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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Josh Chittum, Public Information Officer, “We Always Swing”® Jazz Series [email protected] “WE ALWAYS SWING”® JAZZ SERIES ANNOUCES AMBITIOUS “JAZZ APPRECIATION MONTH” SCHEDULE. CELEBRATION RUNS APRIL 1-30. OFFICIAL KICK-OFF MONDAY, MARCH 28, 6 P.M., AT BROADWAY BREWERY WITH 70-PLUS SIGNED JAZZ SERIES POSTER EXHIBIT OPENING & PERFORMANCE BY 18-PIECE COLUMBIA JAZZ ORCHESTRA. MAYORAL PROCLAMATION ADDED TO DOCKET More than 20 events set to take place during April. Dedicated website page - wealwaysswing.org/JAM - offers complete listings. JAM HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: Champian Fulton and The Bad Plus Joshua Redman Concerts at Murry’s. Public Concert, Residency, Children’s Concerts with pianist Justin Kauflin. Films, International Jazz Day Open House; JAM B-I-N-G-O! at Logboat on Wednesdays. 20th Anniversary Single-Barrel Bourbon & Custom Beer Specials Offered. North Coast Brewery Co. returns as major sponsor with Flagship Ale, Brother Thelonious, + company’s other products placed on special at several locations throughout Columbia Tom Andes Trio In-Store Performance at Yamaha Dealer Piano Distributors; “JAM-Jazz Series Great Education 2016/2017 Season Ticket Raffle” returns. The “We Always Swing”® Jazz Series announced its most ambitious “Jazz Appreciation Month” yet. The April 1-April 30 celebration, with an official kick-off AND Mayoral Proclamation on March 28, is designed to draw attention to “America’s Gift To The World.” The advent of JAM dates to the 2002 launched by the Smithsonian Institute with the intent to shine a brighter light on jazz throughout America and around the world. “We became interested in being active JAM participants about six years ago,” says Jon Poses, Jazz Series Executive & Artistic Director. “During the past three or four years, however, we have ramped up our efforts, consciously scheduling an increased number of events during April.” Added Poses, “We now look to not only produce events on our own, but also collaborate with others locally in the hopes of drawing even a greater amount of attention to not only the Jazz Series but also this great musical art form.” [MORE] Jazz Series Celebrates JAM 2016 2-2-2-2-2 The 2016 edition of “Jazz Appreciation Month” may be the 21-year-old organization’s best effort yet. More than 20 events are scheduled thus far with more than one a day taking place on some dates. The month includes the final three 2015/2016 Jazz Series subscription concerts – among them a pair of two-show dates at Murry’s. On Sunday, April 3, acclaimed vocalist Champian Fulton returns to make her second Jazz Series appearance presenting “Letters To Dinah,” a program dedicated to the great singer Dinah Washington. Two weeks later, on Sunday, April 17, the powerhouse trio, The Bad Plus, returns to Murry’s, having morphed into a quartet with GRAMMY®-winning veteran saxophonist Joshua Redman as part of the band. “To have a group of that stature perform at Murry’s with its 125 seats-per-seating is really something,” said Poses. They are playing 500 to 1,000-seat theaters most everywhere else on their tour.” Not surprisingly, both Bad Plus Joshua Redman shows are sold out and are now wait-listed. A handful of tickets remain to Fulton’s April 3 concerts. The third concert of the month features blind pianist Justin Kauflin, a 29-year-old rising star. The performance takes place Thursday, April 28, at the First Baptist Church on Broadway, and serves as the centerpiece of a three-day residency with Kauflin. The pianist’s story is an inspirational one. He lost his sight as an adolescent, the result of a rare degenerative condition, and took to the piano. The legendary trumpeter Clark Terry became his mentor and the two forged a dynamic relationship, which is captured on the screen in the award-winning documentary Keep On Keepin’ On (2014). “We showed the film last April as part of JAM 2015,” said Josh Chittum, Jazz Series Assistant Director. “We were so taken with the film and Kauflin as a player – and his remarkable story – that we thought it would be a fantastic idea to not only present him in concert this season, but also have him here in Columbia to lead other activities.