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American Jazz Repertory Orchestra Kicks-off Independence Day Weekend
with July 2 Salute to Big Bands and the Great American Songbook
Concert at Pittsfield's First United Methodist Church Will Also
Feature "Berkshires Jazz All-Stars"
PITTSFIELD, Massachusetts, May 15, 2009 -- The American Jazz Repertory
Orchestra makes its Pittsfield debut on July 2 with a concert that
features big-band renditions of Jazz instrumentals, plus a tip-of-the-
hat to "the great American song book." Sponsored by Berkshires Jazz,
the 16-piece big band will be supplemented by Berkshires Jazz All-
Stars, comprising local standout soloists including Charlie Tokarz,
Gary Miller, Andy Kelly, and Vikki True.
The program will be divided into two segments, the first presenting
the memorable songs of the big-band era. Performed in both the big
band and small-group settings, the songbook set will spotlight the
talents of Vikki True, the Berkshires' top Jazz vocalist. In the
second half of the program, the AJRO will play the themes and tunes
made popular by Stan Kenton, Count Basie, Woody Herman, Duke
Ellington, and Benny Goodman. The band plays the original, authentic
arrangements of such instrumentals as King Porter Stomp, Four
Brothers, Intermission Riff, Woodchoppers Ball, Mood Indigo, and its
perennial show-stopper, Sing, Sing, Sing.
The American Jazz Repertory Orchestra is directed by Clem DeRosa, a
member of the Jazz Hall of Fame, a big-band drummer and pioneer in
Jazz education. During his military career, DeRosa served with one of
Glenn Miller's Air Corps Bands, and later took one of Miller's "ghost
bands" on a tour of European concert and dance dates. He has also
taken the legacy band of Benny Goodman on the road.
DeRosa was on the founding faculty of Stan Kenton's Stage Band Camps
(later known as the Kenton Clinics), and was a founder of the
International Association for Jazz Education.
The concert gets under way at 7:30pm at First United Methodist Church,
55 Fenn Street, Pittsfield. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the
door ($15 for students). Further information can be found at
www.BerkshiresJazz.org, or 413-443-6501. Video clips of the orchestra
are posted at www.AmericanJazzVenues.org.
Berkshires Jazz, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization,
established in 2009 to present Jazz events and promote Jazz education
throughout Berkshire County in western Massachusetts. The organization
is also the sponsor of the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival.
http://www.berkshiresjazz.org |
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