Saturday May 18, 2013, 12:00 - 7:00 p.m. - ApCal Wine Tasting & Visitors Center
$10 JazzFresno members - $20 non-members
JazzFresno and KFSR 90.7 are pleased to present Valley Jazz Fest at ApCal on May 18, 2013. Gates open at noon with entertainment beginning at 1 pm. The lineup includes:
THE BANDS Karen Marguth and Espacio - 1PM
Fresh off a four-star review from "Downbeat Magazine" on her latest CD, Karen Marguth opens the festival in fine style with the world-class musicians of Espacio.
The Experience - 2PM
With the release of their first EP just around the corner, learn what the rest of the world is about to discover with the funk-fusion-R&B-jazz blend of The Experience.
Fillmore Slim - 3PM
The legendary blues man from San Francisco is known for his mix of West Coast Blues, R&B, funk, and soul. website
The After Dinner Mints - 4PM
The music of the "Mints" is in the style of groups like The Brian Setzer Orchestra and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. It's the jump swing of the 40's and 50's - with a fair dose of music about food and chickens, of course.
Blue Street Jazz Band - 5PM
A popular fixture at festivals across the US, Blue Street Jazz Band brings Dixieland, swing and Mardi Gras to the party.
Rumba 32 - 6PM
Valley jazz legend Steve Alcala fronts Rumba 32 and closes the show with a Latin jazz set.
ART, FOOD, WINE AND MORE!
Enjoy the wares of more than 20 Valley artists and artisans on display throughout the grounds. Along with the best wines from more than 25 local wineries, an assortment of delectable food and the beautiful setting of ApCal, it's an event that is not to be missed!
PLEASE NOTE: This is a 21+ event and ID's will be checked at the gate. No outside beverages are permitted. The event features LAWN SEATING, so bring a lawn chair or a blanket.
It’s wine, sunshine, jazz and more at Valley Jazz Fest on May 18th! General admission tickets are $20. Tickets for JazzFresno members are just $10! Not a member? Take advantage of a special package and receive a ticket good for two admissions, two wine tastings from ApCal and a one year JazzFresno membership for just $45! That’s just $5 above the price of two general admission tickets.
Friday September 14th, 2012, 7:30 p.m. - The Painted Table
Free admission
Jazz vocalist Christine Guter will perform at The Painted Table on Friday, September 14 at 7:30 pm. Her Fresno appearance coincides with a two-day jazz vocal workshop hosted by the vocal jazz students at Fresno City College.
Ms. Guter is a fixture on the LA jazz scene. She has also worked with many legendary musicians including Rosemary Clooney, Joe Williams, Diane Schuur, Maynard Ferguson, Mercer Ellington, Lionel Hampton, Mel Torme, and Bobby McFerrin. As an A-list studio singer, she has recorded over 20 film soundtracks, including Happy Feet, X-Men 3 and the brand new Cirque du Soleil show, "Iris," with music composed by Danny Elfman.
Ms. Guter is the director of the Vocal Jazz program at CSU Long Beach's Bob Cole Conservatory of Music and directs the award-winning student vocal ensemble "Pacific Standard Time." She is also lead singer of the much celebrated Jazz quintet Vocalogy and performs regularly throughout the US and Europe as a solo vocalist with her trio.
The intimate setting, fine dining, and of course the talents of Ms. Guter and company (Craig Von Berg, Roy Carlson, Brian Hamada, and Mike Dana) promise to recreate the ambience of an elegant and sophisticated jazz club in the heart of Fresno’s Tower District.
The Painted Table is at 1211 N. Wishon (the former Daily Planet), next to the Tower Theater in Fresno. Dinner* will be available from 6:30 p.m., with the concert starting at 7:30 p.m.. Admission is free. (*Dinner is not included.)
For details on the performance, contact Mike Dana at (559) 429-JAZZ (5299)
The Commanders, a newly-revived ensemble coming from the US Air Force Band of the Golden West, carries on the American musical tradition of the great big bands, yet offers a lot more than the big band sounds. This energetic group of highly-trained professional musicians, formed from 18 Airmen, delivers the full gamut of jazz music - traditional jazz, cool, bop, swing, Broadway favorites, and patriotic music. The Commanders offers an entertaining show you won't soon forget!
