Re a d i n g Ea g l e Special 19th annual VF Outlet Berks Jazz Fest preview section / Sunday, February 22, 2009
ictor Wooten’s virtuosity on the bass is a well-established fact. His influence parallels that of the late bassist Jaco VPastorius, and he is well known for his solo recordings as well as for being a member of the Grammy-winning Bela Fleck & The Flecktones. Wooten is coming to the 19th annual VF Outlet Berks Jazz Fest with drummer J.D. Blair for their “2 Minds, One Groove” tour. “It’s a fun duo,” he said. “We haven’t done this in about 10 years. He played on all my records.” He also is promoting his latest release Palmystery. Wooten’s talents go beyond his music. He’s a composer, arranger, producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, as well as an innovator on the bass guitar. He also runs a unique camp, Victor Wooten’s Bass/Nature Camp, and wrote a book which was published in 2008. After his Friday, March 27 show at the Berks Jazz Fest, Wooten will join Gerald Veasley’s Bass Boot Camp for the remainder of the weekend as an instructor. by dana l. hoffman
Recently, Wooten talked about his new book, “The He said he sent it to a few Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth Through friends who knew how to write, Music,” and where his focus is at these days. and made a lot of changes from He said that for years, while teaching workshops and there. running camps, he was asked to write down his philoso- The book’s been reaching who phies. he wanted to and beyond, with “My outlook in music is slightly different than most, but feedback coming from musicians I didn’t want to write an instructional manual,” Wooten as well as people not musically said, explaining that manuals usually are taken too liter- inclined. ally. “It’s a great feeling, especially So he took a different approach. He wrote a fictional since a major company like Pen- story that people would hopefully take more lightly. guin picked it up,” Victor said. “It’s “So even if they aren’t a musician, they could get even better than seeing my first something from it,” he explained. “In the music world, I CD. Music’s what I’ve done all my had never seen a book like that.” life; writing’s not. It’s really amazing and surprising.” The book is the story of a struggling young musician Right now, he’s halfway through the book’s sequel. who looked for greatness. A teacher appears seemingly Among the other exciting ventures in Victor’s life is the out of nowhere, part musical genius and part wise man, Bass/Nature Camp. This is the 10th year for his camps, and he guides the young musician on a spiritual journey which usually are held in Tennessee, giving him a chance that shows how music mirrors life. to be home with his wife and four children. Victor said he began writing “The Music Lesson” three “I can still remember the first one so vividly,” he said. years ago, while on tour. “It’s a chance to bring the instructors to me, not only to “After a show, I’d stay up late and write,” he said. teach but I wanted to learn from them.” “Within a month, it was written. What took a while was rewriting.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
2 & 3 WOOTEN Discography / 19th annual VF Outlet Berks Jazz Fest Schedule of Performances 4 Volunteer Spotlight / UPtown JazzUP / Chuck Loeb’s Berks Jazz Fest Forecast 2 Special 19th annual VF Outlet Berks Jazz Fest preview section / Re a d i n g Ea g l e / Sunday, February 22, 2009 VF OUTLET BERKS JAZZ FEST major concerts
