Subject: LPA Executive & Artistic Director, Vita West Muir, receives the 2008 Connecticut Governor’s Award for Excellence in Culture & Tourism Date: Wednesday, April 9, 5:30 pm awards ceremony, 6:30 pm reception Location: Legislative Office Building Atrium, 300 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT Cost: Free and open to the public, seating is limited Our own Vita West Muir, Artistic and Executive Director of Litchfield Performing Arts (LPA), will be honored on April 9, with the 2008 Connecticut Governor’s Award for Excellence in Culture and Tourism. The award recognizes outstanding achievement and lasting contributions to the arts, history, film and tourism fields. The award ceremony will be presented by the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism and take place in the atrium of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. The evening begins with the awards ceremony at 5:30 p.m. followed by a reception at 6:30 pm. The event is free and open to the public, however, seating is limited. We hope you’ll join us to celebrate!		Vita West Muir (photo: Daria Bishop)
“This event provides the opportunity to recognize the extraordinary individuals whose creativity, social awareness and accomplishments have added to the quality of life in Connecticut and beyond,” said Gov. M. Jodi Rell. Recipients are selected based on magnitude of achievement, the level of recognition brought by achievement and sustained contribution to the field and the state. Vita West Muir is the Executive and Artistic director of LPA, which she founded in 1981, and is the founder of the Litchfield Jazz Camp and the Litchfield Jazz Festival. Her work has been recognized by countless grants, awards, nominations and media outlets. The festival and camp have received praise from and been featured in TIME Magazine, The New York Times, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Downbeat and Jazz Times Magazines, to name a few. In 2006 the festival was named one of the “Top 100 Events” in the US and Canada by the American Bus Association, and, in 2007, the festival was nominated for two Festie Awards. Previously Muir has won Rotary’s Paul Harris Medal, The Elizabeth L. Mahaffey Arts Administration Fellowship and the Inge Morath Award. The other recipients of the Governor’s Award are: Professor Joan D. Hedrick, an author and educator who the Charles A. Dana Professor of History at Trinity College in Hartford and winner of a Pulitzer Prize in 1995 for her biography, Harriet Beecher Stowe: A Life. Gene Wilder, an actor, has a long and storied career, from Broadway stage to silver screen, as a writer and actor. Wilder has been nominated for both the Golden Globes and Academy Awards and won an Emmy for his work on the TV show “Will & Grace.” Michael Wilson, the artistic director of the Tony-Award winning Hartford Stage since 1998, Wilson has made the Stage into “the people’s theatre” offering innovative programming and attracting new and diverse audiences. See a feature story in the Litchfield County Times, By Emily Olsen

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Posted: July 12, 2007
Subject: 07.12.07 Hartford Courant: Boogie-Woogie Krall
By Owen McNally, Special To The Courant

Krall has a deep, sentimental attachment to Connecticut because of her still vivid memories of her appearance early in her career at the first Litchfield Jazz Festival in 1996. A relative unknown, Krall was a showstopper at the then-fledgling festival, which has, in turn, gone on to national acclaim.

After a standing ovation from the Litchfield crowd of several thousand, Krall was presented with a bouquet and mobbed off-stage by a crowd of enthusiastic fans, young and old. It was an early display of Krallmania, a dramatic foreshadowing of her worldwide success over the next decade.

"Of course I remember Litchfield! It's one of the best festivals! I even remember what I wore that day - a white suit," Krall says. "If that first year was a big deal for them, well, it was a big deal for me, too," she says.

Read Full Article

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Posted: July 6, 2007

Subject: Official Jazz Festival After Party at CT Grand Hotel
Date: Saturday, August 4th from 10:30 PM – 1:00 AM
Location: CT Grand Hotel, 3580 East Main Street
Cost: Free Admission for jazz fest ticket holders, Complimentary Hors d’ oeuvres

Connecticut Grand Hotel, the official hotel of Litchfield Jazz Festival stars and guests, is sponsoring the second annual Jazz Fest After Party. The event will be held from 10:30PM to 1AM, Saturday, August 4th, in the Connecticut Ballroom at the Connecticut Grand Hotel, 3580 East Main Street, Waterbury, CT (exit 25A, I84).The event caps the second day of the world-renowned jazz festival featuring the Mingus Big Band, Count Basie Orchestra featuring Nnenna Freelon, Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra featuring Carla Bley, Karrin Allyson and many more. 

The public is invited to enjoy music by the Albert Rivera Quartet, featuring Adam Christgau on drums, Sean Pentland on bass, Zaccai Curtis on piano, and Albert Rivera on saxophone. Guests over 21 years of age are invited. There is no cover charge or admission, and hors d’oeuvres are provided free of charge by Connecticut Grand Hotel. There will be a cash bar.

For information call 860-567-4162. For special festival-rate room reservations call 800-446-1449. 
Make sure to mention you’re with the Litchfield Jazz Festival! 

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Posted: July 19, 2006

Subject: Jazz Festival After Party, at CT Grand Hotel
Date: Saturday, August 5th from 10:30 PM – 1:30 AM
Location: CT Grand Hotel, 3580 East Main Street
Cost: Free Admission, Desserts & Hors d’ oeuvres

Connecticut Grand Hotel, the official hotel of Litchfield Jazz Festival stars and guests, is sponsoring the first-ever Jazz Fest After Party. The event will be held from 10:30PM to 1AM, Saturday, August 5th, in the Connecticut Ballroom at the Connecticut Grand Hotel, 3580 East Main Street, Waterbury, CT (exit 25A, I84).The event caps the second day of the world-renowned jazz festival featuring Dionne Warwick, Eddie Palmieri, James Moody, John Scofield, Dr.John and many more.

The public is invited to enjoy music by the Albert Rivera Quartet, featuring Adam Christgau on drums, Sean Pentland on bass, Zaccai Curtis on piano, and Albert Rivera on saxophone. Guests over 21 years of age are invited. There is no cover charge or admission, and hors d’oeuvres and sweets are provided free of charge by Connecticut Grand Hotel. There will be a cash bar.

