Berks Jazz Fest celebrates 20 years in 2010
The VF Outlet Berks Jazz Fest, presented by Berks Arts Council, will celebrate its 20th anniversary March 18 through March 28, with artists who appeared during the first festival in 1980, as well as audience favorites from the past two decades.
Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday for the event, which will feature trumpet legend Wynton Marsalis with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra on March 21 at the Scottish Rite Cathedral. Marsalis was a major headliner during the inaugural festival. Opening for Marsalis will be the Berks High School All-Star Jazz Band.
Other acts returning from the first festival will be the Turtle Island Quartet with guest artist Cyrus Chestnut, March 20 at the Miller Center for the Arts, the Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band, March 19 at the Crowne Plaza Reading, and the Denis DiBlasio Quartet with special guest Randy Brecker also March 19 at Gerald Veasley's
Jazz Base at the Crowne Plaza Reading.
“It's going to be very eclectic," said arts council executive director Connie Leinbach of the lineup. “A major hallmark of this festival has been its diverse mix of jazz."
She said that this year, as part of a “Countdown to the 20th," the festival will present a series of events in the weeks preceding opening night, including a free concert at VF Outlet, Thursday-night concerts at Gerald Veasley's Jazz Base at the Crowne Plaza Reading starting Jan. 7, a Berks Jazz Fest Night at the Reading Royals game in the Sovereign Center on March 13, and a screening of the film “Chops" and a jam session at the Miller Center for the Arts on March 10.
Other preview events include partnering with the Gospel Jubilee on Feb. 28 in Glad Tidings Church, art events and, on Friday, Dec. 11, a holiday concert, “Remembering Grover Washington Jr.," featuring Veasley and Eric Darius at the Miller Center.
The VF Outlet Berks Jazz Fest, presented by Berks Arts Council, will celebrate its 20th anniversary March 18 through March 28, with artists who appeared during the first festival in 1980, as well as audience favorites from the past two decades.
Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday for the event, which will feature trumpet legend Wynton Marsalis with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra on March 21 at the Scottish Rite Cathedral. Marsalis was a major headliner during the inaugural festival. Opening for Marsalis will be the Berks High School All-Star Jazz Band.
Other acts returning from the first festival will be the Turtle Island Quartet with guest artist Cyrus Chestnut, March 20 at the Miller Center for the Arts, the Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band, March 19 at the Crowne Plaza Reading, and the Denis DiBlasio Quartet with special guest Randy Brecker also March 19 at Gerald Veasley's
Jazz Base at the Crowne Plaza Reading.
“It's going to be very eclectic," said arts council executive director Connie Leinbach of the lineup. “A major hallmark of this festival has been its diverse mix of jazz."
She said that this year, as part of a “Countdown to the 20th," the festival will present a series of events in the weeks preceding opening night, including a free concert at VF Outlet, Thursday-night concerts at Gerald Veasley's Jazz Base at the Crowne Plaza Reading starting Jan. 7, a Berks Jazz Fest Night at the Reading Royals game in the Sovereign Center on March 13, and a screening of the film “Chops" and a jam session at the Miller Center for the Arts on March 10.
Other preview events include partnering with the Gospel Jubilee on Feb. 28 in Glad Tidings Church, art events and, on Friday, Dec. 11, a holiday concert, “Remembering Grover Washington Jr.," featuring Veasley and Eric Darius at the Miller Center.