A typical evening with The Commanders might include favorites from Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Woody Herman, Count Basie, and Dizzy Gillespie to the sounds of today's modern jazz groups delivered by the group's enchantingly talented vocalist. Their renditions of hot jazz feature rousing improvised solos from every instrument in the group. This is an ensemble capable of delivering a truly unique combination of entertainment.
In addition to enjoyable community concerts and jazz festivals, the group visits colleges and schools throughout the region, inspiring future generations of musicians and connecting with youth.
The Commanders are ready to charge you up with a fun-filled event that will satisfy every musical taste!
This will be a very special event as two members of The Commanders (trombonist Ryan Terronez & drummer Marshall Gentry) hail from Fresno/Clovis!
Admission is free, but to reserve a seat, visit their website here.
Priority seating will be extended to those with advance tickets - after which doors will open to the public. Seating is limited.
Fresno High School - "Royce Hall "
1839 N. Echo Avenue
Fresno, CA 93704
Friday May 11th, 2012, 7:00 p.m. - Brick Restaurant
$25 JazzFresno members/students/seniors ($15 balcony) - $40 general
“a skilled and imaginative composer” - Chicago Tribune
JazzFresno is proud to present internationally renowned pianist/composer Amina Figarova and her acclaimed sextet to Fresno's Brick Restaurant on Friday evening, May 11th, 2012, at 7:00 p.m.
The group is touring the U.S. in support of Amina Figarova's 12th album, titled Twelve - her debut release on the renowned independent
German label In + Out. The recording celebrates jazz as an international music and New York City as a locale where jazz gypsies
may feel most at home. A suite of songs for sextet Figarova wrote swiftly in 2011 after moving with her husband and
musical partner, flutist Bart Platteau, to Forest Hills, Queens from their longtime European base, Twelve is suffused
with the heightened expectations, sense of adventure and fresh perceptions that voluntary emigrés enjoy, as well as
the confidence, creative energies and nuanced fulfillment that artists gain from being in the right place at the right
time.
Advance tickets are:
$15 special JazzFresno members/students w/ID balcony seats (limited seating)
$25 for JazzFresno members/students/seniors only
$40 general admission
$50 (includes a one-year individual or renewal membership)
Day of show tickets are:
$25 special JazzFresno members/students w/ID balcony seats (limited seating)
$35 for JazzFresno members/students/seniors only
$55 general admission
$65 (includes a one-year individual or renewal membership)
Tickets are available online via Brown Paper Tickets. (All major credit cards are accepted.)
Scan the QR code below for the ticket event page.
Brick Restaurant & Bar
820 Van Ness Avenue, Fresno, CA
(559) 264-2561
The Fresno City College Music Department will present four of its top jazz groups in a two-night concert series at Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater in Fresno’s Tower District. It has been a busy year for the FCC jazz program, with many successful concerts and festival performances. This jazz “double header” presents these outstanding musicians in a casual, jazz club setting—a perfect way to wrap up the school year.
Monday May 7, 2012, 7:30 p.m. - Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater
$12 general / $10 JazzFresno members/seniors/students
(doors open at 6:00 p.m. for dinner, appetizers)
FCC Jazz Ensemble, directed by Mike Dana. This award-winning band recently performed with Mark Levine & the Latin Tinge, and recently completed a tour of Southern California including a featured appearance at the Oceanside Jazz Festival. Their set includes contemporary jazz, standards, and even two Radiohead songs.
FCC Jazz Combos, directed by Larry Honda. These small groups feature many of FCC’s top jazz players, performing original compositions and arrangements of jazz standards.
Tuesday May 8, 2012, 7:30 p.m. - Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater
$12 general / $10 JazzFresno members/seniors/students
(doors open at 6:00 p.m. for dinner, appetizers)
FCC Latin Jazz Ensemble, directed by George Ramirez. An all-star percussion section drives this exciting group, which was featured at the City Jazz Festival and performs regularly in the Fresno area.
FCC Jazz Singers, directed by Julie and Mike Dana. The Jazz Singers have performed at the Cuesta College Central Coast Jazz Festival, and more recently at the newly refurbished Old Administration Building Auditorium. Their set includes blues, Brazilian, and jazz standards, along with music by Esperanza Spalding, Stevie Wonder, and The Beatles.