mccoy tyner thursday, march 26 wednesday, april 1 7:00 p.m.: Berks Jazz Fest Preview Concert 7:00 p.m.: Bebop, Ballads and Blues Kutztown University Jazz Faculty Group featuring Kevin Kjos, Brian Bromberg Quartet Scott Lee, Cathy Chemi, Alan Apple, Allison Miller and David Cullen Gerald Veasley’s Jazz Base at the Reading Crowne Hotel: $20 Gerald Veasley’s Jazz Base at the Reading Crowne Hotel: $10 at door 7:30 p.m.: Blues-Rock Guitar Virtuoso Joe Bonamassa plus opening act Marianne Keith Reading Crowne Hotel Ballroom: $39 friday, march 27 7:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m. Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago The Tierney Sutton Band Kutztown University Schaeffer Auditorium: $30; $27 students Gerald Veasley’s Jazz Base at the Reading Crowne Hotel: $30 7:30 p.m.: Opening Night Concert Peter White and Mindi Abair thursday, april 2 Scottish Rite Cathedral: $49 7:00 p.m. Guitar Summit: Ken Gehret, Tom Witmer, Gary Wensel, Pete 7:30 p.m.: Severn Records Presents Rogosky Severn Soul & Blues Revue featuring Steve Guyger, Big Joe Gerald Veasley’s Jazz Base at the Reading Crowne Hotel: $15 Maher, Tad Robinson, Roy Tyler and New Directions, and the Severn Records All-Star Band 7:30 p.m. The Inn at Reading: $38 Chieli Minucci & Special EFX with the Berks Jazz Fest Horns brian bromberg The Abraham Lincoln Hotel Ballroom: $35 béla fleck: 10:00 p.m. the africa project Joe McBride & Kenny Blake 10:00 p.m.: Party at the Plaza The Abraham Lincoln Hotel Jazz Cabaret: $20 Berks All-Star Jazz Jam: Rick Braun, Chuck Loeb, Gerald Veasley, 10:30 p.m.: World-Renowned Bassist Brian Bromberg, Chieli Minucci, Paul Jackson Jr., Dave Weckl, Bobby Victor Wooten Lyle, Mitch Forman, Kim Waters, Steve Cole, Jeff Kashiwa, Nelson Rangell, Matt Marshak, Richard Elliot Reading Crowne Hotel Ballroom: $39 Reading Crowne Hotel Ballroom: $39 saturday, march 28 2:00 p.m.: Sax for Stax friday, april 3 Gerald Albright & Kirk Whalum 7:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m.: Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery Tribute Reading Crowne Hotel Ballroom: $39 Bobby Lyle & Paul Jackson Jr. Gerald Veasley’s Jazz Base at the Reading Crowne Hotel: $35 tierney gerald 3:00 p.m.: The Music of Gershwin and Porter sutton veasley Doc Mulligan and Friends 7:30 p.m.: Jason Miles presents Miller Center for the Arts: $18 Soul Summit II featuring Richard Elliot, Jeff Golub, Eric Darius, Maysa, Simone, Bob Babbitt, Reggie Young, Steve Ferrone 7:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m.: Fusion at the Base and the original Soul Survivors plus the Berks Jazz Fest Horns Steve Smith & Vital Information Scottish Rite Cathedral: $49 Gerald Veasley’s Jazz Base at the Reading Crowne Hotel: $30 7:30 p.m.: An Evening With 7:30 p.m.: An Evening With Phoebe Snow Brian Culbertson Miller Center for the Arts: $45 Scottish Rite Cathedral: $49 10:00 p.m.: Late-Night Blues 7:30 p.m.: Severn Records Presents The Billy Price Band featuring special guest Fred Chapellier Severn Soul & Blues Revue featuring Clarence Spady, Darrell The Abraham Lincoln Hotel Ballroom: $25 Nulisch, Lou Pride, and the Severn Records All-Star Band The Inn at Reading: $38 10:00 p.m.: Celebrating “Kind of Blue” andy Tim Price & Rachel Z and the Department of Good and Evil narell 10:00 p.m. The Abraham Lincoln Hotel Jazz Cabaret: $15 Uptown JAZZUP featuring Erich Cawalla & Jen Kinder The Abraham Lincoln Hotel Jazz Cabaret: $15 10:30 p.m. The Sax Pack featuring Jeff Kashiwa, Steve Cole, Kim Waters 10:30 p.m.: The Music of Stevie Wonder Reading Crowne Hotel Ballroom: $39 Gerald Veasley Band with Najee, Nnenna Freelon, Joe McBride and the Berks Jazz Fest Horns Reading Crowne Hotel Ballroom: $39 saturday, april 4 2:00 p.m.: Golden Gate Groove Double-Header phoebe snow sunday, march 29 East Bay Soul featuring Greg Adams, Phil Perry, Michael 2:00 p.m.: Smooth Jazz 92.7 Listener Appreciation Day Paulo, Lee Thornburg plus