2013 Pittsfield CityJazz Festival schedule
2013 Pittsfield CityJazz Festival schedule
The 2013 Pittsfield CityJazz Festival, scheduled for Oct. 11-20 in various venues in downtown Pittsfield, MA, features The Brubeck Brothers Quartet in a tribute to the legendary pianist Dave Brubeck, who headed the 2009 Festival. Founded in 2004, the Festival has become a signature cultural event of the Berkshires fall foliage season, with music spanning the spectrum of jazz.
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In addition to the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, the lineup includes the rising tenor saxophonist Geoff Vidal; Jazz About Town, opening the Festival on Friday Oct. 11, with local musicians in restaurants and lounges throughout downtown; and a new entry in the Jazz Prodigy series, alto saxophonist Zoe Obadia, Outstanding Soloist award winner at the 2013 Essentially Ellington festival at Lincoln Center.
Jazz prodigy Zoe Obadia – Berkshire Athenaeum – Oct. 16
Fresh from her achievement at the Essentially Ellington festival, Jazz prodigy Zoe Obadia will appear at the Berkshire Athenaeum in an Oct. 16 concert sponsored by the Friends of the Athenaeum. A high school senior from New Jersey, Obadia has been gaining recognition as a soloist and as a member of Jazz House Kids, a big band that also took high honors at the 2011 Charles Mingus Competition and Festival. Obadia’s performance in Pittsfield continues the Berkshires Jazz tradition of showcasing young, talented musicians who have the potential to become significant figures on the jazz scene.
The headline weekend opens on Friday, Oct. 18 with the Geoff Vidal Quartet, in the intimate performance space known as Baba Louie’s Backroom, 34 Depot Street, in downtown Pittsfield.
Geoff Vidal Quartet – Baba Louie’s Backroom – Oct. 18
After several years touring and performing out of New Orleans, Vidal arrived in NYC to quickly become a tenor-of-choice for a host of notable bandleaders and appear in some of the city’s most prominent clubs. While Vidal’s sound is easily comparable to the breathy warmth of Coleman Hawkins or Sonny Rollins’ colossal purr, the years leading up to his first headlining release, “She Likes That,” have seen the total ripening of his unique musical character. His unharnessed energy has effloresced into a performance both playful and deliberate.
Tickets for the Geoff Vidal Quartet concert at 8pm are $25; there will be limited seating, and advance purchase is strongly advised.
[/two_third] [one_third_last]Jazz About Town
Friday, Oct. 11
Sherri Buxton Jazz Trio
Baba Louie’s Sourdough Pizza
34 Depot Street, 6:30 to 9:30 PM
(413) 499-2400
Saturday, Oct. 12
Dave Bartley, jazz piano
House of India
261 North Steet, 5:30 to 8:30 PM
(413) 443-3262
Andy Kelly, Charlie Tokarz, Eileen Markland, Jazz Trio
Spice Dragon
273 North Street, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
(413) 443-1234
Bronte Roman Jazz Quartet
Patrick’s Pub
26 Bank Row, 6:30 to 9:30 PM
(413) 499-1994
Jeff Link Jazz Trio
J. Allen’s Clubhouse Grille
41 North Street, 6:30 to 9:30 PM
(413) 499-9998
Jazz Metrics
Mad Jack’s BBQ
297 North Street, 7:00 to 10:00 PM
(413) 442-2290
Andy Wrba Quartet
Mission Bar and Tapas
438 North Stree,t 8:00 to 11:00 PM
Mark Papas Jazz Trio
The Lantern Restaurant
455 North Street, 9:00 to 11:00 PM
(413) 448-2717
Sunday, Oct. 13th
Andy Kelly, Ben Kohn “Jazz Wake-Up”
Dottie’s Coffee Lounge
444 North Street, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
(413) 443-1792
Rich Vinette Quartet, with Ted Murray
Patrick’s Pub
26 Bank Row, 6:30 to 9:30 PM
(413) 499-1994
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Brubeck Brothers Quartet
The Brubeck Brothers Quartet is an exciting jazz group featuring two members of one of America’s most accomplished musical families, Dan Brubeck (drums,) and Chris Brubeck (bass and trombone); guitarist Mike DeMicco and pianist Chuck Lamb complete this dynamic quartet. They have performed at concert series, colleges, and festivals across North America and Europe including the Newport, Detroit, Ravinia, Las Vegas, Sedona, Spokane and Monterey Jazz Festivals.
Of the group’s many and varied CDs, their latest, “Lifetimes,” is a tribute to their father, and was issued a few months before his death in 2012. The material on the CD will comprise much of their Oct. 19 performance in Pittsfield (8pm; $18/30. Tickets now available at berkshiretheatregroup.org).
Berkshires Jazz Youth Ensemble
The Berkshires Jazz Youth Ensemble, comprising young musicians from Berkshire County, will open the evening’s festivities; Chris and Dan Brubeck will also appear as guest soloists with the youth ensemble, which is directed by Ronald A. Lively of Pittsfield High School.
In addition to these programs, Cultural Pittsfield is collaborating with Berkshires Jazz in presenting Michael Bellar and the AS-IS Ensemble, as part of the Third Thursday block party on Oct. 17 (5-8pm, free, downtown Pittsfield).
In addition to the two ticketed events, other concerts and performances are free, thanks to the generosity of sponsors and underwriters, including Greylock Federal Credit Union, the Berkshire Bank Foundation, Jamey Aebersold Jazz Books, TD Bank, and others.