For information call 860-567-4162. For special festival-rate room reservations call 800-446-1449.

Posted: July 5, 2006

Subject: Litchfield Jazz Festival Presents “Jazz Around Town”
Dates: July 10 – August 3, 2006
Locations: Johnson Art Center, Forman School, 12 Norfolk Road, Litchfield, CT
Cost: Free will donation

LITCHFIELD--The Litchfield Jazz Festival is ushering in its 11th Anniversary (August 4-6) with Jazz Around Town—A series of mid-week Jazz concerts for the community. We have scheduled twelve jazz performances by the esteemed teaching artists of the Litchfield Jazz Camp and four student performances to be held at the Johnson Art Center at Forman School. The program is made possible with support from the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.

These concerts feature world-renowned teaching artists of the Litchfield Jazz Camp. They include saxophonists Don Braden, Claire Daly, Jimmy Greene, bassists Mario Pavone, Dave Santoro, Steve Johns, Winard Harper, trumpeters Joe Magnarelli, Steven Bernstein and Louise Baranger, pianists David Berkman, Dena DeRose and Peter Madsen, guitarists Paul Bollenback and Dave Stryker, and vocalist Stephanie Nakasian.

Senior Teaching Artist concerts are scheduled Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:00 PM. from July 11 - 31, and Wednesday August 2 at 7 PM.

Junior Teaching Artists, already making a mark for themselves in bands headed up by the likes of Junior Mance, Donald Harrison, Gary Burton, and Eddie Palmieri, include, Albert Rivera, Nick Roseboro, and Luques and Zaccai Curtis. Concerts are scheduled on Mondays at 7 PM from July 10 – 24, and Tuesday August 1 at 7 PM.

Student Ensemble final performances are on Friday’s from July 14 - 28 at 6:30 PM, and Thursday August 3rd at 6:30 PM.

A free will donation is suggested. Reservations are not necessary. For more information call Litchfield Performing Arts at 860-567-4162.

SAVE THE DATE, NOVEMBER 18TH
Litchfield Performing Arts 25th Anniversary Gala & Auction

Join us as Litchfield Performing Arts Celebrates 25 Years of bringing quality jazz programs and arts education to the Connecticut community.
The evening will include:

Exciting Silent & brief Live Auction
Delicious dinner by Jordan’s Catering & fine wines donated by Northeast Beverages
Wonderful music by our famed Litchfield Jazz Festival All Stars & talented Litchfield Jazz Camp students
The first Litchfield Legends Award, honoring 2006 Awardee, legendary Trombonist Slide Hampton

DATE: November 18th, 2006
TIME: 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
LOCATION: The West Hartford Meeting & Conference Center
TICKETS: $125 per person ($75 tax deductible)
CONTACTS: Jessica Montello for tickets, table reservations (for 8), auction donations,
and volunteer opportunities
(860) 567-4162, jessica@litchfieldjazzfest.com

Posted: June 5, 2006

Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) announces the premiere of “Litchfield Performing Arts: Bridging the Opportunity Gap Through the Arts for 25 Years.” This half-hour film, airing Wednesday, June 7th at 11:30 PM and Sunday, June 11th at 10:30 AM, documents the arts education work of the award-winning non-profit, Litchfield County-based organization and shows how its programs have affected a generation of teens.

In a quarter century, Litchfield Performing Arts, Inc. has grown from a small classical presenter to a major provider of jazz programs and arts education. LPA’s top programs are featured in this film, produced by Vita West Muir, the organization’s founder and director, and videographer Rex Dean. They include Project Poetry Live!, Litchfield Jazz Camp, and The Litchfield Jazz Festival.

Poetry Live, founded in 1993, brings exposure to poetry, music, art and dance to 1700 middle school students each year. Litchfield Jazz Camp, in its 10th year, is open for a month to middle and high school students from across Connecticut thanks to support from the Connecticut State Department of Education, and to students of all ages worldwide. The Litchfield Jazz Festival, in its 11th year, airs on August 4, 5, and 6 featuring Dionne Warwick, Dr. John, Eddie Palmieri and 12 other world-renowned acts. The festival is held at Goshen Fairgrounds and showcases, in addition to what the New York Times called “A model jazz lineup,” the work of student musicians and that of artists, crafter's, photographers, caterers, vintners, and brewers from all over New England.

CPTV is a locally and nationally recognized producer and presenter of quality public television programming, including UConn Women's Basketball Games, African Americans in Connecticut, Teens Behind the Wheel, Barney & Friends, Alan Alda in Scientific American Frontiers, Bob the Builder and Thomas & Friends. Now in its 43rd year, CPTV remains committed to bringing the best in educational and entertaining programming and services to Connecticut and the nation. CPTV is a proud affiliate of PBS, which was named number one in public trust in 2006 by the Roper Public Affairs & Media poll in the third consecutive year. For more information on CPTV, log on to www.cptv.org.
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Snappy Dance Theater Performs-- Featuring Project Poetry Live!
Date/Time: Friday, June 2, 2006, 7:30 p.m.
Admission: $15.00 general; $5 students
Location: Fine Arts Center, Naugatuck Valley College, 750 Chase Pkwy, Waterbury
Contact: Michelle, 860-567-4162 Fax: 860-567-3592,
jessica@litchfieldjazzfest.com
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The gala wrap-up performance of Litchfield Performing Arts’ award-winning arts-in-education residency, Project Poetry Live!, is slated for June 2nd at Naugatuck Valley Community College Fine Arts Center in Waterbury, CT, 7:30. The concert features a full-scale performance by the critically acclaimed, Boston-based Snappy Dance Theater with music by the Don Braden’s Organic Trio and guest performances by Project Poetry Live! student dancers and musicians.

The student performances are the end product of months of preparation with a team of poets and arts professionals under the auspices of Litchfield Performing Arts, Education Connection and the Naugatuck Valley College Fine Arts Department. The project is sponsored by Connecticut State Department of Education Interdistrict Grants and the U.S. Department of Education Office of Innovation and Improvement.

