N.E. UPCOMING: "THE PROVINCETOWN JAZZ FEST"
By Joni Rapp
The SIXTH annual "Provincetown Jazz Fest" will be held this year on Friday & Saturday, August 13th & 14th at the PROVINCETOWN HIGH SCHOOL (12 Winslow Street, Provincetown, MA), which is one block from Commercial Street, with dozens of bars & restaursants where dinner and drinks are always available before and after the shows. The town's largest parking lot is also conveniently located adjacent to the High School.
Bart Weisman, executive producer of the Provincetown Jazz Fest (who also organized and directed the highly successful "Provincetown Cabaret Festival" in April), has put together an extraordinary lineup of talented people for this event, which will "Celebrate" the Survival and Revival of New Orleans Jazz, as we near the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the New Orleans Musician's Clinic , which provides healthcare for uninsured Jazz musicians and Artists living and working in "the battered city which refuses to die".
According to an interview with Provincetown.com., Weisman said, "I play only on the Cape and bring the world's greats, like New Orleans (singer/ songwriter/ guitarist) Paul Sanchez here for the festival. People plan their vacations around this festival; creating a group that comes annually to be with us." This year should prove no different, as the Cape is continues as a haven for people escaping the heat of the cities, as well as looking for great musical venues.
The Festival opens Friday night at 8:00 pm with Pianist, Vocalist, Composer, Lyricist and Arranger Janice Friedman, who has been a 'regular" for over two decades on the New York Jazz scene. Having traveled extensively throughout Europe and Japan, she has also played Carnegie Hall and been hailed by the NY Times as, "explosive". She'll be backed by Chris Rathbun (Bass) and Bart Weisman (drums) as she takes the spotlight.
Then Janice will stick around on stage and perform with Rathbun, who has worked with some of the "Greats" such as Rosemary Clooney, Linda Hopkins, Patti Page, Al Martino and more, and Weisman, who is the leader of the only "Year Round" Jazz group on Cape Cod. Weisman was the 2009 Winner of the "Best Music on Cape Cod" Award from New England Cable TV and has played for heads of state as well as working with numerous celebrities....including the ones that headline many of the Jazz and Cabaret Fests on the Cape.
The trio will then be joined by jazz/blues Singer Dane Vannatter, winner of the 2000 New York Bistro Award as best male vocalist as well as the 2006 Bistro Award for Outstanding CD. Vannatter was a smash at the CABARET FEST, and has sung nationwide, including at most of the top clubs in NYC and Boston.
After a short intermission, the trio will return with internationally acclaimed Jazz Saxophonist, Flutist, Composer and Arranger Greg Abate, who was lead alto Saxophonist with the Ray Charles and Artie Shaw Orchestras (among other great bands and musicians). Anything can happen when a group like this gets together. After their initial performances, look for some duets between Friedman and Vannatter, as well as some jamming with Abate remaining in play! This writer sees a standing ovation for the evening.
The show on Saturday night, on August 14th at 8:00 pm will feature a "Tribute to New Orleans" (BIRTHPLACE OF JAZZ). The show's star will be Paul Sanchez (himself a New Orleans native who lost much of his written music in in Hurricane Katrina), on vocals and guitar singing many of his well known songs. He'll be accompanied by Steve Ahern on Trumpet. Sanchez has a new CD out: "Farewell to Storyville" just released by Threadhead Records.
Opening Saturday night's concert will be the Berklee Rising Stars featuring Clay Lyons on Sax and Matt Joseph on Trumpet. Extraordinary young musicians, the two are students at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and competed to win a spot in the Festival. They will be accompanied by Berklee faculty musicians" Suzanne Davis (Piano), John Lockwood (Bass) and Bob Kaufman on drums.
Tickets for ALL shows are $25.
More information can be found at http://www.provincetownjazzfestival.org/ or by contacting Bart Weisman at either 508-274-2513 or by Email at:bartweisman@bartweisman.com There will be a review, including photos, of the fest in a following article.
NOTE: After the Fest....Sunday, August 15th, the BART WEISMAN TRIO will be playing at the monthly "JAZZ JAM" at the ISLAND MERCHANT PUB (302 Main Street, Hyannis, MA - 508-771-1337 - ) from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. Generally, whenever there is a "Fest" of any kind in P'town, the singers and musicians love to stop by on their way off the Cape and strut their stuff again at the Open Mic at the club. Even performers not in any of the shows (but with lots of talent) show up for these special Sundays...whose audience's are sometimes more performers than "civilians." The place is usually PACKED...so make a reservation or get there early!
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