Joyce Cooling Band Average White Band plus Pieces of a Dream Reading Crowne Hotel Ballroom: $39 Reading Crowne Hotel Ballroom: $39 7:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m.: Fusion Saturday 3:00 p.m.: Jewish Federation of Reading Concert Metro featuring Chuck Loeb, Mitch Forman, Dave Weckl, Anat Cohen Randy Brecker, Gerald Veasley, Bob Francescini Miller Center for the Arts: $28 Gerald Veasley’s Jazz Base at the Reading Crowne Hotel: $35 Co-sponsored by Jewish Federation of Reading/JCC including 7:30 p.m.: An Evening With congregations, Kesher Zion and Reform Congregation Oheb Sholom Boney James 7:30 p.m.: Smooth and Soulful. . . Scottish Rite Cathedral: $49 Take 6 plus Wayman Tisdale 7:30 p.m.: An Evening With Scottish Rite Cathedral: $49 McCoy Tyner Quartet Miller Center for the Arts: $45 This tour engagement of McCoy Tyner is funded through the American Masterpieces program monday, march 30 of the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts 7:30 p.m.: WXPN welcomes American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius, a major initiative to acquaint Béla Fleck: The Africa Project Americans with the best of their cultural and artistic legacy. Miller Center for the Arts: $45 10:00 p.m.: Back by Popular Demand 7:30 p.m. Rick Braun’s Tribute to Chet Baker United States Army Jazz Ambassadors The Abraham Lincoln Hotel Ballroom: $35 Reading Crowne Hotel Ballroom: FREE 10:00 p.m.: Celebrating “Kind of Blue” Tickets will be distributed February 23 Tim Price & Rachel Z and the Department of Good and Evil The Abraham Lincoln Hotel Jazz Cabaret: $15 tuesday, march 31 10:30 p.m.: WXPN welcomes The Derek Trucks Band 7:30 p.m. take 6 Reading Crowne Hotel Ballroom: $39 United States Army Jazz Ambassadors plus the Berks County High School All-Star Band Reading Crowne Hotel Ballroom: FREE sunday, april 5 Tickets will be distributed February 23 2:00 p.m.: Smooth Jazz 92.7 Listener Appreciation Day 7:30 p.m. David Benoit plus Warren Hill Andy Narell and the Catonsville High School Steel Drum Band Reading Crowne Hotel Ballroom: $39 Miller Center for the Arts: $20 2:00 p.m.: My American Songbook Nelson Rangell and the Reading Pops Orchestra Miller Center for the Arts: $40 for ticket, artist, venue 7:00 p.m.: Festival Finale and hotel information, visit Jazz Attack featuring Rick Braun, Richard Elliot, Jonathan Butler www.berksjazzfest.com Scottish Rite Cathedral: $49
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 SOLO In April, Victor and his wife will celebrate their first-ever camp on their own property. “We’ve been building it all year,” he said. “Past campers and friends have come to Tennessee to help build it. In one weekend, we built a two-story classroom and a 2,000-foot dome structure. At the beginning of April, we’ll have another building weekend and run our first camp at the end of April.” Lately, he’s been taking some time off to be home with his family after his back- to-back tours with SMV (with Stanley Clarke and Marcus Miller) and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. “I’m at a good place musically where I’m able now to do less touring and spend more time with my family,” he said. PALMYSTERY SOUL CIRCUS He’s been enjoying success in so many areas of his life. So just what is his true 2008 2005 focus right now? “As far as my career -- sharing ideas with people and helping people break through their own struggles,” Victor said. “With music and life -- we all make them harder than WITH BÉLA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES they need to be.” Victor certainly has the wisdom to back that up. He was successful at a young age, playing with his brothers professionally at age 5 as part of the Wooten