Don't miss Brandee Younger on Saturday, July 27th at 7:30PM and Charles McPherson Quintet on Friday, August 9th at 7:30PM. Concerts held at Mt. Gretna Playhouse, 200 Pennsylvania Avenue, Mt. Gretna, PA 17064.
Learn more about Brandee Younger, Charles McPherson, and Turtle Island Quartet below.
Buy the Gretna Grooves Package (tickets to both concerts) and receive FREE tickets to see Turtle Island Quartet on Sunday, July 21st at 7:30PM.
In 2022, she made history by becoming the first black woman to be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition. She has worked with cultural icons including Common, Lauryn Hill, John Legend, and Moses Sumney. Her current album, Brand New Life, cements the harp’s place in pop culture. As the title of the album suggests, Brand New Life is about forging new paths – artistic, personal, political, and spiritual.
For more than 50 years, saxophonist Charles McPherson has been one of the most expressive and highly regarded voices in jazz. His rich musical style, rooted in the blues and bebop, has influenced and inspired generations of musicians and listeners.
Get your GRETNA GROOVES PACKAGE and receive FREE tickets to see Turtle Island Quartet.
The program Island Prayers features works by Terence Blanchard, Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate, Rhiannon Giddens, and TIQ founder and violinist David Balakrishnan. Known as a singular force in the creation of bold, new trends in music for strings TIQ has won two Grammy awards and Balakrishnan himself has been nominated seven times.
The group’s name, Turtle Island, is the name for North America used by some Indigenous people. Poet Gary Snyder pointed out that American culture was really an immigrant culture, coming from all points of the globe. The founding members of the quartet felt this fit them perfectly, since their aim was and continues to be, melding the wide range of music performed in North America, both past and present.
Friday, June 14th at 7:30PM Messiah University, One University Avenue, Mechanicsburg
WE WELCOME TERELL AS THE 2024 CPFJ JAZZ CAMP GUEST ARTIST AND FACULTY!
Terell Stafford, acclaimed trumpet player based in New York, has been hailed as “one of the great players of our time, a fabulous trumpet player” by piano legend McCoy Tyner. Stafford is recognized as an incredibly gifted and versatile player, he combines a deep love of melody with his own brand of spirited and adventurous lyricism. Stafford’s exceptionally expressive and well defined musical talent allows him to dance in and around the rich trumpet tradition of his predecessors while making his own inroads.
Sunday, April 28th at 3PM WITF, 4801 Lindle Road, Harrisburg
CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY & WOMEN IN JAZZ!!
Born in Oklahoma, Champian is considered one of the most gifted pure Jazz musicians of her generation. She grew up with music in the home; her mother and father (Jazz trumpeter and educator Stephen Fulton) recognized her fascination with music at an early age. The presence of her father’s musician friends, including Clark Terry and Major Holley, inspired her focus on Jazz. Her first paid musical engagement was with her own band at Clark Terry’s 75th Birthday Party; she was 10 years old. Since then, her piano and voice skills have been recognized by peers and critics as distinctive and sophisticated. This young woman from Oklahoma captivates audiences in New York’s finest Jazz rooms and in concert halls around the world.
Connor, a Mechanicsburg native and five-time CPFJ Jazz Camper, recently competed as a finalist in the Herbie Hancock Institute International Jazz Piano Competition in October 2023. Being selected among some of the most prodigious jazz pianists of his generation, he was awarded 2nd place by the all-star panel of judges.
Thursday, March 14 at 5:30pm Susquehanna Art Museum 1401 N. Third Street, Harrisburg Tickets: $125 includes light refreshments LIMITED TO 100 GUESTS
Or call Sheila at the office at 717-540-1010 to purchase tickets by check.
George Burton’s dazzling virtuosity and breathtakingly eclectic approach to music reflect his experience in every aspect.
Invite a friend on us! Buy one ticket in advance, and we'll have a complimentary ticket waiting for your friend at the Will Call table on the day of the concert. Limit one ticket per person, per concert. Offer not valid on tickets purchased at the door on the day of the concert.
You do not want to miss internationally renowned bassist and Mack Avenue recording artist, Rodney Whitaker when he takes the stage.
Invite a friend on us! Buy one ticket in advance, and we'll have a complimentary ticket waiting for your friend at the Will Call table on the day of the concert. Limit one ticket per person, per concert. Offer not valid on tickets purchased at the door on the day of the concert.