Founded in 1997, Martha Mason’s Snappy Dance Theater is one of the largest contemporary dance companies in Greater Boston. Over the last two years the company has toured nationally and was chosen as one of three US companies to perform at the “We Love Dance” Festival in Tokyo, Japan 2004. In 2005, they participated in the Open Look Festival in St. Petersburg alongside Nai Ni Chen and Doug Varone.

Saxophonist/educator/composer, Don Braden, has toured the world with jazz greats Betty Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Tony Williams, Freddie Hubbard, Roy Haynes, and many more. He has 50 CDs as a sideman and 13 as a leader. His latest, released in March 2006 on HighNote, is "Workin’ ” recorded live at Cecil’s Jazz Club. He has created scores for albums, independent films and for Bill Cosby’s projects, “Cosby,” "Little Bill,” and “Fatherhood.” In 2000, he was honored with a Doris Duke Foundation/CMA New Works grant. He is an educator in constant demand, and, following Project Poetry Live!, he will be in Connecticut for his 10th year as Artistic Director of Litchfield Jazz Camp in July. Manny Vega, is a world-renowned muralist, painter, and set and costume designer. He is a Guggenheim Fellow, with works at the Smithsonian Institution and on Broadway.

Scores of 7th through 12th graders from seven school districts from Winsted to Waterbury participate in Project Poetry Live!, a year long residency in poetry, music, art and dance. The students selected for performance are selected from among 1,700 7th graders in the project. Additionally, students perform as a big band under the direction of Don Braden and trumpeter/educator Louise Baranger. The sets for the student dance are designed by more than 50 7th graders from all participating schools under the guidance of New York set designer Manny Vega and Bethlehem artist Lisa Huebenthal. There are two performances earmarked for participating districts and one public performance on Friday, June 2, with a reception to follow.

Tickets are $15 for the general public and $5 for students order by calling 860-567-4162 or purchase at the door. Naugatuck Valley Community College Fine Arts Center is located at 750 Chase Parkway, in Waterbury.

Posted: September 21, 2005
Vita Muir, LPA Executive & Artistic Director honored with the Inge Morath Award

Celebration and recognition of Women in the Arts in Litchfield County on Saturday, September 24 - with concert by Jazz Vocalist Tierney Sutton - 8 PM. 
 
The Trinity Arts Series, The Litchfield County Writers Project, University of Connecticut Torrington Campus and Zeeland Productions L.L.C., with support from the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, will honor three women who have made outstanding contributions to the arts in Litchfield County with the presentation of the Inge Morath Award. The awards presentation will be followed by a concert by Jazz Vocalist of the Year Tierney Sutton, and a champagne reception.

The three women who will be honored are Vita West Muir, Executive and Artistic Director of Litchfield Performing Arts, Inc., founded by Ms. Muir in 1981; Cynthia Quinn, Associate Director and dancer at MOMIX Dance Company, and a member of the advisory board of the Susan B. Anthony Project; and Sharon Charde, a family therapist who leads the Creative Writing Program at Touchstone, a residential treatment facility for female juvenile offenders in Litchfield, as well as other writing workshops.

For more information call 860.482.4411. or visit www.trinityartseries.org

Posted: July 1, 2005
Subject: Litchfield Jazz Festival Presents Arts Around Town- A Festival of Jazz & Dance
Dates: July 15 – August 3
Locations: Forman School, Norfolk Rd, & On-The -Green, Litchfield
Cost: $10 suggested donation for Forman School Events; Green Performances - Free 

LITCHFIELD--The Litchfield Jazz Festival is ushering its 10th Anniversary (August 5-7) with Arts Around Town—A Festival of Jazz and Dance for the community. The brainchild of Earl Mosley, the artistic director of Greenhouse –the Litchfield Dance Camp, and the Litchfield Jazz Camp’s, Don Braden, the program is made possible with support from the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.

This creative duo have scheduled dance and music events by visiting choreographers and professional musicians and dancers in residence at the Litchfield Jazz Festival’s summer Camps at Forman School. Dance and music events will be held at the Forman School and on the Litchfield Green in conjunction with Concerts on the Green.

The dance program features: Christal Brown’s In the Spirit, Friday, July 15, 8pm, Johnson Arts Center; Astrid Von Ussar’s Von Ussar danceworks, Sunday, July 24, 7pm, Johnson Arts Center; Melanie Milow Shaka Fusion, Saturday, July 23, 8pm, Johnson Arts Center; Greenhouse on the Green, Wednesday July 20, 7-8 pm, Litchfield Green; Karen Arceneaux’s Genesis Dance Company, Saturday, July 30, 8pm, Johnson Arts Center, and Greenhouse on the Green, Wednesday, August 3, 7 –8 pm.

The jazz offerings feature world renowned artists in residence at the Litchfield Jazz Camp. They include saxophonists Don Braden, Kris Allen, Mike DiRubbo, Claire Daly, Jimmy Greene, bassists Mario Pavone, Dave Santoro, and John Benitez, drummers Jeff Hirshfield, Rogerio Boccato, and Steve Johns, trumpeters Joe Magnarelli and Louise Baranger, pianists David Berkman and Peter Madsen, guitarists Paul Bollenback and Dave Stryker, and vocalist Stepanie Nakasian. Concerts, held in Pierce Hall at the Forman School, are scheduled for July 17, 19, 21, 25, 28, August 2 and August 3 at 7PM. The ProJam will move to the Litchfield Green on Wednesday evenings, on July 20 and August 3rd from 8 to 9 PM.

