NEWS RELEASE
DATE: March 11, 2011
CONTACT: Mark Demko, 610-332-1342 or mdemko@artsquest.org
SPYRO GYRA, BITCHES BREW REVISITED & MORE HIGHLIGHT 1ST RIVERJAZZ
Concannon Miller is Principal Sponsor of New Jazz Festival at SteelStacks
BETHLEHEM, PA—Bitches Brew Revisited, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, The Clayton Brothers and Spyro Gyra headline the first RiverJazz presented by Concannon Miller. The new jazz festival, which will take place June 22-26 at the ArtsQuest Center and SteelStacks campus in Bethlehem, will also include five days of local and regional jazz acts performing for free on the Air Products Town Square at SteelStacks.
On June 22, RiverJazz gets underway with a 7:30 p.m. Musikfest Café performance by Bitches Brew Revisted, the dazzling, multi-generational lineup that came together to explore the legacy of "Bitches Brew," the 1970 Miles Davis recording that featured an amazing ensemble of improvisational musicians. Bitches Brew Revisited includes some of today’s finest musicians joining forces to pay tribute to that incredible musical moment 40-plus years ago, while also presenting their own original music. Members of the ensemble, which has performed at the Montréal Jazz Festival and other jazz events throughout North America, include Graham Haynes on cornet, James Blood Ulmer on guitar, Marco Benevento on keyboards, DJ Logic on turntables/samples, Antoine Roney on bass clarinet/saxes, Lonnie Plaxico on bass, Cindy Blackman on drums and Adam Rudolph on percussion. Tickets for Bitches Brew Revisited are $59 VIP Box/ $44 Cabaret.
On June 23, 7:30 p.m., it’s an evening of New Orleans style jazz when the world-famous Preservation Hall Jazz Band (PHJB) drops by the Musikfest Café. A touring act since 1963, PHJB derives its name from Preservation Hall, the venerable music venue in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter that was founded in 1961 by Allan and Sandra Jaffe. This dynamic band has traveled worldwide spreading its mission to nurture and perpetuate the art form of New Orleans jazz. Whether performing at Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center, for British Royalty or the King of Thailand, its music embodies a joyful, timeless spirit. Tickets for the PHJB concert are $49 VIP Box/$35 Cabaret.
The great jazz sounds continue at the Musikfest Café on June 24, 7:30 p.m., when the Clayton Brothers take to the stage. Founded in 1977, this quintet is led by brothers John and Jeff Clayton. Their two most recent recordings, "Brother to Brother" and "The New Song and Dance," were both nominated for Grammy Awards, while the brothers are renowned as jazz educators who travel extensively to participate in workshops and music clinics around the world. John gained prominence as a bassist in both the jazz and classical fields, serving as the Artistic Director of Jazz for the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 1998-2001; Jeff began his career as both a touring and studio musician and has worked with some of music’s most legendary names, including Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Ella Fitzgerald, Woody Harmon, Lionel Hampton, Lena Horne and more. Tickets for The Clayton Brothers’ concert are $49 VIP Box/$39 Cabaret.
Spyro Gyra, which will visit the Musikfest Café June 25, 7:30 p.m., has been performing its unique blend of pop, jazz and world music for more than 35 years. Founded in the mid-‘70s by saxophonist Jay Beckenstein, this group had its breakthrough success with 1979’s "Morning Dance," whose title track became a Top 40 single. To this day, the Calypso-inspired song is still in heavy rotation on contemporary jazz stations. The group’s 2001 release, "In Modern Times," spent 64 weeks on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart, peaking at No. 2, while its ensuing recordings, "Original Cinema" and "The Deep End," also logged considerable time on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart, solidifying the group’s status in the contemporary jazz arena. Tickets for the Spyro Gyra show are $59 VIP Box/$49 Cabaret.
The Musikfest Café isn’t the only venue that will come alive with the sounds of music during RiverJazz. Each night of the festival, some of the finest local and regional jazz acts will take to the stage of the Air Products Town Square for free concerts for the community. Groups scheduled to perform on the Town Square include the Central Park Stompers, Craig Kastelnik & Friends, Dan DeChellis Trio, Eric Mintel Quartet, June Thomas and Woody Browns Project. In addition, Audio Dynamikz will spin up a variety of jazz-themed music on the Town Square June 26 from 2-5 p.m., while pianist and vocalist Judy Carmichael will perform during a special Jazz Brunch in the Musikfest Café June 26.
"Concannon Miller has been a partner with ArtsQuest since its inception in 1983 and we are very excited about the wide variety of new music and arts programming that the organization will be presenting at the ArtsQuest Center and SteelStacks," said Bob Oster, Chief Executive Officer of Concannon Miller. "In June, the SteelStacks campus will be home to some of the coolest sounds around during RiverJazz. This festival offers a great intersection with our brand, and we are proud to be associated with this exciting, new event for the community."
Media sponsors for RiverJazz are Viamedia, The Express-Times, The Reading Eagle, WDIY and 69-WFMZ-TV. Tickets for all RiverJazz Musikfest Café shows will go on sale starting Tues., March 15, 10 a.m., to ArtsQuest Members and Fri., March 18, 10 a.m., to the public. They will be available at www.artsquest.org or by calling 610-332-3378.
RIVERJAZZ 2011 LINEUP
MUSIKFEST CAFÉ
June 22, 7:30 p.m.
Bitches Brew Revisited - $59 VIP Box/$44 Cabaret
June 23, 7:30 p.m.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band - $49 VIP Box/$35 Cabaret
June 24, 7:30 p.m.
The Clayton Brothers - $49 VIP Box/$39 Cabaret
June 25, 7:30 p.m.
Spyro Gyra - $59 VIP Box/$49 Cabaret
AIR PRODUCTS TOWN SQUARE
June 22, 6-7:30 p.m.
Craig Kastelnik & Friends
June 23, 6-7:30 p.m.
Dan DeChellis Trio
June 24
Eric Mintel Quartet - 6-7:30 p.m.
Central Park Stompers - 9:30-11:30 p.m.
June 25
June Thomas - 6-7:30 p.m.
Woody Browns Project - 9:30-11:30 p.m.
June 26, 2-5 p.m.
Audio Dynamikz presents "Sundaze"
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Editor’s Note: Attached is the official RiverJazz festival logo. Images of performers are available upon request.
