Winter '07 Concert Series at The Jazzschool, Berkeley

As the Jazzschool begins its tenth anniversary year, the school's Winter 2007 Concert Series was announced today by Executive Director Susan Muscarella. The series kicks off with a performance by pianist and Jazzschool alumnus Julian Pollack (right), who is now a freshman at New York University. “Julian embodies all that we're trying to do for our students," says Muscarella, who founded the school in September 1997. “This will be an exciting homecoming concert. Julian has been growing by leaps and bounds. This fall, Marian McPartland invited him to tape a program for her renowned Piano Jazz show on NPR. It has been incredibly rewarding to see all that he has accomplished over the years, and he's only 18!"

Likewise, the tremendous diversity of artists appearing at the Jazzschool in the next several months reflects the broad stylistic territory covered in the school's course offerings--from a solo piano concert by Taylor Eigsti (who, with Madeline Eastman, is an Artist in Residence at the school) to Wayne Wallace's Rhythm 'n' Rhyme, an Afro- Cuban-based Latin-funk big band. Also included in the series are shows by Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, Min Xiao Fen & her Blue Pipa Trio (with bassist Mark Helias), the Rova Saxophone Quartet, and vocalist Ledisi in a rare duo setting. Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh is a special guest at a March 18 fund-raiser for the Young People's Symphony Orchestra and the Jazzschool.

The series concludes with a week of concerts by Jazzschool students March 23-April 1.

All of the shows take place in the Jazzschool Nightclub (except as noted). The Jazzcaffe, immediately adjacent to the performance space, serves dinner and drinks. Doors open one hour prior to performance; open seating is limited and on a first-come-first-served basis.

Tickets are available online (www.jazzschool.inhousetickets.com); by phone (toll-free 1-866-384-3060) Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm; or in person at the school, Monday through Saturday 10 am to 6 pm, Sundays 10 am to 3 pm.

The Jazzschool (www.jazzschool.com) and Nightclub is located in the historic Kress Building at 2087 Addison Street (at Shattuck), in the heart of the Downtown Berkeley Arts District. The Winter 2007 Concert Series has been made possible by generous gifts from the Bernard Osher Foundation and the Zellerbach Family Foundation.

January
1/12 Julian Pollack 3, 8:00 pm, $15/$12
1/14 Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, 4:30 pm, $18
1/19 Pat Carroll Quartet, 8:00 pm, $12
1/20 Hamir Atwal Trio, 8:00 pm, $12
1/21 Natasha Miller Ensemble, 4:30 pm, $15
1/27 Smith Dobson V Quartet, 8:00 pm, $10
1/28 ViolinJazz Quartet (featuring Jeremy Cohen), 4:30 pm, $15



February
2/2 John Stowell and Mike Zilber, 8:00 pm, $15/$12
2/3 Eddie Marshall and Holy Mischief, 8:00 pm, $15/$12
2/9 Taylor Eigsti (solo piano), 8:00 pm, $18
2/10 Colin McDaniel Trio, 8:00 pm, $10
2/11 Wayne Wallace and Rhythm 'n' Rhyme, 4:30 pm & 6:30 pm, $18
2/17 Kasey Knudsen Trio, 8:00 pm, $18
2/18 El Tren (trio), with guest vocalist Bobi Cespedes, 4:30 pm, $15/ $12
2/23 Muse Academy Students (from Tokyo) and Friends, 8:00 pm, free admission
2/24 Equarius, featuring vocalist Andrea Fultz, 8:00 pm, $12 2/25 Ledisi (with guitarist Cedrick Dennis), 4:30 pm, $18

March
3/3 Maria Marquez, “Soy del Sur," 8:00 pm, $15/$12
3/4 Min Xiao Fen & Blue Pipa Trio, 4:30 pm, $15
3/10 Clarinet Thing (Beth Custer, Ben Goldberg, Sheldon Brown, Harvey Wainapel), 8:00 pm, $15/$12
3/11 Ellen Seeling/Susan Muscarella Group, 4:30 pm, $18
3/16 Lost Trio (with Phillip Greenlief, Dan Seamans, Tom Hasset), 8:00 pm, $15/$12
3/17 Frank Martin Group, with Abraham Laboriel & Alex Acua, 8:00 pm, $18
3/18 Classical Jazz Meets Phil Lesh: A Fund-Raiser for Young People's Symphony Orchestra and the Jazzschool, 7:30 pm, $75 [Location: First Congregational Church, 2345 Channing Way, Berkeley]
3/24 Michael Wilcox and Friends, 8:00 pm, $15/$12
3/25 Rova Saxophone Quartet in Concert, 4:30 pm, $15/$12
3/31 The Acid Reggae Xperience (featuring pianist and Bob Marley specialist Matt Jenson), 8:00 pm, $15/$12
3/31-4/1 Jazzschool Student Concerts, free admission