Don't miss Emmy-nominated trumpeter and singer Benny Benack III... October 15 at Rose Lehrman Arts Center.
Invite a friend on us! Buy one ticket in advance, and we'll have a complimentary ticket waiting for your friend at the Will Call table on the day of the concert. Limit one ticket per person, per concert. Offer not valid on tickets purchased at the door on the day of the concert.
CHUCHITO VALDES
AUGUST 12 @ 7:30 PM DYNAMIC CUBAN JAZZ PIANIST
Following in the footsteps of his famed father Chucho Valdés and grandfather Bebo Valdés, Chuchito continues the legacy of great piano players from Cuba. With influences of Caribbean rhythms and jazz, he creates an exciting and energetic blend of spicy music that drives audiences wild.
Gretna Playhouse - 200 Pennsylvania Ave. Mount Gretna, PA
BUSTER WILLIAMS QUARTET
JULY 29TH - 7:30PM - JAZZ WITH A LIVING LEGEND!
Performing with: Steve Wilson, sax; Lenny White, drums: and Brandon McCune, piano.
Imagine hanging out with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, hearing them jam together, trading riffs, then riffing with words and trading stories. Bird and Diz are gone, but giants still walk among us. One of those giants is Buster Williams. Buster has played with everyone - Sarah Vaughan, Miles Davis, Nancy Wilson, Art Blakey, Chet Baker, Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, Benny Golson and Count Basie to name but a few.
Buster Williams: Bass to Infinity is a 2019 documentary film that tells the tale of Mr. Williams’ historical career and shows why he is still going strong at age 81.
“…I decided it was time to take the plunge, step up to the front, play my music, and express my concept of a cohesive musical unit. I’ve served my apprenticeship under many great masters and feel that it’s my honor and privilege to carry on the lineage that makes this music such an artistically rich art form.” – Buster Williams
Performing with: Godwin Louis, saxophone; Alex Wintz, guitar; Russell Hall, bass; Harvel Nakundi, drums; Axel Tosca, piano
Trinidad born Etienne uses his unique sound to engage, enlighten, educate and enrich audiences with energized performances. Joined by piano, sax, bass, and drums, Etienne’s trumpet playing, original compositions, and improvisation, create a memorable concert experience.
A 2015 Guggenheim Fellow and 2022 Creative Capital Awardee, Etienne has been written into the US Congressional Record for his musical contributions to Trinidad & Tobago and the World.
WITF Public Media Center, 4801 Lindle Rd, Harrisburg
Geoffrey Keezer Trio feat. Gillian Margot
Geoffrey Keezer Trio feat. Gillian Margot present music from their 2018 album, On My Way To You (MarKeez Records). Their program includes brand-new compositions as well as reimaginings of songs by Stevie Wonder, Thelonious Monk, Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, Jerome Kern, David Bowie, Rush, and Michel Legrand.With his highly regarded discography and acclaimed performances, multiple Grammy-nominated pianist Geoffrey Keezer commands the attention typically reserved for living jazz legends. A native of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Keezer held down the piano chair for Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers beginning at age 18. In his twenties he toured with Ray Brown, Joshua Redman, Diana Krall, Benny Golson, and others. More recently he has toured with Wayne Shorter, Chris Botti, Sting, and Christian McBride. His latest album On My Way to You (MarKeez Records 2018) is a stunning new set of music featuring his working trio with the addition of guest vocalist Gillian Margot.
Susquehanna Art Museum, 1401 N 3rd St., Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Lucy Yeghiazaryan
As a young immigrant who has brought the real richness of her heritage together with her love for what is truly American, Lucy Yeghiazaryan beautifully sounds out the best expression of the American dream. Since arriving from Armenia sixteen years ago at age 12, Lucy has enriched American jazz with a voice that is clear and strong, and with the release of her debut album Blue Heaven (Cellar Live Records 2019) critics and musicians agree that a new vocal force has arrived on the scene. Lucy grew up in post-Soviet Armenia, discovering her father's once-contraband collection of jazz records at age 7. The collection of jazz standards so captivated young Lucy that, years before she ever learned to speak English, she began singing the tunes by meticulously mimicking the sounds and styles of the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. Soon after Armenia's economic collapse in 2000, Lucy's parents brought her and her three sisters to America. After college, Lucy moved to NYC to pursue a career as a singer, and was a finalist in the 2015 International Monk Jazz Competition.
