Old News:
Pine Street Jazz, along with many members of the Singers' Circle, will perform a benefit for the FlynnArts Jazz Combo Program on Friday, August 10 at 8:00 PM. This special performance will feature swinging, lyrical, and sizzling jazz with vocalists Jody Albright, Amber deLaurentis, Elizabeth Dotson-Westphalen, Taryn Noelle, Susan Squier, and Matt Wright. Tickets are $20 Adults / $15 Students.
Bassist Justin Rose has returned from his performance duties aboard the Queen Mary II where he performed seven nights a week for about three months as the ship went around the globe.
Pine Street Jazz will be appearing as part of the Discover Jazz Festival Jazz in the Park concert on June 1, 2007 in Burlington's City Hall Park. More details to come.
The Dan Skea Quartet, featuring members of Pine Street Jazz, has released a new CD entitled But That Ain't This. This terrific recording should be available at local retailers beginning in January 2007. As you may know, Dan has performed, composed, and arranged with Pine Street Jazz since 2003. Joining him on this recording are Chris Peterman, John Rivers, and Geza Carr. The CD features twelve masterful compositions by Dan plus tunes by Chri, John, and Juliet McVicker.
We're getting along without Justin Rose, our bassist and a cofounder of the group. Justin is once again sailing the high seas, having taken a seasonal gig aboard the Queen Mary II. The QMII will take him and his cocktail lounge jazz combo along during the her maiden round-the-world trip. We look forward to Justin's safe return in late March and appreciate the fine bass players who have been willing to cover during his absence (John Rivers, Russ Flynn, and Ed Owens).
PSJ wishes to thank George Thomas and Sam Sanders at VPR for hosting us so graciously during our live broadcast performance on April 25, 2006. George and Sam took great effort to make us feel at home and provided an opportunity for the group to play to a wider audience than ever before. The show was a blast and we look forward to doing it with them again in the future.
Click here to listen to the show and see some photos.
We also extend our thanks to the congregation at Faith United Methodist Church in South Burlington. The folks there continued a long-standing annual tradition of featuring local jazz artists in a musical worship service on May 14, 2006. The group, along with featured vocalist Jody Albright, played in a wonderful collaboration with the church choir, and all shared in a morning of music joyfully offered and received. We look forward to playing with you all next year, and to seeing you at area shows.
We're sad to report that our Wednesday night series has ended at Parima. We got the word from the management on April 6, 2006 that they were going to focus their efforts on weekend shows. It seems that there was a little too much mid-week jazz happening in downtown Burlington to warrant continued support of a six-piece band plus vocalist. This brings to a close a series that has lasted (with only two brief interruptions) since March 2002.
Watch for details on our special tribute to Duke Ellligton. The date and location will be announced soon. Pine Street Jazz is assembling a wonderful program of music by this legendary composer.
The 2005 Burlington Discover Jazz Festival is rapidly approaching. In addition to our regular Wednesday evening performance at Parima, the band has a couple of very special features that you'll want to check out. To help kick off the first weekend of the Festival, PSJ will present a tribute to Horace Silver featuring vocals by Jody Albright and Matt Wright on Friday, June 3, 2005. On the following night (June 4) the band will present an encore performance of its tribute to Thelonious Monk which also features vocalist Matt Wright. Both shows are at Parima. Check out our performance schedule for more information.
"The Blue of Night," Juliet McVicker's latest CD, leads off with the title tune, a haunting ballad she composed with the album's bassist, John Rivers. Also featured are Tom Cleary on piano and Steve Wienert on drums. Trumpeter Jennifer Hartswick joins in on two selections, and Pine Street's own George Voland contributes a signature trombone solo on "Under a Blanket of Blue." A highlight of the album is Cleary’s arrangement of "You’re My Thrill," a fascinating and quirky treatment of the tune that Juliet, with good reason, has nicknamed "Thrill-ski."
"The Blue of Night" is available locally at Borders Books, as are Juliet's previous releases, "Pull Down the Moon" and "Little Jazz Bird."
Pine Street Jazz performed at First Night Montpelier between 6:00 and 7:45 PM on December 31, 2004 in the Bethany Church sanctuary. PSJ was delighted to be among the lineup of superb and diverse artists that entertained during the Capital City's New Year's celebration.
On Wednesday, February 25, 2004 the Pine Street Jazz band bade a sad farewell to vocalist Johanna Lawrence. Lawrence, who has been singing with the group since 1999, has relocated to Hawaii. Her lush and sultry voice has been a delight to audiences and musicians alike, and she will be sorely missed.