Concerts on the Green are free to the public. A donation of $10 at the door is suggested for the Forman School performances. For information call Litchfield Performing Arts at 860-567-4162. Back to top

Litchfield Jazz Festival News **************************************************

Friday Night, August 1
5:30-7pm Friends of the Festival Gala at Winvian Resort & Spa
7:45 pm Paquito D’Rivera with Zaccai Curtis Trio
9:15 pm Bebe Neuwirth with Scott Cady on piano

Saturday, August 2
noon Winard Harper Sextet
1:45 pm Nicole Zuraitis Quartet
3:30 pm Kenny Werner Trio
5:15 pm Wayne Shorter Tribute Big Band led by David Weiss
7:00 pm Dave Brubeck Quartet
8:45 pm Conrad Herwig’s Latin Side of Miles & ‘Trane

After Party & Open Jam, Immediately Follows
Heritage Hotel, Southbury, CT

Sunday, August 3
noon Claire Daly’s "Rah! Rah!" Band
1:30 pm Peter Madsen Trio
3:15 pm Jimmy Greene Quartet
5:00 pm Cyrus Chestnut Trio
6:45 pm John Pizzarelli, Dear Mr. Sinatra with Orchestra, The Frank Sinatra Songbook Special 90 minute performance

To hear, see and have fun with these performers visit our 2008 artist line-up page here.

for more information, email info@litchfieldjazzfest.com or call 860-567-4162.

Posted: April 1, 2007
Subject: The Litchfield Jazz Festival Announces 2007 Line-up and Tickets On-Sale Now!

Date: August 3, 4, 5, 2007
Place: Goshen Fairgrounds, Route 63, Goshen, CT

Admission: $37 - $350

Buy tickets securely online now

The 12th Annual Litchfield Jazz Festival line-up is set and tickets are now available for sale at www.litchfieldjazzfest.com. The event will be held on August 3, 4, 5 at the Goshen Fairground in Northwest Connecticut. This year’s line-up is a salute to jazz orchestras featuring the Mingus Big Band, Count Basie Orchestra with Nnenna Freelon, Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra featuring Carla Bley and much more. With past performers like Dave Brubeck, Eartha Kitt, Dionne Warwick and Diana Krall, it’s no wonder the Litchfield Jazz Festival was recently nominated for two Festie Awards by MelodyTrip.com. A long-time festival attendee called it “a most mellow and tasty event,” and Dave Hershorin of New Orleans Radio said, “Litchfield really is what other jazz festivals wish they could be…a true gem.”

The weekend kicks off on Friday, August 3, with a gala “Friends of the Festival” party, with music provided by outstanding students of Litchfield Jazz Camp and hors d'oeuvres by Jordan Caterers. The party is followed by a performance by two-time Grammy Award Winner and NEA Jazz Master, trombonist Slide Hampton. Up next is the Count Basie Orchestra featuring Six-time Grammy Award nominated jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon.

On Saturday, August 4, the music begins at noon with Insight, a group of seven young talented, award-winning musicians. In 2005 Eddie Palmieri reflected, "Give them another two years, and Insight will blow any band off the stage!’" Up next is 20-year-old vocalist Rachael Price. Rachael was a semi-finalist at the Montreux Vocal Competition. Following Rachael Price for his sixth appearance on the Litchfield Jazz Festival is Mario Pavone / Deez to Blues Sextet. Bassist Mario Pavone has recorded 17 albums as a leader. His latest recording, “Deez to Blues,” has appeared on best-of-the-year lists in The New York Times, The New Yorker, All About Jazz and more. Next up is the Sonny Fortune Quartet. Sonny has played in venues world wide with Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Reggie Workman and many others. Next the festival welcomes Matt Wilson’s Arts & Crafts, with guest artist vocalist Bill Henderson. The New York Times called him “one of the best drummers of his generation.” This is Matt’s eleventh the festival. Closing the evening is the Mingus Big Band celebrating the music of the late composer and bassist, Charles Mingus.

Opening on Sunday, August 5, is the high-energy Rolando Matias - Afro-Rican Ensemble featuring Bobby Matos. Up next is the Dave Stryker Organ Trio. Stryker is a regular teaching artist at Litchfield Jazz Camp and has played with such greats as Stanley Turrentine, Dizzy Gillespie and Freddie Hubbard. Following Stryker is the Helio Alves Trio led by the Brazilian born, New York-based pianist. Alves has recorded more than 40 albums as a sideman and recently released his second album as a leader. Next up is a Litchfield favorite – Don Braden who is the Music Director of Litchfield Jazz Camp. Braden will be performing with his Contemporary Standards Ensemble making this his tenth appearance on the festival. Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra will feature Carla Bley. Haden has received three Grammy Awards, a Guggenheim Fellowship and four NEA grants for composition. The LMO’s latest project, “Not In Our Name,” was released on Verve. And brining the 12th Annual Litchfield Jazz Festival to a close is a multi-Grammy-nominated vocalist/pianist – Karrin Allyson. Karrin appeared on the festival in 2005 and had the audience on their feet! She is “one of the most charismatic figures on tour today.” (New York Times).

Premium tickets are $350 for Best Friends VIP weekend passes and $125 for the opening gala and performance. These include upfront seating and VIP parking. Multi-day JazzPasses are available from $65 - $150 only until June 29th. Advance-purchase general admission tickets are $37 for lawn and $55 for tent. Visit www.litchfieldjazzfest.com for more information and to purchase tickets. Any other questions call 860-567-4162.

The Litchfield Jazz Festival is sponsored in part by the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, Steinway & Sons, The Republican-American, Down Beat, Connecticut Grand Hotel, Northeast Beverage Corporation of Connecticut, Jazz Corner, Hartford Magazine, Home Living Connecticut and Connecticut Business Magazine and others. Litchfield Jazz Camp students who study for up to a month prior to The Festival and perform at the festival participate with generous support from the CT State Department of Education Interdistrict Grants.


For more info visit our 2007 Line-Up page

Posted: March 20, 2007

Litchfield Jazz Festival was nominated for two Festie Awards by MelodyTrip.com. The Festies are a brand-new but long overdue awards program aimed at recognizing the best festivals of the year and the people who made them possible and memorable! Melodytrip.com is the destination for music festival fans nationwide, featuring the FestivalFinder, a searchable database of thousands of music festivals, live coverage, breaking news a network of festival bloggers, and many more festival related features and tools. Litchfield Jazz Festival was nominated for Best Jazz Festival and Best Midsize/Large Festival.

Posted: August 30, 2006

08.30.06 AllAboutJazz.com:  The 11th annual Litchfield Jazz Festival was run like a well-oiled machine.

Nestled amongst the beautiful hills and valleys of western Connecticut and graced with wonderful weather, the 11th annual Litchfield Jazz Festival (August 4-6, 2006) was run like a well-oiled machine.