Featuring Tardo Hammer (piano), Paul Sikivie (bass), and Pete Van Nostrand (drums).
Friends of Jazz Night at Dauphin County Jazz & Wine Festival, Fort Hunter Park - 5300 N Front St, Harrisburg, PA
Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz presents Friends of Jazz Night on Friday, September 6, 2019 at the Dauphin County Jazz & Wine Festival.
This year's headliner is New York Guitar Summit, featuring guitarists Mark Whitfield and Ed Cherry, organist Pat Bianchi, and drummer Byron Landham. Their decades of combined experience make this a show not to be missed!
Alphonso Horne and the Gotham Kings open the concert with "music of Louis Armstrong and the King Oliver Creole Jazz Band, weaving the sounds of New Orleans into a rich musical fabric that uplifts and warms the soul."
One-night passes for Friday, September 6 are available only to CPFJ Friends for $30. Please call our office at (717) 540-1010.
Weekend passes for the Dauphin County Jazz & Wine Festival, September 6-8, are available to the public from the Festival website.
Messiah College - Sean Jones, High Center - 1 College Ave., Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Sean Jones will lead a group for our last spring Concert in the fabulous High Center at Messiah College. Held during the Jazz Camp, where Sean is an artist/educator, the concert begins at 7:30pm. Tickets are all general admission - Adults $24 - Students $10 - Friends $20 and are available ONLINE, by calling the CPFJ Office at 717=540-1010, or at the door.
Sean Jones - Trumpet Dwayne Dolphin - Bass Alex Brown-Piano CV Dashiell - Drums
Singing and performing as a child with the church choir in his hometown of Warren, Ohio, Jones switched from the drums to the trumpet upon his first exposure to Miles Davis at the age of 10. Years later, he still cites Miles’ overall artistic vision and purity of sound as his greatest personal influence. He also credits the profound impact of hearing John Coltrane with cementing his course as a trumpeter, composer, educator, and activist.
After receiving his master’s degree from Rutgers University, Jones had a six-month stint with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. This marked the beginning of a relationship with Wynton Marsalis, whose personal work ethic and ability to break barriers had already made a significant impact on the emerging artist. Marsalis offered Jones a permanent position as lead trumpeter with the LCJO and Jones remained there until 2010.
A highly respected and in-demand musician, Jones has recorded and/or performed with many major figures including Joe Lovano, Chico O’Farrill, Illinois Jacquet, Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster, Nancy Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Gerald Wilson, and Marcus Miller. The relationship with Miller led to another highly impacting experience when Jones was selected by Miller, Herbie Hancock, and Wayne Shorter for their Tribute to Miles tour in 2011.
Currently, Jones is artistic director of the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra, Artist-in-Residence at San Francisco Performances, and a member of The SF JAZZ Collective. In addition, he serves as a member of the Jazz Education Network’s Board of Directors and was recently appointed as artistic director of Carnegie Hall’s NYO Jazz, which makes its Carnegie Hall debut and inaugural European tour in the summer of 2018. He has recently released his eighth recording, Live from Jazz at the Bistro, on Mack Avenue Records.
Heavily involved in education, Jones taught at the Berklee College of Music as the chair of the Brass Department before joining the Peabody Conservatory as the Richard and Elizabeth Case Chair in Jazz Studies in 2018. He has also taught at Duquesne University and at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, while regularly offering master classes and clinics all around the world.
Check out this video of Sean as guest artist with North Texas U.'s Lab Band
The Trust - JD Allen, 7 N Market St, Lancaster, PA
Saxophonist JD Allen and his Quartet will grace the stage at The Trust in Lancaster for CPFJ's 2nd Spring Concert.
Allen is touring to promote his recent acclaimed recording "Love Stone" which features mellow versions of songs from the American Songbook.
“Allen took to the challenge of investing his strong- willed spirit into a series of time-tested ballads. The results are simply breathtaking.” AllAboutJazz.com
Save the Date
JD Allen (Tenor Saxophone) Liberty Ellman (Guitar) Ian Kenselarr (Bass) * Nic Cacioppo (Drums)
J.D. AllenHailed by the New York Times as "a tenor saxophonist with an enigmatic, elegant and hard-driving style," JD Allen is a bright rising light on today’s international jazz scene. His unique and compelling voice on the instrument - the result of a patient and painstaking confrontation with the fundamentals of the art - has recently earned Allen a blaze of critical attention signaling his ascension to the upper ranks of the contemporary jazz world. His latest release “Love Stone” finds him revisiting the standards with spiritual results.
