Grace Kelly, who appeared at the 2006 Pittsfield CityJazz Festival as a guest soloist, and in 2007 as a featured artist, has been named “Alto Saxophone, Rising Star” in the 2009 Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll. Congratulations to this legend-in-the-making!
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.
The July 2nd benefit concert at Pittsfield’s Methodist Church was an unqualified success. We’ll be posted more information in an event report soon; meanwhile we’d like to direct your attention to a review (w/ photos) by Ronald K. Baker – American Jazz Repertory Orchestra and the Berkshires Jazz All-Stars.
Barbara Dennerlein was interviewed by Jason Crane for The Jazz Sessions before her October 19, 2008 performance during the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival.
Alto sax phenom Grace Kelly, who appeared at both the 2006 and 2007 Pittsfield CityJazz Festivals, has won four 2008 Downbeat Magazine Student Music Awards: Jazz Soloist, Jazz Vocalist, Extended Composition (101), and Arrangement (I Want To Be Happy). Congratulations, Grace!
The Don Ellis bio-pic, ‘Electric Heart,’ which made its northeast debut at the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival in 2007, will be shown at the 51st annual Monterey Jazz Festival. We’re honored to have been one of the first venues to screen this film. Congratulations to film maker John Vizzusi and to those who brought this interesting story to the silver screen.