Pittsfield Sister City Jazz Ambassadors – Kittredge Elementary School in Dalton, Mass.

BerkshiresJazz Youth Ensemble & Student Art Contest

John Krebs, PHS, winning entry Berkshires Jazz art contest.

These performances were part the 2010 Pittsfield CityJazz Festival, including the Jazz About Town and Jazz in the Schools programs.

Joe Baione Quintet performs at the 6th annual Pittsfield CityJAZZ Fstival.

Pittsfield Sister City Jazz Ambassadors – Kittredge Elementary School in Dalton, Mass.

The Pittsfield Sister City Jazz Ambassadors introduce music to students of all ages, as an ancillary event to the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival. In this case, they visit Kittredge Elementary School in Dalton, Massachusetts.

Bringing professional jazz musicians into the schools helps introduce youngsters to wholesome entertainment while they are still impressionable enough to internalize it. Not only do they hear the music, they learn about its history, and about the evolution of jazz.

Brazilian Jazz Trio at the Berkshire Athenaeum – Pittsfield, Mass.

Buster Rides Again, with the Brazilian Jazz Trio, featuring Warren Byrd (piano), Jay Schwartz (bass), and Tom Parker, leader (drums). Ushering-in the headline weekend of the 6th annual Pittsfield CityJazz Festival

We B 3 organ trio at The Lantern – downtown Pittsfield

Barbershop Jazz Quartet at Shawn’s Barber Shop – downtown Pittsfield

Actually a quintet, the Barbershop Jazz Quartet includes Rob Fisch (brass), Ben Kohn (keyboard), Andy Kelly (guitar), Dan Broad (bass), John Haddad (drums).

Rob Fisch trio at Brulees – downtown Pittsfield

jazz accordionist John Culpo outside Ahava Amore – downtown Pittsfield

The sixth annual Pittsfield CityJazz Festival is scheduled for October 8 – 21, 2010, in venues around the city. Headline performers include baritone saxophone virtuoso Claire Daly; up-and-coming vibraphone player Joe Baione; a return of the American Jazz Repertory Orchestra, the Brazilian Jazz Trio, and the Berkshires Youth Jazz Ensemble.

Once again, the festival will be collaborating with the schools of Berkshire County with free performances and discussions by the Pittsfield Sister City Jazz Ambassadors. See the schedule.

The Columbus Day weekend, Oct. 8-10 will feature “Jazz About Town,” when regionally-based performers appear in restaurants and clubs around the city. See Jazz About Town videos.

The Brazilian Jazz Trio, comprising the remarkable Warren Byrd on piano, Jason Schwarts on bass, and Tom Parker on drums, will perform at the Berkshire Athenaeum on Wednesday, Oct. 13. The free concert starts at 7pm.

Most of the events are free. The two ticketed events (order online, or call Colonial Theatre: 413-997-4444), both on the headline weekend, include:

Oct. 15: the Berkshires debut of Joe Baione, a Delaware-based vibraphone player and his quintet. The concert (7:30pm, Crowne Plaza Hotel) will be preceded by an optional New Orleans-style sit-down dinner with such delicacies such as shrimp etouffe’, jambalaya, and cajun catfish (Tickets: $20 concert only – $47 w/ dinner).

Oct. 16: a guest appearance of baritone saxophone virtuoso Claire Daly, who will be featured as a soloist with two big bands on the program: The Berkshires Jazz Youth Ensemble and the American Jazz Repertory Orchestra (AJRO); Colonial Theatre, 8pm (Tickets: $15/25).

AJRO returns to Pittsfield by popular demand, after a 2009 appearance on Independence Day weekend. Besides a set of familiar big-band selections spotlighting Daly and other soloists, AJRO will perform jointly with the Berkshires Jazz Youth Ensemble, directed by Ron Lively, in a finale that will bring all the musicians on stage at once.

Here is a podcast on KadmusArts where Clem DeRosa talks about why he focused on jazz music education, why it is important to keep music in the public school system, and how there are only two kinds of music: good and bad.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM1IjDk-XOA[/youtube]AJRO is directed by Clem DeRosa, a member of the Jazz Hall of Fame, a big-band drummer and pioneer in jazz education. During his military career, DeRosa served with one of Glenn Miller’s Air Corps Bands, and later fronted one of Miller’s “ghost bands,” and the Benny Goodman band, on tours.

The festival concludes with various jazz-oriented performers on Oct. 21, part of Pittsfield’s “Third Thursday” block party.

Jazz About Town – venues and times

Friday, October 8th

• Caitlin Canty, jazz singer 8:00 to 10:00 PM
• Mission Bar and Tapas
• 438 North Street

• Sister City Jazz Ambassadors 6:00 to 9:30 PM
• Patrick’s Pub
• Bank Row
• 499-1994

• John Culpo, jazz accordian 7:00 to 9:00 PM
• Ahava Amore
• 48A North Street
• 445-7200

• Blue Light Trio 6:00 to 10:00 PM
• Shiro
• 48B North Street
• 236-8111

• Rob Fisch Trio 7:00 to 10:30 PM
• Brulees Restaurant
• 41 North Street
• 443-0500

• Jon Suters, jazz guitar, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
• Trattoria Rustica
• 27 McKay Street
• 499-1192

Saturday, October 9th

• Barbershop Jazz Quartet, noon to 2 PM
• Shaun’s Barbershop
• 442 North Street

• WE B 3, 8-11 pm
• The Lantern Restaurant
• 445 North Street
• 448-2717

• Ted Murray Trio, 7:00 to 10:30 PM
• Brulees Restaurant
• 41 North Street
• 443-0500