The performance following the concert will be at THE TRUST, 37 N Market St., Lancaster PA
Tickets are $25 CPFJ Friends $20 and Students $10
Pollock Center - Samba Jazz w/ Duduka Da Fonseca, 340 North 21st Street, Camp Hill, PA
Duduka Da Fonseca Trio Featuring Maucha Adnet “Samba Jazz & Tom Jobim"
Featuring Helio Alves - Piano Martin Wind - Bass Duduka Da Fonseca - 3-Time Grammy® Nominated Brazilian Drummer
Maucha Adnet - Vocals
Duduka Da Fonseca Trio featuring vocalist Maucha Adnet perform at the opening Spring Concert for the Central PA Friends of Jazz - Samba Jazz, the Music of Tom Jobim. This concert is held in the beautiful Pollock Center for the Arts, 340 North 21st Street, Camp Hill PA (just off the Hwy 15 bypass at 21st St.) All seating is general admission - doors open at 2:30pm.
Brazilian musicians, Maucha and Duduka both worked for Jobim and are true exponents of the art of bossa nova, samba and beyond. Accompanying them will be the gifted Brazilian pianist Helio Alves and muti-faceted bassist Martin Wind. Please come to the Pollock Center and enjoy these amazing players.
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Duduka Da Fonseca has appeared on over 200 albums alongside American Jazz icons as well as Brazilian Jazz Icons, making him one of the most recorded Brazilian drummers in this idiom. Duduka last played for CPFJ a a member of the Rufus Reid Trio at the Allen Theatre in Annville six years ago.
“Duduka is a fantastic drummer, he has worked with me and I love the way he plays.” Antonio Carlos Jobim, Rio de Janeiro, Spring 94"Da Fonseca divulges a keen awarness of where Brazilian jazz has been and where it's headed."Todd Jenkins, Down Beat “Da Fonseca embodies the pulse of a Brazilian Samba School with a full-set reverie, a percussive wall of sound that seems to come at you from all angles"Ken Micallef, Modern Drummer Magazine “Drummer Da Fonseca perhaps the best Brazilian trap drummer of his generation, plays with uncommon mix of finesse and drive.”Mark Holston, Jazziz“Duduka Da Fonseca had the flowing beat doing his bidding, making one dance while sitting down. A master of “Brasilient” rhythms, he is equally capable of grooving a jazz 4/4 with his great, loosey-goosey swing.”Ira Gitler, American jazz historian and journalist.
WITF Public Media Center - JOEY CALDERAZZO, 4801 Lindle Rd., Harrisburg, pa
Formerly pianist with Michael Brecker and currently playing with Branford Marsalis, Joey Calderazzo has forged a great career and is now doing some tours with his own trio - Ben Wolfe (bass) and Donald Edwards (drums). We are proud to present him as the final Fall Concert of our 38th season.
Susquehanna Art Museum - JUDY CARMICHAEL, 1401 N 3rd St., Harrisburg, PA
Thanks to all who attended and made it such a special day!!
The Central PA Friends of Jazz Fall Concert Series continues with Grammy nominated stride pianist and vocalist Judy Carmichael at the Susquehanna Art Museum on Sunday, October 14th. Appearing with Judy was guitarist, Chris Flory.
“ . . . astounding, flawless, captivating.” NY Times
For information on Judy Carmichael recordings and books visit www.judycarmichael. com, and on her radio show, www.jazzinspired.com
Ft. Hunter Park - BOBBY BROOM, 5300 N Front St., Harrisburg, PA
We kicked off this Fall Concert Series with our fifth year of hosting an evening at the Dauphin Co. Jazz & Wine Fest at Ft. Hunter Park. two groups were featured - the great jazz guitarist Bobby Broom and his Organi-Sation featuring Ben Paterson (organ) & Kobie Watkins (drums), and an ensemble lead by rising star bassist Jonathan Michel called L 'Ouverture in a jazz tribute to the music and culture of Haiti.
BOBBY BROOM's ORGANI-SATION
JONATHAN MICHEL & L'OUVERTURE
Melanie Charles- voice, flute; Godwin Louis- Saxophone; Willerm Delisfort- piano; Harvel Nakundi- drums
We are grateful to the Dauphin County Commissioners for their generous grant that funded this event.