The relaxed, informal setting at Roger Rocka’s makes it a great venue for jazz. In addition, dinner, appetizers, and beverages will be available from 6:00 p.m., making the two evenings even more of a celebration. (Note: dinner is not included in the ticket price.)
Admission for each night’s performance is $12 general, $10 student/senior/JazzFresno members. For tickets, contact the Dinner Theater box office at (559) 266-9494. Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater is located at 1226 N. Wishon, just north of Olive Ave. in Fresno.
For more information on these performances please contact Mike Dana at (559) 442-4600 ext. 8463 or mike.dana@fresnocitycollege.edu.
Tickets for the evening awards concert available for purchase online.
FCC Box Office: (559) 442-8221
The 22nd annual City Jazz Festival returns to Fresno City College on Thursday March 29, 2012.
The event features performances by student groups during the day, plus a special evening awards concert with pianist/recording artist Mark Levine and the Latin Tinge and the Fresno City College Jazz Ensemble. Admission to the daytime student performances (8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.) is free; tickets for the 7:30 p.m. awards concert in the FCC Theatre are $15 general, $12 senior/JazzFresno member, and $10 student.
Mark began playing jazz as a teenager in Daytona Beach, Florida. He continued his education in Boston and New York before moving to California in 1966. He spent significant time working with Woody Shaw, Joe Henderson, Blue Mitchell, and Harold Land, composing all the while. His interest in Latin jazz led to work with Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, and Cal Tjader (including Cal's Grammy-winning Concord Jazz recording "La Onda Va Bien"). Mark has continued to pursue the Latin side of his craft, attending Centro Nacional de Escuela de Arte in Havana, Cuba in 1997. In addition to the jazz artists mentioned above, Mark has played/recorded with Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, Tito Puente, Milt Jackson, James Moody, Art Farmer, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Fortune, Eddie Harris, and many more.
As an educator, Mark authored "The Jazz Piano Book," which has become the bible for jazz pianists all over the world. It is available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Korean. In 1996, he completed The Jazz Theory Book," with similar success. Mark's faculty affiliations include the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, University of California, Berkeley, Stanford Jazz Workshop, and many more. He has also served as artist in residence at schools in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Iceland, Mexico, Sweden, New Zealand, Switzerland, and Wales. We are truly honored to have a performer, composer, and educator of Mark's stature at this year's City Jazz Festival.
Tickets available online: http://www.sjvjf.net/
Paul Shaghoian Concert Hall
2770 E. International Ave.
Fresno, CA 93720
The San Joaquin Valley Jazz Festival was founded in 1989 by Paul Shaghoian. After being held at the D&D Ranch in Madera, CA, it was moved to San Joaquin Memorial High School, and finally to Buchanan High School in 1992. During the festival’s 23 years in existence the central valley has seen some of the nation’s top musicians and jazz educators during its numerous two-day runs in February. Such notables have included educators, Larry Sutherland, Gene Aitken, Neil Slater, George Stone, Aaron Lington and James Miley, to name a few.
The performance line-ups have been a virtual "who’s who" of jazz performers throughout the state and nation and have included Bobby Shew, Frank Mantooth, Jim Snidero, Glenn Kostur, Jeff Uusitalo, Carl Saunders, Gary Hobbs, Dave Riekenburg, John Gove, Lanny Morgan, Tim Ries, Michael Davis, Brian Lynch, Peter Epstein, Terell Stafford, David Binney, Kneebody and the John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble.
Saturday (day only): for all spectators, including parents, bus drivers, chaperones:
$10 - General ; $5 College Students on assignment (must show valid student ID for discount)
Tickets are available at the door
Wednesday January 25th, 2012, 7:30 p.m. - Fresno City College Theater
$22 general / $18 JazzFresno members/seniors / $15 students w/ID
“transfixing” - New York Times
“the most original jazz singer in a generation” - Boston Globe
Jazz vocalist Gretchen Parlato will perform at the Fresno City College Theatre on Wednesday, January 25 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets, priced at $22, $18, and $15 are available at the FCC Box Office (559) 442-8221 or online. Proceeds benefit FCC jazz performance and scholarship funds.
