2007-2008 JazzErie Concert Series Preview

By Bob PROTZMAN

Some of the hottest musicians and happenings in jazz today are part of the JazzErie 2007-2008 concert season.

As exciting and satisfying as the first two concerts of JazzErie’s 2007-2008 season were, the remainder of the season just might match them.

Top rank saxophonists Greg Abate and Richie Cole delivered blistering be-bop in a September concert at Gannon, and poll-winning trumpeter Jeremy Pelt and his high energy band WiRED were electrifying two weeks ago at East Erie Turners.

Next comes the Hot Club of San Francisco to Penn State Behrend with its infectious, hard-swinging music representing a revival of the 1920s-30s “gypsy jazz’’ of the Quintet of the Hot Club of France, co-starring legendary famed Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stephane Grappelli.

In the past couple years “Hot Club’’ bands have sprung up around the world, with recordings by the Hot Club of Detroit and Sweden, and groups in New York, Norway, Tokyo, et al. The HCSF comprises three guitars (one lead, two rhythm), violin and upright bass and offers music that is many things--sentimental, sophisticated, delicate, flamboyant--but most of all swinging, often at breakneck tempos.

Gary Viebranz booked the HCSF for Penn State Behrend’s annual Logan Series and JazzErie is co-sponsoring.

In December, JazzErie will present one of the most entertaining and popular instrumental combinations in jazz—an organ, guitar and drums trio.

This won’t be just any trio, however, but one that includes arguably the most recorded single musician in the history of popular music.

That would be Bernard “Pretty’’ Purdie, drummer extraordinaire, who has appeared on at least 200 albums. Purdie also captures the versatility prize, having played and/or recorded with artists such as Aretha Franklin, Miles Davis, B.B. King, Joe Cocker, et al, representing just about every imaginable genre or style.

Purdie’s colleagues are elder statesman Hammond B3 player Reuben Wilson, and guitarist Grant Green Jr., son of renowned soul-jazz guitarist Grant Green.

Known collectively as the Godfathers of Groove (formerly Masters of Groove), the group’s current self-titled CD has been on the jazzweek.com Top 50 most played list for months.

The Godfathers will perform Dec. 28 at the Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center.

Non-profit and member-based, JazzErie has become in the past five years one of Erie’s major presenters of nationally known artists, alone and in collaboration with others.

Speaking of collaborations, JazzErie will ll join Mercyhurst College in presenting Avishai Cohen, one of modern jazz’s finest bassists and bandleaders.

The Avishai Cohen Jazz Trio—described in various reviews as innovative, exuberant and unconventional--will perform on campus on Feb. 8 in the Walker Recital Hall. In March, JazzErie presents its crowd-pleasing “Singers Night’’ show.

The lineup will feature 2005’s “Singers Night’’ sensation, the Collegiate Academy Vocal Jazz Ensemble, directed by Susan Huster. The 14-member student group, formed just five years ago, has performed at many special events locally, as well as at Disney World in Florida in 2005.

The singers use individual microphones to deliver complex arrangements in the vocal jazz tradition, including the New York Voices’ version of the Benny Goodman classic, “Sing, Sing, Sing.’’

The students are looking forward to an April 2008 appearance at the Pennsylvania Music Educators’ Association state conference in Hershey.

Individual singers will include some familiar faces (and voices) from the local club/restaurant scene, such as Katie Chriest, Lydia Marks, Marilyn Livosky and Chris Sorce.

For the fifth straight year, pianist Howard Hamme’s quartet (Harry Jacobson, bass; Carl Alanakian, drums; Stan Bialomizy, woodwinds) will back the singers.

The 2007-2008 season will conclude with two annual events featuring local musicians. In April, it will be “The Next Generation’’ (formerly “The Kids Have Their Say’’), a performance by students from area schools, and coordinated by John Marszelak and Charles Lute, directors of music programs at General McLane and Collegiate Academy high schools, respectively.

Then in June, the Dixie Doodlers and Mary Alice Brown and group talk to the animals at the Erie Zoo as part of “Jazz at the Zoo.’’

The Schedule:
Thurs. Nov. 15: Hot Club of San Francisco, noon, McGarvey Commons, Reed Union Building, Penn State Erie, Behrend Campus, 5901 Station Rd. (898-6242). Free.
Fri. Dec. 28: Godfathers of Groove, 8 p.m., Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center, 7792 Peach St. $25, adults; $20, JazzErie members; $5, students.
Fri. Feb. 8: Avishai Cohen Jazz Trio, 8 p.m., Walker Recital Hall, Mercyhurst College; $15, adult; $12.50, senior and student; $10, Mercyhurst students with ID; $5, youth under 15.
Sat. March 15: Singers Night, 8 p.m., East Erie Turners, 829 Parade St. (452-2546). $25, adults; $20, JazzErie members; $5, students with ID.
April: "The Kids Have Their Say," TBA.
June: Jazz at the Zoo, TBA.

Advance Ticket Sales:
Romolo Chocolates, 1525 W. 8th St., (814)-452-1933
Lynch Music Inc., Rte. 98 and 20, Fairview, (814)-474-2047 or 2970
East Erie Turners, 829 Parade St., (814)-452-2564
Mercyhurst College, Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center Boxoffice, 501 E. 38th St.; (814)-824-2000
World of Music, 1355 W. 26th St. (814)-459-2585
Erie Art Museum, 411 State St., (814)-459-5477
Glass Growers Gallery, 20 E. 5th., (814)-453-3758
Osiecki Bros. Music Center, 2426 Parade St., (814)-453-6565 or 453-5935
Latino's Restaurant Bar, 1313 Parade St., (814)-452-1966
Erie Book Store, 137 E. 13th St., (814)-480-5671

Bob Protzman has written about jazz for five decades and hosts "Everything Jazz," 9 to midnight Sundays on WQLN-FM 91.3. You can reach Bob at protz@verizon.net or jazzhosts@wqln.org.

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