Special kudos must go the festival organizers as well as Don Braden, Musical Director of the Litchfield Jazz Camp. Having had the chance to visit the tent where the students performed, one could not help but come away impressed by quality of the young musicians which seems to defy the frequent and dire predictions of jazz’s imminent demise. Read Full Article

Posted: August 25, 2006

08.08.06 Hartford Courant  Litchfield On The Bayou? Festival Honors Fallen City

Dr. John's eclectic musical gumbo…had no trouble winning over the crowd at the Litchfield Jazz Festival Sunday night. The 65-year-old New Orleans vocalist and keyboardist led his quartet, the Lower 911, through an entertaining set that touched on an array of American musical styles. The good doctor brought the 11th annual Litchfield fest to a wild close with a rockin' version of "Mess Around," a tune long associated with Ray Charles. Drummer Herman Everest invited audience members onstage to dance, and the platform filled quickly with at least 40 enthusiastic hip-shakers. Read Full Article

08.07.06 Register Citizen Jazz Fest Grooves The Evening Away

This year's 11th annual Litchfield Jazz Festival was another groovy success. This year's 11th annual Litchfield Jazz Festival was another groovy success…. Besides the featured artists and acts, a variety of vendors and food stands lined the fairgrounds, along with a large tent for art exhibits. In between main stage acts, students of the jazz camp performed for the crowds, and had bittersweet emotions as the evening came to an end. "This has been incredible," camp student Amanda Bloom, 17, of Weston, said, after hugging a camp instructor goodbye. "(Playing with professional jazz musicians) is incredible." Read Full Article

08.03.06 Hartford Courant In The Mood For Jazz
Be-bopper James Moody, saxophonist and humorist, brings his ageless talent to the Litchfield Jazz Festival this weekend

Moody is one of the last of the original be-bop giants with a vital link to Gillespie. But he likes to perform with younger players. "Sometimes I go to a club, and they've got all old people there just because I'm old. And they'll have a rhythm section there of some old people, too. But I like to be around young people," he says, chuckling to himself. "These young kids today; they've really got it going," Moody says enthusiastically. "They've jumped so fast, so far ahead, so quick. But just because that's happening doesn't mean that I'm supposed to throw up my hands and say, `Oh, well, that's it for me!' I've always wanted to be around people who know more than me because that way I keep learning," he says. Read Full Article

08.03.06

Hartford Advocate The Doctor is Always In…Mr. Gris-Gris himself plays the Litchfield Jazz Festival

This Doctor is always in, the groove that is. Mac ¨Dr. John¨ Rebennack follows in the New Orleans tradition of that city´s piano professors like Professor Longhair, Huey Smith, Fats Domino, and Allen Toussaint. Though most music fans associate Dr. John with songs like ¨Right Place, Wrong Time¨ or his Mardi Gras Gris-Gris costumes, he has been playing music since the 1950s. Read Full Article

07.19.06 Jazz Times Magazine

From start to finish, this festival is jam-packed (no pun intended) with A-list jazz musicians….
Read Full Article Back to top

Posted May 30, 2006: NY Times May 14, 2006

LITCHFIELD JAZZ FESTIVAL Goshen Fairgrounds, Aug. 4-6.

A model jazz lineup in a quick weekend: Cyrus Chestnut, Eddie Palmieri, Bill Charlap and Renee
Rosnes, Dionne Warwick, Robert Glasper, Lee Konitz, Dena DeRose, John Scofield, James Moody, Dr. John. (860) 567-4162, www.litchfieldjazzfest.com.

Posted May 30, 2006: NY Times, Sunday, May 21, 2006

MUSIC: Jazz Moves From the Big City to the Suburbs
By Phillip Lutz

A bigger event [than Caramoor], the Litchfield Jazz Festival, draws about 10,000 people to the Goshen Fairgrounds, said Vita West Muir, the festival's executive director. That is more than double the number who came in 1996, the festival's first year, when Diana Krall, then a little-known singer and pianist, won raves on the original, smaller stage at the White Memorial Foundation. This year, the festival will run from Aug. 4 through 6 and will feature 14 acts, including the saxophonist Lee Konitz and Dr. John.

Despite increased interest in recent years, jazz remains ''almost as rarefied as classical music,'' said Ms. Muir of the Litchfield festival….To help fill seats, some festivals present performers who stretch the definition of jazz but have broad commercial appeal, like Dionne Warwick, who will perform on opening night at Litchfield this year.

To boost audience appeal, some festivals offer crafts, massage and other attractions apart from the music. Nevertheless, jazz has a hard-core constituency of fans who know what they are hearing, which spurs the interest of musicians to contribute behind the scenes.

Mr. Tyner, credited with revolutionizing the role of pianist as a member of the John Coltrane Quartet in the 1960's and as a leader of his own groups, is no stranger to festivals near New York. Last year, he played at the Litchfield festival, where he was joined onstage by the tap dancer Savion Glover.

Read Full Article

Posted: April 1, 2006

Jazz Improv Magazine features the Litchfield Jazz Festival & Litchfield Jazz Camp in their April, 2006 Issue. Read Article

Litchfield Jazz: Music Thrives in CT
The Litchfield Jazz Festival has become a favorite for many. The idyllic setting of quaint Litchfield, make this a great weekend getaway. “We had Diana Krall perform here our first year before people knew who she was,” says Muir. “Our commitment to providing the very best in jazz music has earned us a loyal audience, critical acclaim, and praise from our stars. We have had the honor of presenting some of the titans of jazz, musicians like James Moody, Dave Brubeck, Sonny Rollins, Slide Hampton and Ahmad Jamal. We were also blessed to have had some of the finest jazz players before they passed away—Tommy Flanagan, Ray Charles, Thomas Chapin, Tito Puente, and Stanley Turrentine.” This year’s line-up is keeping in that grand tradition by booking jazz greats Cyrus Chestnut Trio, Dionne Warwick, Robert Glasper Trio, Terell Stafford, Trio Da Paz, Carol Sloane, Lee Konitz Quartet with Rufus Reid, Matt Wilson, Peter Bernstein, Eddie Palmieri, Eddie Marshall Ensemble – Performing an East Coast Premier, Dena DeRose Trio with Matt Wilson, Martin Wind, Renee Rosnes & Bill Charlap, John Scofield, James Moody and blues great Dr. John. The 2006 Litchfield Jazz Festival is August 4 to 6, 2006 and is held at the Goshen Fairgrounds in Goshen, CT

For more information visit the Jazz Festival Line-Up Page.

