2017 Winter Edition Council Corner BERKS JAZZ FESTIVAL The 27th annual Boscov's Berks Jazz Fest as presented by Berks Arts Council March 31 through April 9 has a definite downtown Reading focus. Indeed, there is no finer place to be than downtown during the festival. There are 38 major concerts scheduled for downtown -- 29 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Reading, six at the Miller Center for the Arts and three at the Santander Performing Arts Center. As always, the Berks Jazz Fest is epic in scope and talent -- with a whole constellation of stars performing in a multiplicity of concerts at venues large and small encompassing contemporary jazz, urban jazz, straight-ahead jazz, blues, funk, R&B, gospel, sounds that meld genres, and unique concerts produced especially for the festival. The Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest is recognized as one of the largest and most diverse music festivals of its kind in the country. Since 1991, the festival has been an important part of the Greater Reading’s community revitalization efforts as both an economic and cultural catalyst for positive change. The 10-day festival’s economic impact on the Berks County commu- nity is estimated to be between $8 and $10 million. The festival attracts over 45,000 fans representing 30-plus states and several foreign countries. The DoubleTree is the epicenter of Jazz Fest concerts. Thirteen of the 29 events there will be at the SOUTH Jazz Parlor at Berks, which will be housed in the ballroom and share the same ambience as the iconic SOUTH Kitchen & Jazz Parlor in Philadelphia, recognized as one of the 50 Best Jazz Clubs in America. Performing at the SOUTH Jazz Parlor at Berks are the Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio featuring Jonathan Kreisberg and Johnathan Blake (Smith is a 2017 NEA Jazz Master and one of the premier purveyors of funk/soul jazz); Mike Eben’s From the Hip Non- et; the Pat Martino Organ Trio with Horns featuring Pat Bianchi, Carmen Intorre, Adam Niewood, and Alex Norris; Eric Marien- thal; Frank DiBussolo’s Philly Reunion Band; the Jeff Hamilton Trio; the Anat Cohen Quartet; the Avalon Jazz Band plus Hot Club of Reading; and Rick Braun: The Music of Chet Baker. Other signature shows at the DoubleTree are The New Urban Jazz Party featuring Bob Baldwin, Walter Beasley, Marion Meadows and Tom Browne; Nick Colionne with Eric Darius and Adam Hawley; funk legend of Sly & the Family Stone fame Larry Graham and Graham Central Station; Jazz Gets the Blues -- a true jazz and blues mix blending blues classics with burning chops, funky grooves and high-energy performance staged exclusively for the Berks Jazz Fest and featuring Clarence Spady, Alexis P Suter, Steve Cole, Nick Colionne, Eric Darius, Pat Bianchi, Vicki Bell and the Berks Horns (Mike Anderson, Rob Diener and John Loos); the NYPD Jazz Band; the can't-miss Berks All-Star Jazz Jam with a medley of marquee artists; the West Coast Jam with Rick Braun, Norman Brown and Richard Elliot; Everette Harp & Friends featuring Chante Moore, Phil Perry, Brian Bromberg, Brian Simpson, Rayford Griffin and Dwight Sills; and multiple Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist Marcus Miller. Downtown Reading has the Opening Night Celebration with R&B superstar saxophonist Gerald Albright, Grammy Award- winning vocalist Patti Austin and revered guitarist/vocalist Jonathan Butler starring in an exceptional concert produced specifi- cally for the Berks Jazz Fest on Friday, March 31, at 7:30 p.m. at the Santander Performing Arts Center. INSIDE THIS ISSUE Other concerts at the Santander Performing Arts Center are the fabulous Fourplay featuring Bob James, Nathan East, Harvey Mason and Chuck Loeb; and the stylistically unbound instrumental Grammy Award-winning funk band Snarky Puppy. In a Berks Jazz Fest premiere, producer extraordinaire Jason Miles is presenting the first live performance of his memorable 2000 album Celebrating the Music of Weather Report on Saturday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the Miller Center for the Arts. Miles has assembled an array of contemporary jazz heavyweights to honor the 30th anniversary of the formation of Weather Report, 2017 Pagoda Award ....... 2 one of the pre-eminent early jazz fusion bands led by Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter and Miroslav Vitous. The artists helping Miles breathe life into this special concert are multiple Grammy-winning saxophonist Jeff Coffin and a Veterans Grove .............. 3 member of the Dave Matthews Band; trumpeter Theo Croker; bassist Gerald Veasley; violinist Karen Briggs; multi- instrumentalist Mino Cinelu who as a teenager toured and recorded with Weather Report; percussionist Carter Beauford who is Mt. Penn Reserve a founding member of the Dave Matthews Band; and multiple Grammy-winning drummer Shaun Martin. Other concerts at the Miller Center are the Super Band featuring Randy Brecker, Mike Stern, Bill Evans, Keith Carlock and Tom Master Plan ................ 