“ As a result, Kauflin will “host” the organization’s pair of Annual Children’s Concerts, which are free and open to all 20 of the city’s elementary schools on a first-come, first-served basis; both “informances” – where artists not only perform, but also explain and demonstrate jazz principles – are now filled to capacity with some 2,000, K-5 students slated to fill Hickman High School Auditorium on consecutive mornings, April 28-29. The Jazz Series will also show Keep On Keepin’ On a second time -- however, Mr. Kauflin will be on hand to discuss his participating in the film, his relationship with Clark Terry and other jazz luminaries such as Quincy Jones, and to broach other topics such as his experience entering the highly competitive Thelonious Monk Piano Competition, which is shown as part of the film. A “Meet & Greet” public reception at The Roof, atop the Broadway Hotel, follows the screening. Other educational events during April include musician visits to both Gentry Middle School (April 7) and Alpha Hart Lewis Elementary School (April 21), the former activity underwritten by Missouri Employers Mutual and the latter by US Bank. Both events are part of the Jazz Series’ long-standing “Jazz in the Schools” Initiative, which began well over a decade ago as three-way collaboration between the Jazz Series, individual schools and their respective Partners In Education. “We are very pleased that this program continues again this season,” said Chittum. “It’s a great way to infuse jazz into individual schools’ curriculum,” adding, “We are always open to administrating such programs with the assistance of each school’s Partner in Education.” BLOCKBUSTER JAM “KICK-OFF” EVENT: LIMITED EDITION SIGNED POSTER EXHIBIT OPENING & COLUMBIA JAZZ ORCHESTRA ANNIVERSARY PERFORMANCE. MAYORAL PROCLAMATION ADDED TO BILL. On Monday, March 28, beginning 6 p.m., at Broadway Brewery, the Jazz Series will officially kick-off the “Jazz Appreciation Month” celebration with an exhibit opening, which features more than 70 limited edition signed concert and event posters, dating to the organization’s 1995 beginnings. It’s the first time the Jazz Series has curated such an exhibit. “We’ve been collecting signatures for two decades!” says Poses. Those attending will have first chance to purchase the limited edition posters. In some cases, Poses says, there are only a couple of copies of a given poster for sale. [MORE] Jazz Series Celebrates JAM 2016 3-3-3-3-3 The evening also features the 18-piece Columbia Jazz Orchestra, which celebrates its first anniversary of “Last Monday of the Month” appearances at the brewery. And, just added to the proceedings, Mayor Bob McDavid will offer a “Jazz Appreciation Month” Proclamation. “The exhibit is going to be something extra special,” says Poses. “Cumulatively, spanning more than 20-plus- years, we have acquired literally hundreds and hundreds of signatures. We have signatures from some pretty significant folks, people such as Dave Brubeck, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, virtually the entire Marsalis family on down the line. It’s also the combinations and groupings of signatures that helps make this a special exhibit, not to mention having the signatures of major league ballplayers such as Orlando Cepeda and Don Newcombe among others from ‘A Night of Jazz & Baseball,’ which took place April 2001,” Poses said. Full season posters – those promoting every show in a given season – are well-represented. Those posters house, in some cases, close to 100 signatures. A poster’s price has been determined by the number of copies available and who signed a particular poster. Poster pricing ranges from $5 to $500. In some instances, with only a single copy in existence, pieces will be deemed “NFS.” Among the prized posters are the two remaining (of eight originally) 24” X 40” over-sized promotional posters signed by Ken Burns from his PBS documentary “Jazz,” which initially aired in 2000. All the posters are in very good-to-excellent condition, the Jazz Series says. “There are a few nicks and a minor crease here and there,” said Poses, “but we’ve gone out of our way to carefully protect these posters.” An exhibit-accompanying “mini-catalog” will identify signatures, dates of events, number of copies available for purchase and price of each item. All proceeds generated from the sale of posters benefit the Jazz Series. “We think the exhibit is going to be fun for everyone. When you look at all the different designs, colors, patterns and the like, you can’t help but be impressed with the cumulative output.” The exhibit runs for the entire month of April during Broadway Brewery’s regular business hours. “THE JAM-JAZZ SERIES EDUCATION SEASON TICKET RAFFLE” – WIN A PAIR OF 2016/2017 SEASON TICKETS! WINNERS ANNOUNCED AT INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY OPEN HOUSE. In what’s become a growing JAM tradition, the Jazz Series will again conduct the “JAM-Jazz Series Education Season Ticket Raffle.” Beginning at the JAM Kick-Off, March 28, people can purchase raffle tickets to win one of three great prizes with the top prize being a pair of “Top Tier” Season Tickets to the upcoming 2016/2017 “We Always Swing”® Jazz Series Season. They are valued at approximately $800. There will be a second and a third price of note with, again, all proceeds benefitting the James Williams Education Program. Winners – who do NOT have to present – will be selected during the International Jazz Day Open House, Saturday, April 30, held at the Jazz Series offices, noon-8 p.m.

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