Brothers Band. “My parents always said, ‘You boys are already successful; the rest of the world just doesn’t know it yet,’ ” he said. His overall goal has always been to be a good person. “Once you’re a good person, you will be successful,” he said. “You may not be rich with money but you’ll be rich in life, rich in family and friends. I have that, and beyond.” BÉLA FLECK AND THE FLIGHT OF THE UFO TOFU He said it is easy to lose sight of what’s important, but with his upbringing, “I never FLECKTONES COSMIC HIPPO 1992 lost sight of what’s real to me,” he said. “I’m living life from the inside out.” 1990 1991 DISC OGRAPHY Special 19th annual VF Outlet Berks Jazz Fest preview section / Re a d i n g Ea g l e / Sunday, February 22, 2009 3
presented by
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS festival sponsor * * Cover or music local events charge may apply boney james friday, march 27 wednesday, april 1 11:30 a.m.: Berks Jazz Fest Kickoff Lunch 5:30 p.m.: David Cullen sponsors The Groovemasters featuring Bennie Sims & Bensi Ristorante Italiano Cliff Starkey The Peanut Bar Restaurant 6:30 p.m.: Skip Moyer Jazz Trio Blind Hartman’s Tavern 11:30 a.m.: BC and the Blues Crew judy’s...on cherry 6:30 p.m.: Deanna Reuben Dans Restaurant 6:30 p.m.: Neil Wright Adrienne’s Inn at Centre Park 7:30 p.m.: Neil Wright Cousin’s Pub/Shoemakersville 7 p.m.: Connie Rainis, Randy Sarles & Friends Gracie’s 21st Century Café 8 p.m.: The Suzy Dalton Jazz Quintet The Peanut Bar Restaurant 7 p.m.: Carl Zeplin & Tim Gross The Inn at Moselem Springs thursday, april 2 8 p.m.: By Request 6:30 p.m.: Neil Wright & Diana Dupre The Evergreen Club Dans Restaurant 8 p.m.: Blues Night 8 p.m.: David Cullen COCO Upland Café DeCarlo’s Bar & Grill 8 p.m.: Bobby Newton & Friends 9 p.m.: Skip Moyer Jazz Duo DeCarlo’s Bar & Grill average white band The Speckled Hen Cottage Pub & Alehouse friday, april 3 9:30 p.m.: D3 & Company Blind Hartman’s Tavern 11:30 a.m.: David Cullen billy price Bensi Ristorante Italiano & fred 9:30 p.m.: Dance Hall Docs chapellier Canal Street Pub & Restaurant 6:30 p.m.: Ray Allen & Friends Galen Hall Country Club 10 p.m.: Josh Taylor Trio Bixler’s Lodge 7 p.m.: Neil Wright Gracie’s 21st Century Café saturday, march 28 8 p.m.: Pretzel City Dixieland Jazz Band 10 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.: Jazz Fest for Kids The Evergreen Club Cows Don’t Fly & Other Well-Known Facts Institute of the Arts 8 p.m.: Jim Meck Cousin’s Pub/Shoemakersville 11:30 a.m.: Brazilian Jazz Brunch david Ken Gehret and Braziliance 9 p.m.: Bluzin with Bev Conklin mindi benoit judy’s...on cherry The Speckled Hen Cottage Pub & Alehouse abair Noon: Pretzel City Dixieland Jazz Band 9 p.m.: Bunchafunk DeCarlo’s Bar & Grill VF Outlet Complex at the Food Court 9:30 p.m.: Blues Party 1 p.m.: Blues Lunch FOUNDATION Duck Soup & the Fowl Mouth Horns Lil’ Ragu Blind Hartman’s Tavern The Pike Café 10 p.m.: Carl Zeplin & Tim Gross 1 p.m.: Exeter Community Band Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site Bixler’s Lodge 2 p.m.: The Reese Project saturday, april 4 chuck The Manor at Market Square 10 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.: Jazz Fest for Kids loeb 4 p.m.: Rittenhouse Jazz Quartet Cows Don’t Fly & Other Well-Known Facts Atonement Lutheran Church Institute of the Arts 4 p.m.: Early Bird Dinner Music Noon: Jimmy Z’s Bone Tom Jazz Band Cliff Starkey VF Outlet Complex at the Food Court Upland Café 1 p.m.: Jazz/Blues Lunch 7 p.m.: Children’s Alopecia Project’s Spring D3 & Company Spectacular The Pike Café Reminisce 7:30 p.m.: The Suzy Dalton Jazz Quintet VF Designer’s Place YR Club 8 p.m.: Krypton City Blues Band 8 p.m.: Uniques featuring James Tisdale rick