The Blue Lake Public Radio Jazz Datebook

[Lazaro Vega]

The Jazz Datebook

July 20, 2006

The Datebook:

Thursday, July 20th and Friday, July 21st from 5:30 p.m. Organissimo opens for Sinatra sound alike Steve Lippia in the Grand Rapids Symphony Chase Picnic Pops at Canonsburg Ski Area. Information from (616) 454-9451 or www.grsymphony.org.

Monday, July 24th at 6 p.m. Dr. John Hair’s New Connections Quartet performs in this summer’s free Jazz at the Zoo concert series, rain or shine at John Ball Park Zoo, Grand Rapids. July 31st The John Shea Trio concludes this annual summer festivity in Grand Rapids. For more information contact The West Michigan Jazz Society, (616) 458 – 0125 or www.wmichjazz.org or www.johnballzoosociety.org

Monday, July 24th from 7:30 to 10 p.m. The Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra performs at Kopper Top Guest House, 638 Stocking N.W., Grand Rapids. The band appears there on the 4th Monday of each month.

Tuesday, July 25th from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. the Roger McNaughton Trio plays at Central Park, Grand Haven, in a Tuesday night music series including jazz Groove Merchant on August 8th. Presented by the Grand Haven Area Arts Council, (616) 842 – 2285 or www.ghaac.org .

Thursday, July 27th at 7 p.m. drummer Tim Froncek leads the Blue Lake Faculty Jazz Combo in a tribute to Miles Davis at the Edith I. Blodgett Recital Hall, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in northern Muskegon County. Part of Blue Lake’s 40th Anniversary Season which also includes the Blue Lake Staff and Faculty Jazz Bands performing Saturday, July 29th at 7:30 p.m. at William S. Stewart Memorial Music Shell. Tickets are $10 at the door. For information please call (231) 894 – 1966.

Tuesday, July 25th through Sunday, June 31st: the World Class Jazz Summer Tour 2006 features tenor saxophonist Jerry Weldon’s New York All Stars with Coleman Mellatt on guitar and Akiko Suruga, organ. Weldon tours the world as featured soloist in Harry Connick Jr.'s big band (http://www.jerryweldon.com/); August 1st through August 7th, jazz guitarist Ed Cherry's Band featuring vocalist Laird Jackson. Best known as Dizzy Gillespie's guitarist from 1973 to 1993, Ed Cherry's current band includes bassist Sean Conly and drummer Diego Voglino (http://www.justin-time.com/authors/edcherry/ ).

All concerts start at 7 p.m., are free, and take place in the following locations: Tuesday, Manistee First Street Beach, Douglas Park, Manistee (rain site, Manistee High School at 12th and Maple); Wednesday, Gull Landing, 438 S. Hancock Street, Pentwater, (231) 869-4215; Thursday, The Rotary Pavilion, Cadillac (rain site, Cadillac Community Schools Auditorium); Friday, Rambadt Park, Reed City; Saturday, Wenger Pavilion, Baldwin; Sunday, Gull Landing, 438 S. Hancock Street, Pentwater, (231) 869-4215.....(For a full summer schedule see below).

Thursdays from 7 to 11 p.m. Restaurant Toulouse, 246 Culver Street, Saugatuck, features live jazz. (269) 857 – 1561.

Tuesday, July 25th and August 8th at 7 p.m. The Truth in Jazz Orchestra plays at the West Side Inn, Beidler St., Muskegon. The sixteen piece big band led by bassist/bass trombonist Dave Collee features a swinging book and regular guests such as drummer Tim Froncek and trumpeter Dan Jacobs (see: http://www.danjacobsmusic.com/home.html ) . The Truth in Jazz Orchestra also plays Grand Haven’s Waterfront Stadium Wednesday, August 2nd at 7 p.m. as part of Coast Guard Festival http://www.grandhaven.com/uscgfest/.

Thursday, July 27 at 8 p.m. Organissimo plays at ‘Til Midnight in Holland. Friday, July 28th at 6 p.m. Jr. Valentine plays on the deck. Thursdays: August 3rd, Jim Cooper Quartet; August 10th Organissimo; August 17th, Blue Coast Quartet; August 24th, Mary Rademacher; August 31st , Michael Doyle and Evidence. ‘Til Midnight presents live jazz outside on the deck Fridays from 6 p.m. ‘Till Midnight, 171 East 24th Street, Holland. For more information, (616) 392 – 6883 or www.tillmidnight.biz .