• Rick Campion, jazz piano, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
• Trattoria Rusistica
• 27 McKay Street
• 499-1192

• Miller and Amuso Jazz Duo, 7:00 to 10:00 PM
• Baba Louie’s Wood Fired Pizza
• 34 Depot Street
• www.babalouiespizza.com

• Noah Weiss and Friends, 8:00 to 10:00 PM
• Mission Bar and Tapas
• 438 North Street

Sunday, October 10th

• Kohn and Link Jazz Duo, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
• Dottie’s Coffee Lounge
• 444 North Street
• 443-1792

Pittsfield Sister City Jazz Ambassadors

Following is the schedule for the Sister City Jazz Ambassadors’, “Jazz, America’s Own Music” series for Fall 2010. Lessons on jazz history and the fundamentals of jazz music will be presented, along with lots of jazz music!

• October 15, 12:50 PM, Lee Middle and High Schools (Lee)
• October 18, 10:00 and 11:00 AM, Kittredge Elementary School (Hinsdale)
• October 18, 1:30 PM, Becket/Washington Elementary School (Becket)
• October 25, 9:30 AM, Greylock Elementary School (North Adams)
• October 25, afternoon, Sullivan Elementary School (North Adams) Time remains to be set.
• November 1, 8:30 AM, Mt. Greylock Regional High School (Williamstown)
• November 1, 1:30 PM, Brayton Elementary School (North Adams)

• First place: Joleigh Ferro (St. Joseph’s)
• Second place: Jae Hyun Seo (St. Joseph’s)
• Third place: Tae Kyung Jeon (Miss Hall’s).

There were five honorable mentions. From Pittsfield High School: Paola Pinero, Kyle Muzzy, and Connor Murphy; and, from St. Joseph’s High School: Martha Horton and Breanne Reilly. The teachers of these talented students are Colleen Quinn, Pittsfield High School; Marybeth Eldridge, Taconic High School; Dale Zola, St Joseph’s High School; and Ellen Joffe-Halpern, Miss Hall’s.

Judges for the contest were Grier Horner, Ann Pasko, Craig Langlois, and Mark Tomasi. The student art contest was coordinated by Art Niedeck, chair of the Education Committee of Berkshires Jazz, and Colleen Quinn. Joleigh Ferro’s winning entry, which will be posted soon, will become the visual symbol of this year’s Pittsfield CityJazz Festival, and will be seen on the festival’s poster, web site, advertising, and program cover.

This is a scan of Richard Houdek’s review of Dave Brubeck’s Pittsfield CityJazz Festival performance, published in the Berkshire Eagle, October, 21, 2009. See enlarged view.

Video of Dave Brubeck at rehearsal with the Berkshires Jazz Youth Ensemble

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GabDe67FuNk[/youtube]

Video of royal hartigan blood drum spirit opening the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival, Oct. 7, 2009 at the Berkshire Athenaeum

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNEV59sEoRU[/youtube]

Photos of the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival on Flickr

[mudslide:flickr,0,45318089@N08,72157622809058093]

An annual highlight has been Jazz In Schools, featuring performances, demonstrations, and discussions by the Pittsfield Sister City Jazz Ambassadors in the schools of Pittsfield. Over the years, literally thousands of students have experienced live jazz in the classroom and assembly halls. This local group, which has toured Pittsfield’s sister cities abroad, is headed by guitarist and teacher Andy Kelly. School principals and administrators have praised this community commitment of the festival and the positive impact it has had on students. Thanks to generous underwriters, Jazz In Schools is provided at no cost to the school system.

The festival also presents Jazz About Town, featuring local musicians in restaurants across the city. Dozens of venues have featured all genres of instrumental and vocal jazz, all at no cover, in advance of weekend headline concerts. Restaurant owners report increased attendance and longer visits by patrons on the nights when they have participated in this aspect.

In an effort to keep prices at an accessible level, the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival has successfully partnered with several local, regional, and national organizations to underwrite various components. Starting with Legacy Banks in 2005, sponsors have included Greylock Marketing Group, TD Banknorth, The Red Lion Inn, Time Warner Cable, the Crowne Plaza Hotel, MTV/Nickelodeon, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Pittsfield Cultural Council. Local merchants have provided thousands of dollars in in-kind services such as Lenox Softworks, ReadWebCo, The Berkshire Eagle, Aldam Press and Wood Brothers.

Here is a video clip, made by Jenn Smith of the Berkshire Eagle, from our Jazz in Schools program, part of the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival, showing the Sister City Jazz Ambassadors playing at Hancock Elementary School in Hancock, MA (featuring Charlie Tokarz, sax and clarinet; Andy Kelly, guitar):

Dave Brubeck and Berkshires Jazz Youth Ensemble

First report of the Dave Brubeck Quartet’s 2009 Pittsfield CityJazz Festival performance with the Berkshires Jazz Youth Ensemble at the sold-out Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield has been posted at BerkshireLinks.com. It includes a three and a half minute video clip that segues from the afternoon rehearsal to the evening performance with Mr. Brubeck sharing the piano with Pittsfield HS student Samuel Landes.

Following, is more video from rehearsal, including final preparations for Mr. Brubeck’s transition with PHS student Sam Landes, and interactions with Art Neideck, Ron Lively, and Ed Bride. And there’s another video clip from the concert that can be seen here on YouTube.

video: royal hartigan blood drum spirit

2009 festival is underway…
See a video montage at BerkshireLinks.com from the opening performance of the festival, royal hartigan and blood drum spirit. More video will be posted here soon.