Posted: April 1, 2006

Litchfield Jazz Festival announces 11th Anniversary Line-Up
The Litchfield Jazz Festival is entering its 11th season at the Goshen Fairgrounds in Northwest Connecticut on August 4, 5, 6, 2006. The Festival has presented stars like Ray Charles, Tito Puente, Dave Brubeck and newcomers like Brad Mehldau and Diana Krall (1996- her first US festival). Join us for three days of fabulous music, tasty food, art, crafts and performances by the amazing students of the festival’s sponsored Litchfield Jazz Camp, which operates throughout July. JazzTimes magazine called the festival “among the best of the best.” One festival-goer called The Litchfield Jazz Festival ''The Best Jazz Festival Anywhere.'' The line-up includes Dionne Warwick, Eddie Palmieri, Dr. John, John Scofield, James Moody, Lee Konitz and many more. Visit our line-up page for a complete listing or buy tickets now!

Posted: April 1, 2006

Litchfield Jazz Festival Presents “Jazz Around Town”
Dates: July 11 – August 2, 2006
Locations: Johnson Art Center, Forman School, Norfolk Road, Litchfield, CT
Cost: $10 suggested donation

LITCHFIELD--The Litchfield Jazz Festival is ushering its 11th Anniversary (August 4-6) with Jazz Around Town—A series of mid-week Jazz concerts for the community. The brainchild of the Litchfield Jazz Camp’s, Don Braden, the program is made possible with support from the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism. We have scheduled eight jazz performances by the esteemed resident artists of the Litchfield Jazz Camp. Jazz performances will be held at the Johnson Art Center at Forman School.

The jazz offerings feature world-renowned artists in residence at the Litchfield Jazz Camp. They include saxophonists Don Braden, Kris Allen, Mike DiRubbo, Claire Daly, Jimmy Greene, bassists Mario Pavone, and John Benitez, drummers Jeff Hirshfield, Rogerio Boccato, and Steve Johns, and Winard Harper, trumpeters Joe Magnarelli, Steven Bernstein and Louise Baranger, pianists David Berkman and Peter Madsen, guitarists Paul Bollenback and Dave Stryker, and vocalist Stephanie Nakasian. Concerts, held in Johnson Art Center at the Forman School, are scheduled Tuesday, July 11, Thursday, July 13, Tuesday, July 18, Thursday, July 20, Tuesday, July 25, Thursday, July 27, Tuesday, August 1 and Wednesday, August 2 at 7 PM.

Visit the resident artist page to learn more about the performers.

Fee: A suggested donation of $10 at the door. For more information call Litchfield Performing Arts at 860-567-4162 Back to top

Posted:   January 1, 2006
Subject:  Litchfield Jazz Camp Celebrates 10 Years and Announces Four Weeks and Invites Guest Artists

 

Posted: May 9, 2008 Subject: “Litchfield Jazz Camp Isn’t Just For Kids,” Feature article in Jazz Improv Magazine, Spring Quarterly, 2008 by Lindsey Tuner The Litchfield Jazz Camp, entering its 12th summer, has become one of the best and most popular jazz camps in the country. Their non-competitive and all inclusive approach (they accept students ages thirteen to adult); along with their incredible teaching line-up is what has made it so popular for students to attend as well as for teachers to participate. …Since the camp began in 1997, more and more adult students have been inspired to participate along side the younger students. Because there is no pre-audition, students play for the teachers when they arrive and are placed with other students at their level, which may or may not be students of their age. “At the Litchfield Jazz Camp you’ll be surrounded by people of all ages who are serious and accomplished musicians which is an awesome and rare experience.” – Tom Odinak, guitar student, age 49 Photo: Michael Fiedler

When Karrin Allyson was asked to share her feelings about the program she said, “When we come to the Litchfield Jazz Fest to perform or to be a part of the Jazz Camp, it is to be a part of one of the most esteemed and well-run fests and cultural celebrations of - not only this country, but in the whole jazz world.”

Read Full Article

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Posted: May 9, 2008
Subject: The Sun Chronicle: “Consider jazzing up kids’ summer camp experience”
by Rick Foster

When it comes to summer camp, standard equipment most often includes a sleeping bag, sneakers and a bathing suit. But at jazz camps around the country this year, youngsters will be bringing along their guitars, trumpets and saxophones. And at several locations, adults will also be able to get into the act and learn improvisation techniques from top-level jazz performers. A few even offer participation in a festival where students get to play for live audiences juxtaposed with accomplished professional players and bands.

The Litchfield Jazz Camp in Litchfield, Conn., caters to both teenagers and adults, with students grouped by age and ability, of course. The camp, headed by saxophonist, composer and educator Don Braden, offers four one-week sessions from July 6-Aug. 1 and supplements its faculty with residencies by famous recording artists, which have in the past included Diana Krall, Sonny Rollins and Ray Charles. Jazz vocalist Karrin Alyson will be among those in residence at this year's camp.

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Read Rick Foster’s jazz blog on The Sun Chronicle website 

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Posted: May 8, 2008
Subject: “Upstart Stages: Jazz Festivals Provide Music Students Incomparable Performance Opportunities”
Feature article by Eric Fine, Down Beat Magazine, May Issue, 2008

The organizers of the Litchfield Jazz Festival in Goshen, Conn., proceed cautiously in this regard [when it comes to pressure put on students]. The festival, taking place Aug. 1–3, prohibits the pairing of students with the festival’s headliners onstage. “It’s exploitive,” said Vita Muir, Litchfield’s founder and artistic director. “I’ve seen that kind of thing ruin careers in classical music. The competitions all want to have the brightest, youngest musicians. You should ease into that kind of thing.”