Friday, July 28th at 6:30 p.m. Mary Rademacher sings at the Grand Rapids Arts Museum at the corner of Lyon and Division in Grand Rapids. $3. See www.gramonline.org

Saturday, July 29th from 1 - 9:00 PM the 14th annual Sutton’s Bay Jazzfest is headlined the Bob James Quintet (www.bobjames.com) at Suttons Bay Marina Park, overlooking Suttons Bay and Grand Traverse Bay. Award-winning Leelanau Peninsula Wineries and Restaurants offer exquisite selections of food and beverage under the Big Tent. JazzFest benefits music scholarships and non-profit community projects. The Suttons Bay JazzFest will also include performances by the Interlochen Arts Camp High School Jazz Band, the Betty Joplin Quartet, the Epsilon Jass Band, and the Harry Goldson Quintet featuring Jim Cooper and Tad Weed. Tickets and Seating will be Limited for this Very Special Occasion. Advance tickets through the Traverse City Visitor Center, or by phone from (231) 271-4444. $25 in advance - - - $35 at the gate. www.harrygoldson.com

Saturday, July 29 from 7:00 to 10 p.m. Pianist John Shea leads his trio with Rob Hartman, bass, and Chicago's Gregg Sergo, drums, at the Pigeon Lake Lodge, 7175 N. Lakeshore Dr. West Olive. Phone: (616) 399-6161.

Saturday, July 29th at 10 p.m. Bridge 61, a Chicago based cooperative featuring Ken Vandermark, performs avant-garde music at Kraftbrau Brewery, 402 E. Kalamazoo Avenue, Kalamazoo. www.kraftbraubrewery.com or (269) 384 – 0288. Bridge 61 is Tim Daisy, drums and percussion; Nathan McBride, basses; Jason Stein, bass clarinet; Ken Vandermark, reeds. www.kenvarndermark.com or www.atavistic.com.

Saturday, July 29th from 7 to 10 p.m. pianist John Shea with Rob Hartman, bass, and Greg Sergo, drums, play Pigeon Lake Lodge, 7175 N. Lakeshore Drive, West Olive, MI. (616) 399-6161.

Sundays July 30th and August 6th, pianist John Shea appears at Restaurant Toulouse, 246 Culver Street, Saugatuck. (269) 857 – 1561.

Wednesday, August 2nd at 7 p.m. The Mid-Town Horns with vocalist Mary Rademacher appear in The Wenger Pavilion, Baldwin. Free. August 9th, Eric Lindsey’s First Baptist Youth Choir; August 16th, The Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra led by Bob Nixon and featuring drummer Tim Froncek.

Thursday, August 3rd at 7:30 p.m. The Flat River Big Band appears at Tower Riverside Park Gazebo in Greenville. Free. Part of a regular Thursday night concert series presented by Greenville Rotary.

August 3rd and 4th, pianist John Shea appears from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. as part of the Grand Rapids Symphony Chase Picnic Pops Concert series at Cannonsberg Ski Area. After 7:30 p.m. both nights the Grand Rapids Symphony will play the music of Led Zepplin. www.grsymphony.org.

Fridays and Saturdays from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. live local jazz at The Grand Seafood and Oyster Bar, 24 Washington St., Grand Haven. Live local jazz or blues guitarists on Wednesday evenings from 8 to 11 p.m. (616) 844- 5055.

August 8th from 7 to 9 p.m. Organissimo appears in the Rogue River Blues Series, presented by The City of Rockford, 7 South Monroe Street, Rockford, MI. (616) 866-1537. www.rockford.mi.us.

Wednesday, August 9th, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. the Beltline Big Band plays The Kopper Top Guest House, 638 Stocking N.W., Grand Rapids. (616) 459-2001 The Beltline Big Band plays there the second Monday of each month. www.beltlinebigband.com

Thursday, August 17th from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. drummer Fred Knapp www.fredknappmusic.com plays jazz at Mill Point Park, Spring Lake. Music every Thursday at Mill Point Park presented by the Grand Haven Area Arts Council, (616) 842 – 2285 or www.ghaac.org .

Thursday, August 17th from 9:30 p.m. to closing, Organissimo at Bell’s Eccentric Café, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., Kalamazoo. (269) 382-2338. www.bellsbeer.com

Sunday, August 20th from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. Dave Greer’s Classic Jazz Stompers perform traditional jazz for the West Shore Jazz Society at The Oakridge Country Club, 513 West Pontaluna Road, Muskegon. $20 for members; $25 for non-members. Then on September 10th The Red Rose Jazz Band appears. For a full schedule call (231) 759 – 0071.