braun DeCarlo’s Bar & Grill DeCarlo’s Bar & Grill 9:30 p.m.: Dave Mell Blues Band 9 p.m.: Rob Diener & Anomaly Blind Hartman’s Tavern Canal Street Pub & Restaurant 10 p.m.: The Standard Quartet featuring Carl 9 p.m.: Seth Mellon & Gerry Werner Zeplin, Tim Gross, Trey LaRue and Matt Cullen Upland Café Bixler’s Lodge 9:30 p.m.: Blues Night sunday, march 29 Lil’ Ragu 10 a.m.: Jazz Worship Blind Hartman’s Tavern Jazz Combo & Big Band plus Kutztown 10 p.m.: Skip Moyer Trio Middle School Jazz Band Bixler’s Lodge St. John’s United Church of Christ, Kutztown sunday, april 5 10 a.m.: Bagels & Bach Noon: Jimmy Z’s Bone Tom Jazz Band SIORA VF Outlet Complex at the Food Court Reading Public Museum Noon: Jazz Brunch Noon: Pretzel City Dixieland Jazz Band Connie Rainis, Randy Sarles & Friends hotels VF Outlet Complex at the Food Court Gracie’s 21st Century Café Noon: Neil Wright Trio 12:30 p.m.: David Cullen Gracie’s 21st Century Café Dans Restaurant 2 p.m.: International Jazz Afternoon 4 p.m.: David Cullen & Kelly Meashey Newpoli-Southern Italian Folk Ensemble Bixler’s Lodge Francis Hall Auditorium, Alvernia College 4 p.m.: Blues Dinner 2 p.m.: BVNA 100th Anniversary Celebration Dave Mell Blues Band Deanna Reuben The Pike Café Berks Visiting Nurses Association/Wyomissing the derek trucks band 3 p.m.: Joyful Jazz Beverly McDevitt & Michael Trach St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Reading how to purchase tickets 4 p.m.: Blues Dinner • www.berksjazzfest.com and Duck Soup & the Fowl Mouth Horns order directly online The Pike Café tuesday, march 31 • Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com 7 p.m.: Skip Moyer Band Reading Liederkranz • Sovereign Center Box Office, 7:30 p.m.: An Evening of Jazz/Funk Seventh and Penn streets, Reading, Big Beat Tornado PA 19602 Holy Cross United Methodist Church/Reading
WITH S.M.V.
LIVE IN AMERICA YIN-YANG WHAT DID HE SAY? A SHOW OF HANDS THUNDER 2001 1999 1997 1996 2008
THREE FLEW OVER LIVE ART LEFT OF COOL OUTBOUND LIVE AT THE QUICK LITTLE WORLDS THE HIDDEN LAND JINGLE ALL THE WAY THE CUCKOO’S NEST 1996 1998 2000 2002 2003 2006 2008 1993 4 Special 19th annual VF Outlet Berks Jazz Fest preview section / Re a d i n g Ea g l e / Sunday, February 22, 2009 LI G HT
Joanne and Steve Philipczak have been operating CD Exchange for 22 years.
S P O T he VF Outlet Berks Jazz Fest wouldn’t be possible each year without its many incredibly Tdedicated volunteers. Some, like Steve and Joanne Philipczak, have been involved with the festival almost since its beginning. Owners of CD Exchange, a music store in Stabon Pond Plaza in CHUCK LOEB’S by dana l. hoffman Mohnton, Joanne and Steve were approached by festival management 17 years ago to help out. BERKS JAZZ FEST They began by working production for the then-Sheraton Ballroom shows, under the leader- ship of Mike Anderson, another longtime jazz fest supporter, volunteer and musician. “We did load-ins and load-outs of equipment, house lights, water and towels for the artists,” Joanne explained. When the Gerald Veasley Jazz Base opened in the former Sheraton Reading Hotel, now the FORECAST Reading Crowne Hotel, in 2005, they became stage managers for that venue during the jazz fest. ingle-digit temperatures, a whipping wind-chill factor “We make sure artists are there on time; when Sthat drives them below zero; snow, hail, freezing rain; things happen we give our assistance; we do basic gloves, ski hats, snow boots, layers of sweaters, ear-muffs, stage setup,” said Steve. shovels, picks, salt, de-icer, and sand on the roads; that’s Joanne said the long days and nights have proven what is going on outside of my window at the moment. F.Y.I. to be the most challenging part of their duties.