Litchfield’s organizers schedule student bands between performances by the established acts. “It’s not an exam,” Muir said. “We are wildly opposed to competition.”

Some students, however, are ready for the challenge of not only a cameo with a major artist, but also a gig. Bassist Luques Curtis, a Litchfield alumnus, recalled performing in a quartet with Pat Metheny, Gary Burton and Antonio Sanchez in 2006 at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy. “It’s all about experience,” said Curtis, 24, who was attending Berklee College of Music. “You can’t prepare yourself unless you actually do it. So after a bunch of times in front of a big audience, it wasn’t as scary or as nerve-wracking.”

Read Full Article

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Posted: July 24, 2007
Subject:  07.19.07 Litchfield County Times: Pavone Passing on Jazz Tradition to New Wave
By Nancy Barnes 

LITCHFIELD -- Speaking over a quick lunch break from the Litchfield Jazz Camp, an offshoot of the Litchfield Jazz Festival that operates in sessions until Aug. 3 from the Forman School, award-winning jazz composer and bassist Mario Pavone described his reaction to working with a younger generation that finds itself intrigued by jazz.

 "It's exhausting. It's very invigorating. They're very enthusiastic. They do inspire you. I do love it very much," said the veteran faculty member, who is teaching at the camp for his 10th year.  A Waterbury native and Goshen resident who, by mid-winter, will spend much of his time at his apartment on New York's Central Park West, Mr. Pavone was pulled into the field of jazz by the cascading sounds of composer and saxophonist John Coltrane (1926-1967).

….At the jazz camp, Mr. Pavone finds himself working with students from around the world. "[There are] students from Torrington, from Hartford, from Holland, a few from Japan," he said, adding New York and the Midwest to the list. "We do get a strong presence from the local area," he said, noting that word of the jazz camp has spread not only from listings in trade magazines but also from touring faculty members. "The word-of-mouth gets out there," said an enduring jazz figure, who, just this spring, completed another tour in Europe. He began the international dimension of his career when he toured there with pianist Peter Bley in 1968.

"Some of them are post New School graduates," he said of the students with whom he is working now. "They're some really gifted students here. Most are between [the ages of] 17 and 21," he said, adding that some were as young as 14.

….In addition to his work as a composer, educator, jazz performer and bandleader, Mr. Pavone serves on the board of the Litchfield Jazz Festival, which, like the summer jazz camp, operates as a part of the Litchfield Performing Arts. Additional information on the camp is available at http://www.litchfieldjazzfest.com/jazzcamp_home.htm.  Read Full Article

 Mario Pavone will be appearing on the 12^th Annual Litchfield Jazz Festival with his Deez to Blues Sextet at 3:30 pm on Saturday, August 4^th.  Buy tickets now!

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Posted: July 12, 2007
Subject: 07.11.07 Torrington Register Citizen: Jazz camp offers free concerts in July
By Jenna Ciaramella

LITCHFIELD - Jazz instructors keep their skills fresh and motivate their students while performing free concerts during the 11th annual Jazz Camp season.
Free concerts opened this week at the Forman School, and they will continue through Aug. 1, marketing director Lindsey Muir said Tuesday.

"It's a wonderful event and the faculty shows the students what to strive for," Director Vita Muir said. "It's astounding because our faculty is such a high level. If I wanted to hire a band, it would be tough to afford it because you don't usually have that many people at that level. They are here working with us and playing with us because that's what they love to do."

All students attending the jazz camp learn in an intensive but noncompetitive environment, in one- to four-week courses working in skill-matched combos, both at camp and on the second stage at The Litchfield Jazz Festival held in August, Vita Muir said. Camp faculty members are all major musicians in the jazz industry and instruction is offered in voice, piano, guitar, bass, drums, Latin rhythms, saxophones, trombone, clarinet, flute, violin and brass, Muir said.
"Some of our teachers teach at colleges or privately, but their primary mission is touring and recording," Lindsey Muir said. "They are jazz artists and they all take time to participate at camp and it's a great thing for the students to have that exposure."

Jazz Festival Thursdays, another concert series, will be held July 12, 19 and 26 at 7 p.m. at the Litchfield Saltwater Grille and band members include teaching and assisting artists, as well as very skilled students, Lindsey Muir said. This year's 12th Annual Litchfield Jazz Festival will take place at the Goshen Fairgrounds on Aug. 3, 4 and 5.

Read Full Article

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Posted: July 2, 2007

Subject: Litchfield Jazz Camp Teaching Artist Concerts Open to the Public
Dates:  July 9 – August 1 (see dates below)
Cost:  Free will donation
Location: Peirce Dinning Hall, Forman School, Litchfield, CT

Litchfield Jazz Camp is celebrating 11 years of music-making and inspiring students this July and to celebrate we are opening our stellar Teaching Artist Concerts to the public. 

2007 Litchfield Jazz Camp Teaching Artists Include:

Music Director:  Don Braden, Tenor Sax

Saxophones: Mike DiRubbo, Claire Daly, Jimmy Greene, Kris Allen, Lauren Sevian
Piano: Peter Madsen, Rachel Z
Guitar: Mark Whitfield, Dave Stryker, Paul Bollenback, Michael Pavone
Bass: Mario Pavone, Joris Teepe, Dave Santoro
Trombone: Peter McEachern
Drums:  Jeff Hirshfield, Rogerio Boccato, Steve Johns, Winard Harper
Trumpet: Jeremy Pelt, Louise Baranger, Valery Ponomarev, Dave Ballou, Ron Horton, Jack Walrath
Vocals: Stephanie Nakasian

Teaching Artist Concerts:

Tuesday, July 10
Thursday, July 12
Tuesday, July 17
Thursday, July 19
Tuesday, July 24
Thursday, July 26
Tuesday, July 31
Wednesday, August 1

Teaching Assistant Concerts: 

Monday, July 9
Monday, July 16
Monday, July 23
Monday, July 30

These talented Teaching Artists and Teaching Assistants will be giving evening concerts open to the public to be held at the Forman School’s Peirce Dinning Hall, 12 Norfolk, Road, Litchfield, CT.  This is a unique opportunity to hear some of the best jazz players in the industry as well as up-and-coming talent in a very intimate setting. 