3 Kennedy; Troker, a jazz rock and world music band from Guadalajara, Mexico; celebrated pianist Keiko Matsui; pianist/vocalist Jim Brinkman; and the Reading Pops Orchestra with Minas featuring Orlando Haddad, Patricia King and Andrew Neu. Mt. Penn Community Design Meeting ........... 4 Legislative Highlights .................... 5 Volunteer Opportunities .............. 6 Project Buy a Brick ........ 7 Berks Arts Council Announces the honor the Bucs. Including the concert and most recently in 2015 when they had an Reading Buccaneers as Recipient of the awards in the fest allows us to really cre- undefeated season. They have been DCA 2017 Pagoda Award ate a special celebration.” finalists for over 20 consecutive years, Pagoda Award and special concert to be consistently placing in the top 5 since held Monday, April 3, 2017, at Double- Chez has a long and storied career with th 1998. Tree by Hilton Reading as part of the 27 multiple ensembles in the DCA and Drum annual Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest. Corp International (DCI), including the Buccaneers. He is best known for his 25- Reading - Berks Arts Council will honor The first Pagoda Award was presented to Berks County’s championship drum and year stint on trumpet and flugelhorn play- the late Gertrude Sternbergh in 1993 in bugle corps the Reading Buccaneers with ing on Late Night with David Letterman recognition the 2017 Pagoda and the Late Show with David Lettermen. Award for Excel- of her valua- In 1979, Chez joined forces with Jon Bon lence in the Arts ble contri- Jovi to create the band the Atlantic City for 60 years of bution to the unparalleled per- Expressway, playing in clubs on the Jer- arts in Berks formance excel- sey Shore. Chez went on to play with County. lence at 7:00 Tower of Power, Robert Cray Band, Spy- p.m., Monday, Over the ro Gyra, Sting, Rolling Stones, Eric Clap- April 3, at Dou- past 20 ton, Bon Jovi, Cee lo Greene, Snoop Dog, bleTree by Hilton years, the awards were expanded to in- James Brown and many others before Reading. The clude multiple recipients celebrating con- Pagoda Award joining Paul Shaffer and the Late Night th tributions to the arts through excellence, coincides with the 60 anniversary of the Orchestra. Reading Buccaneers and the 30th anniver- patronage, and leadership. Over 30 indi- sary of the Buccaneer Alumni Drum and Al Chez and The Brothers of Funk Big viduals have been presented since the Bugle Corps. Band are not your typical big band. award’s inception. In 2008 Chez met up with musicians Jim- Berks Arts Council Board President Lee my Steele and Jarred Streiff and the result The Pagoda Awards and special concert Olsen stated: “I am proud to announce was Al Chez and The Brothers of Funk will be presented on Monday, April 3 at that Berks Arts Council chose to com- Big Band, which has reinvented the big DoubleTree by Hilton Reading, for more memorate the Reading Buccaneers. We band sound by changing up classic rock, information visit PagodaAwards.com. are thrilled to recognize the Bucs 60 years soul, jazz and standard music to a unique of exceptional work.” and powerful sound. Tickets for the Award Ceremony concert are $25 and are available through Pago- Reading Buccaneers director Lou Tierno Along with its unique musical arrange- daAwards.com, BerksJazzFest.com, San- said: "On behalf of six decades of Bucca- ments of rock-soul -- jazz-blues standards tander Arena Box Office, or by calling neers, I thank the Berks Arts Council for and original tunes, Chez's stratospheric ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, or this incredible honor. We are proud to trumpet playing and soulful vocals make have represented the Greater Reading area for a magical and memorable show. Ticketmaster outlets. For more infor- for the past 60 years, and we have valued mation, please contact the Berks Arts our long association with the Berks Arts Chez started his musical career at the age Council at 610-898-1930. Council. To receive this recognition from of 9 when he joined his local drum corps. the local arts community is particularly Chez still donates his time to drum corps The mission of Berks Arts Council, a 501 gratifying.” activity, (c)(3) non-profit organization, is to culti- working vate, promote, and support the arts in our Pagoda Award Chairperson Kevin Barn- with community through collaboration, educa- hardt added: “I have spent a lot of time many tion, and presentation. with the Buccaneers over the past year, corps and and I am inspired by the energy and com- bands. Berks Arts Council mitment to Artistic Excellence that this presents the Boscov’s corps has shown.” Reading Berks Jazz Fest, the Buccaneers were organized in 1957 as a Bandshell Concert The Awards Ceremony will include a parade corps comprised of veterans of Series, Fast Lane Art special Berks Jazz Fest performance to World War II and Korea who had aged and the Pagoda honor the “Bucs” with Buccaneers’ alum- out of the local junior corps.