity. The festival is the longest continuous running jazz festival in the region and has brought in numerous major artists over the years. Additionally over two dozen high schools and colleges perform for adjudicators of some of the finest educators in the region for a very robust education experience for the students.

Please let us know if you would like to arrange an interview with one of the headliners or one of the festival coordinators, Dave Sterner or Dr. Steve Stanziano.

Best,

Steve Frumkin
Jim Wadsworth Productions in support of the Lakeland Jazz Festival
330-405-9075
steve@jwpagency.com