All concerts will be held at 7:00 pm.  No tickets are required but a free will donation is welcome.  All proceeds support the scholarship program at the Litchfield Jazz Camp.    Call (860) 567-4162 for more information or visit www.litchfieldjazzcamp.com.

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Posted: April 12, 2007

Litchfield Jazz Camp announces a new course -- The Art & Science of Recording. This is a two week course in which students will learn:

Basics of recording to computer hard disk
Production concepts
The Recording process
Mixing and editing
Basic mastering
Post Production and basic marketing and promotion

Please note: This is a full time course, not an elective. Students who wish to also study as music students should consider registering for weeks three and/or four.

For more information go to the Art & Science of Recording page and register Now.

Posted: April 12, 2007

Litchfield Jazz Camp is proud to announce new teaching artists to join stellar camp faculty. Jeremy Pelt – trumpet, Mark Whitfield – guitar Dave Santoro – bass, Lauren Sevian -- baritone saxophone and Rachel Z – piano. Mark Whitfield and Dave Santoro have taught at the Litchfield Jazz Camp in years past but we are pleased to announce their return. To learn more about these artists and the rest of the all-star line-up of teaching artists visit our Teaching Artist page.

Breaking News – Jeremy Pelt will be featured on the cover of the June 2007 issue of DownBeat Magazine! Check it out.

Posted: August 25, 2006

08.10.06 Litchfield County Times At This Year's Jazz Festival It's Not Just Stars That Shine

Underneath the small tent near the entrance of the Litchfield Jazz Festival was the hum of commerce and the sound of plain raw jazz. The iconic first few notes of the "Pink Panther" fell like molasses out of a saxophone and drew in crowds who were on their way to the main tent to watch premier acts that have landed the festival on "best of" lists around the country. More often than not, ticket holders turned on their toes to catch a glimpse of the young talent on stage who seemed so serious and so young. Read Full Article

08.02.06 Register Citizen This is no regular band camp

The Litchfield Jazz Festival is not all about music and entertainment, but also focuses heavily on music education.

"The camp is an integral part of the (festival), and I had the full intent of running the camp when the festival began," said Vita Muir, who created the festival and camp. The Litchfield Jazz Camp, created in conjunction with the festival, began 10 years ago running one week with 32 students, Muir said. It is now a four-week residential camp with about 270 students from around the world.

Students range from 11 to 74 years old and have come from as far away as Brazil, England, Canada, Germany, Iceland, Bermuda and Japan, said Lindsey Muir, director of public relations and marketing. "It is an international experience, and our students are arranged in musical combos based on ability, not age," Lindsey Muir said. Read Full Article

Posted: May 16, 2006

Litchfield Jazz Camp student's Alex Wintz & Jimmy Macbride have received awards from the 29th Annual DownBeat Student Music Awards. Alex is a recipient of a "Jazz Soloist - High School Winner" award and Jimmy received a "Jazz Soloist - High School Outstanding Performance" award. Over 800 students submitted materials that were judged on performance or engineering. Performance criteria included overall sound, presence, and improvisation. Keep an eye out for the June 2006 DownBeat issue to read about Alex, Jimmy and all of the other talented student winners.

Litchfield Jazz Camp Resident Artist Peter Madsen has recently released a solo record titled Prevue of Tomorrow (Playscape) to rave reviews. Ben Ratliff of the New York Times calls the record "... an extremely well-played jazz-repertory record of solo piano... entirely representative of those who never quite fit in. It's the most conscientious job I've ever seen of a jazz musician building an alternative canon in just one record." Francis Davis of the NY Village Voice calls Peter "... the maverick's maverick... this could well prove the year's most unlikely tour de force." Read the article and visit Peter's website: www.petermadsen.us for more information on his current releases and tour schedule.

Posted: January 1, 2006
Subject: Litchfield Jazz Camp Celebrates 10 Years and Announces Four Weeks and Invites Guest Artists

The Litchfield Jazz Camp is celebrating 10 years of great music-making this July. To mark this important anniversary, we are extending the camp to four weeks and inviting exciting guest artists in addition to our regular resident all-stars. Guest Artists (so far) include the great Dave Liebman, John Clayton, Kenny Barron, and James Moody (subject to change).

Posted: February 8, 2005
Subject: Litchfield Jazz Camp Featured on CNN

The Litchfield Jazz Camp & Greenhouse: A Place Where Dance Grows, have caught the attention of many national media outlets. CNN did a feature this fall on our summer programs along with only two other summer programs around the country.

Posted: July 21, 2004
Subject: The Litchfield Jazz Festival Summer Institutes Featured in TIME Magazine

The Festivals Summer Institute of Music, now in its 8th year, and Greenhouse, The Festivals Dance Institute, now in its 2nd year, have caught the attention of national media. An article in the July 26th edition of TIME Magazine featured the programs in an article called "CAMP OR SHOW BIZ?"

Posted: June 21, 2004
Jazz Guitarist Mark Whitfield engaged today to join the resident artists for the 3rd session (August 1-6, 2004). He performed on The Litchfield Jazz Festival with Dr. Lonnie Smith in 2003. Mr. Whitfield is a world renowned musician and educator and we are thrilled he'll be joining us!

Posted: June 15, 2004
Subject: Don Braden Featured in JazzTimes June issue

Don Braden, who is the music director for The Litchfield Jazz Festival Summer Music School, and is appearing on the 2004 Litchfield Jazz Festival with Freddy Cole in a Nat Cole Tribute, is featured in this month's issue of JazzTimes. Don Braden talks about his musical history and his current projects including his latest recording called The New Hang (High Note). Pick it up today! (the article is on page 54 and his record is reviewed on page137). www.jazztimes.com - Before and After with Don Braden. Back to top

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