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| Pittsfield CityJazz Festival The third annual Pittsfield CityJazz Festival today announced the lineup for the Columbus Day weekend event, and it includes something for everybody: a night of music featuring groups headed by women; a Latin Jazz Dance Party; new material prepared for a special Jazz orchestra comprising Pittsfield high school students; documentary Jazz films; and the return of two remarkable performers from last year's event. Concert performances will take place at venues around the city, and once again dozens of local restaurants will be featuring regionally-based artists in free performances before (and in some cases after) the concerts. There is something special about each element in this year's festival. Attendees at last year's Billy Taylor concert were astounded by the taste and talents of percussion master Winard Harper, who will return for opening night. He will appear with his sextet, and will also be featured with the Williams College Jazz Ensemble, one of the premier collegiate bands in New England. Included in his performance will be material specially adapted for him by Williams College Jazz program director Andy Jaffe. Harper will also conduct a Jazz Combo Master Class and clinic on Thursday afternoon, 4-5pm. Both his clinic and concert will be held at Masonic Hall on South Street. Friday, Oct. 5 will feature an all-out Latin Jazz Dance Party, with the big band of Alex Torres and his Latin Jazz Kings. This band has a strong regional following, performing popular Afro-Caribbean rhythms such as Salsa, Merengue, Cha-cha, Bomba, Plena and other forms of Latin Jazz. The event will be held in the grand ballroom of the Crowne Plaza Hotel. On Saturday afternoon, Oct. 6 there will be a double-bill of documentary Jazz films at the Berkshire Museum's Little Cinema on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 6. One film is “Electric Heart,” chronicling the short life of trumpeter Don Ellis. A second film is to be announced in coming weeks. The Women In Jazz evening on Oct. 6 will include perennial poll-winner Claire Daly and her quartet; Seattle migr and current mid-Hudson stalwart pianist Peggy Stern and her quartet; and guest soloist alto saxophonist Grace Kelly. The 15-year-old phenom, who made a surprise appearance with Phil Woods at the 2006 Pittsfield CityJazz Festival, will appear with both the Peggy Stern and Claire Daly groups. “Women In Jazz” is being presented in collaboration with the Breast Cancer Awareness initiative, and a portion of the net proceeds will be donated to that effort. It will take place at St. Stephen's Church, on Park Square in Pittsield. On Sunday, Oct. 7, the festival wraps up with a specially commissioned work featuring the remarkable pianist John Medeski and an all-star Jazz orchestra comprising students from Pittsfield high schools, under the direction of Bill Chapman. It will take place at Taconic High School. In addition, several restaurants and bars will be feature live Jazz before (and in some cases after) the headline performances. And, we will again be bringing Jazz into the schools. Besides the nationally-known and regional performers, the festival includes a week-long jazz-in-the-schools program, with the Pittsfield Sister City Jazz Ambassadors appearing in assemblies in the high schools and middle schools of Pittsfield, the County Seat of Berkshire County in western Massachusetts. write your comments about the article :: © 2007 Jazz News :: home page |