There is no doubt about it – it’s winter. LUNTEER “It’s amazing when you see what goes into a show,” CD Exchange and Rendition Audio But, as I sit down to write this article, my heart is warmed Steve said. “You realize how much work people do to (custom speakers) by the thought that in just one short month, I will make my pull something like that off.” Owners: Steve and Joanne Philipczak eighth visit to the Berks Jazz Fest. I already can feel the O “For a two-hour show, it’s an all-day and all-night Opened: May 1987 early spring sunshine and light breeze that will be in the air, event,” Joanne said. along with the melodious sound of great jazz – just what the Location: Stabon Pond Plaza, 360 E. V Steve said sometimes artists need something, so doctor ordered. they have to scramble to find it or call around to get Wyomissing Ave., Mohnton, PA 19540 I have loved every year that I have been blessed to be it. Phone: 610-777-2310 part of the Berks festival, and this year portends to be “I like working with musicians,” Steve said. “For the Web site: www.cdexchangemusic.com another great event. most part, they’re really terrific to work with.” For me, I am very excited to announce that I have a new He also got to meet some of his favorite musicians, Hours: CD that will hit the streets just a few days before the fest such as Pat Martino and Sam Bush. Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10 a.m. starts. The title of the CD on the Heads Up label is Between Joanne said the jazz fest volunteers have become to 6 p.m. 2 Worlds. like a family over the years. Thursdays 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. This CD project is a bit of a The Philipczaks’ commitment to the festival fits into Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. departure for me. the fabric of their everyday lives. They are true music As many of my fans know, my CD Exchange is the official box office lovers. for Gerald Veasley’s Jazz Base and the wife, Carmen Cuesta, is from “Everything we do is musically related,” Steve said. Spain, and we spend quite a bit of Reading Pops Orchestra’s Sunday with At CD Exchange, they sell new and used CDs the Pops series. time going back and forth between and vinyl, music DVDs, accessories, hardware and the states and there. I also travel storage systems, and Steve builds custom speakers to Europe quite a bit on tour, and through his business, Rendition Audio. They’ve been in business with CD Exchange for almost over the years have developed 22 years, and Joanne is known for her expertise in tracking down special orders for music many musical friendships. lovers. She said they cater to audiophiles. To the uninitiated, an audiophile is one who is This partly explains the album title. I recorded about half enthusiastic about high-fidelity sound reproduction. of the CD in Europe (Berlin, Germany), and the other half The store also is the box office for Gerald Veasley’s Jazz Base for its regular weekly shows here in New York City. (not during the Berks Jazz Fest), as well as the official box office for the Reading Pops I based the project on the guitar trio format. That means Orchestra and the “Sunday with the Pops” series at the Miller Center for the Arts. that the basic unit on the CD is myself on guitar, with just a The store has become an informal meeting place of sorts for local music lovers. On any given bassist and drummer, and there are some great drummers Saturday, up to 10 people can be found talking and listening to music. Joanne said they place and bassists on it. an emphasis on promoting local artists. On the European side, I enlisted the wonderful German Joanne has been on the other side of the stage, too. She narrated numerous Ladies of Jazz drummer Wolfgang Haffner, who has performed with me at shows, including one with The Last Big Band at the 2007 Berks Jazz Fest. the Berks fest several times (notably as part of the Tribute “It was kind of nice on the other side of things,” she said. “The meals were provided, the to Wes Montgomery concert), and bassist Dieter Ilg. stage is set up, everything is ready to go. It’s nice to be on the other side.” On the American trios, I have the great Will Lee, and Berks hometown hero Gerald Veasley on bass, and the inimitable drum virtuoso Dave Weckl. It is not just a trio project however. I also have guest soloists Eric Marienthal, Till Brönner, Brian Culbertson, LOCAL