VF Outlet

69 News WFMZ

Smooth Jazz 92.7

WEEU

Jazz times



CLICK HERE for printable PDF version of fest brochure!

Berks Jazz Fest Night
at Reading Royals
Saturday, March 13
7:05 p.m.

 

Berks Jazz Festival 2009 -- Sponsored by VF Outlet
Home News Merchandise

Join in the celebration as we count down to the 20th anniversary of the VF Outlet Berks Jazz Fest!

We have many great events planned leading up to the 10-day, milestone festival.

Below is a schedule of special events. Keep checking back; more are in the works!


Saturday, March 6
Berks Jazz Fest Day at VF Outlet Center
Free community concert

20th Anniversary Preview Concert
featuring
Swing House with opening act GAMUT

Designers Place
1 p.m.


John ColtraneSunday, March 7
Reel Jazz Classics
Free Community Jazz Film Fest

Miller Center for the Arts/RACC
2 p.m.

Art Blakey. John Coltrane. Duke Ellington. Ella Fitzgerald. Woody Herman. Wes Montgomery.

Thanks to the amazing Jazz Icons DVD series, fans will be able to enjoy vintage, unseen concerts from these timeless legends of jazz on the big screen at the Miller Center for the Arts.

"Reel Jazz Classics" is set for Sunday, March 7, starting at 2 p.m., at the Miller Center for the Arts located on the campus of Reading Area Community College. Admission is FREE.

Jazz enthusiast and former WEEU radio personality Lew Runkle will be the host of the jazz film fest.

The VF Outlet Berks Jazz Fest has partnered with the producers of the Jazz Icons series -- four boxed sets, 30 individual DVDs -- to screen selections of the legendary artists mentioned above
for this special "Countdown to the 20th" community event.

The Jazz Icons DVDs feature full-length concerts and in-studio performances by the greatest legends of jazz, filmed all over the world from the 1950s through the 1970s.

Beautifully transferred from the original masters, each of the DVDs features rare performances that have never been officially released on home video, and in many cases, were never broadcast.

Click on the following artists to enjoy a preview of the vintage concerts: Art Blakey, Ella Fitzgerald, John Coltrane, Wes Montgomery, Woody Herman, Duke Ellington.
 


Wednesday, March 10
"CHOPS" documentary and special Berks Jazz Jam
Free community event

Miller Center for the Arts
6 p.m.

The Berks Jazz Fest's education committee has put together a strong schedule of activities for this year's event.

One of those events is the special "Berks Jazz Jam Night" at the Miller Center for the Arts on Wednesday, March 10.

"Berks Jazz Jam Night" is part of the "Countdown to 20th" series of events.

The evening kicks off with the screening of the award-winning documentary "CHOPS" at 6 p.m., followed by a special edition of the monthly Berks Jazz Jam.

“CHOPS” tells the story of a group of kids with extraordinary musical ability who learn to make the most of their gifts in an acclaimed public school jazz program in Jacksonville, Florida.

Follow their musical journey from Florida to New York City, where they compete against the top high school jazz bands in the nation at the prestigious Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington Competition and Festival.

Following “CHOPS” will be a special Berks Jazz Jam, hosted by Mike Eben, with guest musicians Larry McKenna on tenor sax, Tony Miceli on vibes, Dave Brodie on bass and Dan Monaghan on drums.

Music fans of all ages are welcome. Admission is FREE. Bring instruments to be part of the jam, or come to learn!

"Berks Jazz Jam Night" is sponsored by the Project Penske, a program of the Reading Musical Foundation, and Voices published by Reading Eagle.

VIEW "CHOPS" preview


Thursday, March 11
Dave Posmontier Quintet
featuring
David Cullen, Bob Howell, Erick Johnson, Chico Huff and Dave Posmontier

Gerald Veasley's Jazz Base at Crowne Plaza Reading
7 p.m.

CLICK HERE for complete information.


Friday, March 12
Tower of Power Tribute
Dance Hall Docs
with special guest
Brent Carter

Inn at Reading Ballroom
8 p.m.

CLICK HERE for complete information.


Saturday, March 13
Berks Jazz Fest Night at Reading Royals
with post-game auction of jazz-themed jerseys
Reading Royals vs. Toledo Walleye

Sovereign Center
7:05 p.m.

CLICK HERE for complete information.


T100 Years of Djangouesday, March 23
Frank Vignola's Hot Club:
Celebrating 100 Years of Django Reinhardt

Miller Center for the Arts
7:30 p.m.

Guitar virtuoso Frank Vignola has made a lot of fans in the Berks area following his two amazing concerts at Gerald Veasley's Jazz Base during 2009.

It was during those concerts that Vignola developed the plan to put together Frank Vignola's Hot Club to celebrate Django Reinhardt's 100th birthday in 2010.

A leading proponent of Reinhardt's gypsy jazz style of playing, Vignola has assembled a dynamic quintet for a searing tribute to one of his earliest musical influences.

Frank Vignola's Hot Club: Celebrating 100 Years of Django Reinhardt concert is scheduled for Tuesday, March 23, 7:30 p.m., at the Miller Center for the Arts on the Reading Area Community College campus.

Frank Vignola's Hot Club evolved from 20 years of commitment to the Django legacy, including gypsy jazz appearances with musicians from Bireli LeGrene and Babik Reinhardt (Django's son) to Mark O'Connor and Tommy Emmanuel, as well as a five-year stint with Reinhardt friend and enthusiast Les Paul.

Only a musician the caliber of Frank Vignola, an accomplished and influential guitarist in his own right, could dare tackle the monumental task of honoring the centennial of the legendary Django Reinhardt.

Special preview! Check out YouTube videos of Frank Vignola's Hot Club performing live at The Wagon Shed:
Gypsy Mania                                    
Rimsky Korsakov                  
Belleville
Diminishing Blackness
Carmen Medley




 

 

 




 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Berks Jazz Fest artists celebrate our 20th anniversary!

John Ernesto's Jazz beat Blog

Diane Dayton's Cool Casts

Follow BJF on

and




Check out the exciting 2009-2010 season!

Gerald Veasley's Bass Bootcamp