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Brattleboro Sings Jazz Fundraiser at the Vermont Jazz Center

Press Release

Fundraiser for the Vermont Jazz Center

“Bratttleboro Sings Jazz”

Saturday, March 28^th at 72 Cotton Mill Hill, Brattleboro, VT

Appetizers at 7 pm   -  Concert at 8 pm

www.vtjazz.org

BRATTLEBORO SINGS JAZZ

Local vocalists performing favorite jazz standards in a fundraiser for the Vermont Jazz Center

What do Jim Anderson, Becky Graber, Ron Kelley, Margery McCrum, Gail Nunziata, Anna Patton, Steve Rice, Tony Speranza, and Carolyn Taylor-Olson have in common?? Talent, commitment, a sense of adventure and the willingness to donate their time to what is going to be a great fundraiser for the Vermont Jazz Center on Saturday, March 28^th!! 

We are truly fortunate to have such a wealth of musical talent here in our community and the VJC is proud to present BRATTLEBORO SINGS JAZZ; an event where you can listen to some of your favorite local vocalists performing live with a smoking jazz trio.  It’s Brattleboro Idol without the eliminations and an opportunity to cheer on these intrepid singers with a gift of a cut flower as they take on the challenge of singing jazz!!!   BRATTLEBORO SINGS JAZZ is a celebration of the Great American songbook and a tribute to the inspiring lineage of singers of the Jazz tradition.  It is also a celebration of community, coming together, appreciating one another and acknowledging our own connections to a rich tradition.   

In their own words, our line up of vocalists hints at the varied backgrounds and musical experiences which will make for a spectacular evening of music and fun. 

  Jim Anderson is a grammy-nominated concert, opera and recording artist. After post-graduate studies at Indiana University, James enjoyed 27 years based in Europe with opportunity to travel the world capped by 9 years at the Munich National Theatre under Zubin Mehta.

  Becky Graber teaches music and musical theatre at Academy School, Wardsboro School, the Putney School, and New England Youth Theatre. She is founder and director of the Brattleboro Women's Chorus. Over the past year she has enjoyed stretching into singing and vocal improvisation through studies with Rhiannon, Molly Melloan, and Kristen Carmichael-Bowers.

  Ron Kelley has taught middle school band and chorus and high school chorus

at Leland and Gray Union High School for 15 years. He is also occasionally

seen playing the saxophone, managing the district chorus, teaching at the

Governor's Institute on the Arts or being a composer.

  Lyric Soprano Margery McCrum currently teaches voice and is a member of the voice faculty at the Brattleboro Music Center. She has a Master of Music in Voice Performance and Pedagogy from the Westminster Choir College of Rider University.  She recently performed with the Friends of Music at Guilford, has been soprano soloist for Handel’s Messiah and has a great love of opera.  She is a board certified anesthesiologist and has a particular interest in vocal health, teaching a seminar “Healthy Singing for Choral Singers” at the Brattleboro Music Center.

  Gail Nunziata has been singing the Great American Songbook in the mirror since long before she knew what it was.  She studied voice with Lise Messier and has been singing with the Brattleboro Concert Choir for 20 years, but looks forward to getting back to her "roots"!

  Anna Patton comes from an eclectic musical background of jazz, classical, traditional and world music. A third generation singer and arranger of swing vocal harmonies, she leads a woman's vocal harmony ensemble at the Jazz Center. She is also a much sought after clarinetist and travels far and wide to play for all kinds of social dancing.

  Steve Rice teaches instrumental music and serves as music department head

and music co-director for the school musical.  When he was in high school,

he sang in choruses and choirs, committed every James Taylor song to

memory and played the role of Curly in Oklahoma.  He is a member of the

First Congregational Church Choir in West Brattleboro

  Anthony Speranza teaches vocal music for the town of Brattleboro at Green St. and Academy schools, and he is the vocal music director for the annual BUHS musical. He also sings and plays keyboards with local bands Wyld Nightz and Simon's Rock

  Enjoying her new professional evolution to the "Night Doctor", Carolyn Taylor-Olson, MD, BMH Medical Director of the Hospitalist Service, is delighted to support the Vermont Jazz Center.  "It is fantastic to have the chance to let my hair down and sing other than my usual opera and classical tunes."

.And to make the evening the best it can be, favorite trio of audiences and singers alike, The Ambassadors of Light will back up our celebrity vocalists.  Drummer Claire Arenius, bassist Jamie MacDonald and pianist, Eugene Uman have been playing together and accompanying vocalists for over 8 years and all are sensitive to the role of guiding singers through jazz standards by providing a sturdy, clear base and never losing sight of their function.  Claire has played and recorded around the world with such notables as Melba Liston, Archie Shepp and Attila Zoller.

Jamie is the house bassist for The Vermont Jazz Center and has performed with the Vermont Jazz Ensemble, Jay Clayton, Sheila Jordan and others.  Eugene is the artistic director of the VJC.  He also teaches jazz piano at Amherst College and Jazz Studies at Marlboro College.  Uman has recorded with Claire Arenius, Carlos Averhoff, Louise Taylor, Spencer Lewis and others.

Special guest trumpeter, Howard Brofsky, will add one more layer to this great evening.    Dr. Brofsky, along with his role as president of the Vermont Jazz Center has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in both jazz education and 18th-century Italian music. He has performed with Donald Byrd, Dexter Gordon, and other Jazz Greats. 

Be sure and get your tickets early.  Tickets are $20 and available by calling 254-9088, on line at www.vtjazz.org or at In the Moment Record shop at 143 Main Street, Brattleboro.   Ticket price also includes a veritable feast of appetizers and desserts beginning at 7 pm with concert at 8 pm.   The VJC thanks the Vermont Arts Council, the Colonial Motel and the Brattleboro Food Coop for their continued sponsorship of events.