Ms. Parlato (par-LAH-to) is a rising star in the jazz world. She is a 2011 Grammy nominee, and her current release, “The Lost and Found,” tops many jazz charts. Her eclectic and intensely personal style infuses her performances, which include jazz, Brazilian, and pop (Bjork, Stevie Wonder) material.
Ms. Parlato will also offer a jazz vocal workshop Tuesday January 24 @ 4:00 pm in the FCC Recital Hall (MS 132.) The workshop is free. (Campus parking is enforced.)
The concert is presented by the FCC Music Department, JazzFresno, and the State Center Community College Foundation. The FCC Theatre is located on the campus of Fresno City College, 1101 E. University Avenue, Fresno, CA.
with Will Vinson - alto saxophone, Joe Martin - bass, and Mark Ferber - drums
Tuesday January 24th, 2012, 7:30 p.m. - Paul Shaghoian Concert Hall
$15 general / $12 JazzFresno members/seniors / $10 students w/ID
“there can be no doubting that this guitarist is a major talent to keep our eyes on; in fact we may be witnessing the future of jazz guitar in the worthy hands of Jonathan Kreisberg” - Brad Walseth--Jazz Chicago
A world class jazz quartet from New York, led by guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg, performs in Fresno Tuesday night, January 24th, 2012.
Born in New York City, guitarist and composer Jonathan Kreisberg has fond memories of a childhood steeped in music. “I was lucky to grow up in a household that had a great and wide-ranging record collection, including Coltrane’s "My Favorite Things," John Williams playing the ‘Aranjuez Concierto’ and Cream’s "Disraeli Gears,” he recalls.
Jonathan has worked in the bands of many greats including Joe Locke, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Joel Frahm, Greg Tardy, Roy Nathanson, Donald Edwards, Jane Monheit, Ari Hoenig, Yosvany Terry, and Lenny White. He has also led groups of various instrumentations featuring artists such as Bill Stewart, Larry Grenadier, and Scott Wendholt. He has recorded eight CDs as a leader, including his newest release, Shadowless (2011)
Although based in New York City, Jonathan can be seen on tour worldwide. Along with North American performances, he recently completed successful tours of Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Finland, and Japan. With return visits to these countries as well as tours of Germany and Italy, Jonathan is steadily becoming a figure on the international jazz scene.
Jonathan will be joined by his working quartet from New York, featuring Will Vinson on alto saxophone, Joe Martin on bass, and Mark Ferber on drums.
Buchanan High School Jazz Band A, Paul Lucckesi, Director, will open the concert.
Paul Shaghoian Concert Hall @ Clovis North High School
2770 E. International Ave., Fresno, CA
Tickets are available for purchase online.
Also visit www.becjazz.org for more information.
Monday December 5, 2011, 7:30 p.m. - Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater
$18 general / $15 JazzFresno members & seniors / $10 students w/ID
JAZZ COMPOSERS ORCHESTRA GOES INTERNATIONAL
The Jazz Composers Orchestra will perform its final concert of the year on Monday, December 5, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. at Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater in Fresno’s Tower District.
Fans of the “JCO” know the band for its adventurous and original music. This season’s concert continues that tradition, with music from the Yellowjackets, original compositions from Swedish, German, and Canadian jazz composers, and a “first”– the band's first performance of a Jimi Hendrix tune!
The Jazz Composers Orchestra is an all-star 19-piece ensemble directed by Mike Dana, head of the jazz studies program at Fresno City College. The roster (below) reads like a “who’s who” of jazz in the Valley. Members include music faculty at FCC, CSU Fresno, and many other valley schools. All play professionally as well, and have performed with an impressive lineup of jazz and pop artists.
Jazz vocalist Christine Guter will perform at The Painted Table on Friday, September 14 at 7:30 pm. Her Fresno appearance coincides with a two-day jazz vocal workshop hosted by the vocal jazz students at Fresno City College. 
“transfixing” - New York Times
“there can be no doubting that this guitarist is a major talent to keep our eyes on; in fact we may be witnessing the future of jazz guitar in the worthy hands of Jonathan Kreisberg” - Brad Walseth--Jazz Chicago
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