TALENT / UPtown jazzUP David Charles, Bashiri Johnson, and others on the CD. I’m real happy that the wonderful Berks Jazz fest fans will be among the first to sample the new music. by dana l. hoffman As usual, I will be very busy during the festival. s well as spotlighting some of today’s hottest jazz I will be introducing the fusion project “Metro” – a artists, the VF Outlet Berks Jazz Fest also gives cooperative band I have been a member of since 1994. A regional and local groups a unique opportunity to This “Special Edition” version of the band will include Mitch showcase their talents. Forman on keys, Gerald Veasley on bass, Dave Weckl on drums, the legendary Randy Brecker on trumpet, and Bobby UPtown JazzUP featuring Erich Cawalla & Jenifer Francescini on sax. Kinder will be performing at the Abraham Lincoln Hotel Metro will showcase songs from its latest CD Express, Jazz Cabaret on Saturday, March 28, at 10 p.m. during as well as pieces from five other releases during the two the 19th annual VF Outlet Berks Jazz Fest. concerts at Gerald Veasley’s Jazz Base (Friday, April 4, The band, based out of Shillington, has been playing 7 and 10 p.m.). During those shows, I will showcase some in the Northeast for about three years, and Cawalla and of the new music from Between 2 Worlds. Kinder have been performing together for about six. The Jazz Base is my very favorite intimate venue at the The band at this year’s jazz fest show will be: Erich Berks Jazz Fest. Great vibe. I will also be there on Wednes- Cawalla, lead vocals, saxophone; Jenifer Kinder, lead Cawalla said a stand- day, April 1 (7 p.m.) sharing the stage with bassist extraor- vocals, percussion; Mike Schwartz, guitar, vocals; Dave ing room-only crowd of see them LIVE! dinaire Brian Bromberg, along with Forman and Weckl. Fenwick, piano, vocals; Lamont Bates, bass; Omer more than 200 people SATURDAY, MARCH 28 • 10 P.M. Then there’s the annual Berks All-Star Jazz Jam! Godinet, drums, vocals; and Robin Church, trumpet; came out to celebrate THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN HOTEL JAZZ CABARET • TICKETS $15 The jam session (Thursday, April 2, Reading Crowne and Billy Bower, saxophone. their release. Hotel, 10 p.m.) is always a highlight for me at Berks. This They usually perform as a seven or eight-piece band, He described their TO PURCHASE TICKETS: • WWW.BERKSJAZZFEST.COM but Bower is joining them for this special jazz fest show, upcoming jazz fest show year marks the fifth time I will hosting the event. • TICKETMASTER: 1-800-745-3000 The lineup is so spectacular that it is almost an embar- Cawalla said. as being very audience OR WWW.TICKETMASTER.COM rassment of riches: Rick, Gerald Veasley, Brian Bromberg, This past November, UPtown JazzUP released their interactive, featuring a • SOVEREIGN CENTER BOX OFFICE Chieli Minucci, Paul Jackson Jr., Mike Marshak, Dave Weckl, debut CD, Waiting for Her, with a show at Gerald mix of jazz, blues, funk Bobby Lyle, Mitch Forman, Kim Waters, Steve Cole, Jeff Veasley’s Jazz Base in the Reading Crowne Hotel and pop, as well as material from the debut CD. Kashiwa, Nelson Rangell, Richard Elliot. (formerly Sheraton Reading Hotel). Both Cawalla and Kinder have been featured Hold on to your hats! Cawalla, 29, described the CD as being an “adult soloists with the Reading Pops Orchestra and Hershey On top of all that, I will be hosting my annual guitar clinic contemporary mix.” It was locally produced and Big Band. “String Training” (no cleats required) on the afternoon of engineered by Marty Mellinger at Schoolhouse UPtown JazzUP will be playing at this year’s Musikfest Saturday, April 4, at the Reading Crowne Hotel. Productions in Leesport. in Bethlehem. This year is a historic one in many ways, and I know there Kinder, 34, said the Jazz Base show was one of the “[The band members] are all very accomplished are a lot of challenges that we all face. highlights of her career. musicians,” Cawalla said. It’s nice to know that for 10 days in March and April we “It was my first time performing original songs in front Waiting for Her is available at CD Exchange, on can let music occupy our heart, minds and souls – and we of an audience,” she said. cdbaby.com and iTunes, as well as their Web site. know that the forecast is for clear, sunny skies ahead. www.uptownbandmusic.com For more info on UPtown jazzUP: www.myspace.com/theuptownbandmusic