Tuesday, August 22nd, 7:30 p.m. John Proulx’s debut CD release concert is presented by The Aquinas College Music Department at Kretschmer Recital Hall, Aquinas College Art and Music Center, 1607 Robinson Road S.E., Grand Rapids. Paul Keller and Pete Siers will accompany the young pianist and vocalist. On his debut recording, “Moon and Sand,” Grand Rapids native Proulx (pronounced “prue”) is accompanied by Chuck Berghofer, bass, and Joe LaBarbera, drums. For information see Max Jazz Records of Saint Louis (www.maxjazz.com) . Tickets are $10 adults; $5 students/seniors and available at the door. For more information see, www.johnproulx.com.

Wednesdays, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., Rick Reuther sings at Notos Italian Restaurant, 6600 28th St. SE., Grand Rapids. Rick Reuther with drummer Cherie Lynn and pianist Tom Hagen. See http://www.notosoldworld.com/ or www.rickreuthersings.com

Sunday, July 30, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. The John Shea Trio appears at Restaurant Toulouse, 248 Culver St., Saugatuck. Phone: 269-857-1561

August 31st through September 3rd the 28th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival, Grant Park, Chicago. www.chicagojazzfestival.org.

September 1st through 6th the 27th Annual Detroit International Jazz Festival, Hart Plaza, Detroit. www.detroitjazzfest.com.

Also, the Grand Haven Area Arts Council is auditioning jazz musicians to form a GHAAC Community Jazz Band, all ages, all traditional jazz instruments. Please contact (616) 842 – 2285 for more information.

More on the World Class Jazz Tours:

The World Class Jazz Summer Tour series will continue all summer at the same locations mentioned above with: August 8th through August 14th, The Mark Kahny Band with singer Mary Rademacher dishing standards and show tunes, with Dan Gioccabossi, saxophones and flute; Tim Johnson, drums and vocals (http://www.maryrad.com/ ); August 15th through August 21st, The Juggernaut Jug Band from Louisville, Kentucky, playing jazz, blues, ragtime, swing and original music on guitar, harmonica, bass, percussion, accordion, trumpet, scrub boards, washtubs, and kazoos (http://www.gggreg.com/Juggernaut.pdf); Saturday, August 26th the General Assembly Big Band at the Wenger Pavilion, Baldwin ; Sunday, August 27th the West Michigan Jazz Masters at The Gull Landing, 438 S. Hancock, Pentwater; Saturday, September 2nd Don Ingles’ Michigan Nighthawks at the Wenger Pavilion, Baldwin.

For more information on the World Class Jazz Tour this summer the phone numbers are (231) 642-1388 or (616)437-0101; E-mail: timsculy@netonecom.net, and the web site www.worldclassjazz.org .

Notes: American expatriate jazz drummer Ronnie Gardner developed a rhythm inspired physical therapy program for stroke victims which he’s brought from Sweden to medical centers in Grand Rapids. Starting July 5 and continuing until early August, Gardiner will teach his program Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Origami Brain Injury Rehabilitation Center, 3181 Sandhill Road, Mason, MI (517 336-6060), sponsored by Michigan State University and Peckham Industries. Ronnie will be working with survivors of Traumatic Brain Injury and the entire rehab team (not just physical therapy) will be participating in the efforts. See www.origamirehab.org . Gardiner’s Sweden-based two trombone front-line band, Sliding Hammers, is playing the Rochester Jazz Festival in New York June 15th and 16th. He’s been on a range of jazz recordings and performed regularly in Europe since 1962. For instance Gardiner played drums in the house rhythm section for the inaugural Swedish Jazz Festival. The quintet included Johnny Griffin, Clark Terry, Tommy Flanagan and Red Mitchell. When he first arriving in Europe Gardiner settled in Copenhagen, playing with Gerry Mulligan, Dexter Gordon, and Zoot Sims at the Jazzhus Montmartre. Gardiner called Stockholm home for decades, though during the 1960’s and early 70’s he was in the Grand Canarias Los Palmas at a jazz club called The Half Note. As a member of the house rhythm section there he worked alongside Tony Scott and Brew Moore to name two. A standards and swing tenor, Hacke Bjorksten, includes Gardiner’s pulse and drive on the 2004 release “Three Generations” (Dragon Records, Sweden). Looking back you’ll see him alongside a teenage Neils-Henning Orsted Pederson on the historic 1960’s era recording, “My Name Is Albert Ayler.” Congratulations to Ronnie and his love Marsha Gregory, of Grand Rapids, who will be married in Sweden on October 14. If you’re in Stockholm after September 30th there’s a club named after Ronnie Gardiner called “Ronnie’s Room” where he produces concerts for Saturday nights. Gardiner wants you to know he presents a scholarship to a young Swedish drummer each year. Blue Lake hopes to broadcast this marvelous musician in performance from our studios this summer. For more information on Ronnie Gardner please see: www.rgrm.com