Our final two jam sessions of the summer featured some familiar figures.  Reading bassist Skip Moyer lead the jam in August, and performed with saxophonist Jerry Laboranti in the September jam.  Drummer John Rozum was also a sideman on both gigs.  It's been fun to see the dynamic of each session, as these musicians meet and interact.

We've been averaging 6 to 8 musicians, student and adult, at our last several jams.  It's good to see continued interest in playing jazz, as we welcome back returning performers and meet new ones.  We've had students from public schools, private schools and colleges, as well as adult performers, both amateur and professional.  It has truly been an "old school" way to absorb the language of jazz!

October's jam will feature West Chester area saxophonist and recording artist Bobby Fanelli.  This will Bob's first time performing at the Berks Jazz Jam.

I welcome your comments and questions regarding the jam.  If you have any suggestions for improving these sessions, please let me know!

Mike

 

I was very happy to host July's jam with my band, From the HIP.  Students were given the opportunity to play some of our charts, and we also listened to recordings of some classic jazz tunes.  This added yet another dimension to our monthly performances.  We've had a very saxophone-heavy summer so far, with saxophonists B.K. Hogstrom, Chris Heslop and myself all hosting jam sessions.  We've also had quite a few student saxophonists show up for the jams as well.  Student attendance has been very good the last few months, so we're hoping that's a sign that interest is growing for improvised music!

Since we began in November of 2006, we've had over 65 people join us.  We've also had almost that many different guest musicians performing for us, too!  There have been middle school, high school and college students, as well as adults, taking part in the jam sessions.  It's been great to see young and old (I mean "seasoned" !) musicians playing together, proving that music is a life-long adventure! 

Our lending library has grown from about a dozen CDs, to include DVDs and books about jazz and jazz musicians.  We welcome new contributions to the library!

We are happy to have Reading bassist Skip Moyer and his group returning to our August 12 jam.  Come out for some more great music!

 

It's hard to believe the June jam will be here in just a couple days!  May's jam was led by saxophonist B.K. Hogstom, as he took us through some great tunes, playing along and making suggestions.  Our student bass players got some great advice and encouragement from bassist Kevin MacConnell.  It was very cool to learn that several members of the band had never before played together.  B.K. showed us exactly how jazz musicians listen and interact, by throwing a few "curves" at the band as they played "On Green Dolphin Street".  

Fresh off a performance with his big band at Gerald Veasley's Jazz Base, saxophonist/composer Chris Heslop will lead our jam session on Wednesday, June 10.  Chris's band tore it up at the Jazz Base with his unique, contemporary compositions, and some stellar playing by his musicians from Reading, Philadelphia and beyond.  

The music doesn't stop this summer!  Bring your "axe" and jam with us every month at Zeswitz Music!  See you there!

April’s jam session was very cool, as guest artist Erwin Chandler and his trio led the way.  It was nice to hear the group perform a couple original tunes as well as one standard,
allowing our visitors to hear the compositional side of an improvising musician.  Erwin spent some time with the group working on some simple but effective ideas, for instance, having soloists begin a solo by playing a note other than the root of the chord to begin.  It was an effective way to hear how different notes can affect the color of a solo.

Once again we had a nice mix of students and adults in attendance.  And we heard some terrific playing!  It’s wonderful to see students taking this music seriously and working hard at it.  And, it’s great that kids get to see adults making music a part of everyday life.  One does not need to be a professional musician to enjoy a lifetime of playing!

On May 13, look for saxophonist B.K. Hogstrum to grace our stage as he and his group perform and lead us in our improvisatory endeavors.  And don’t forget to keep playing, keep practicing, and keep listening to America’s music – JAZZ !

Our March jam was a blast, featuring some of our local educators playing and leading the music.  For the first time at one of these sessions, we had a full rhythm section of student and adult performers join us.  We also had a front line of trumpet, tenor sax and trombone, making for a great evening of improvised music.

Our next jam features the latest winner of the Frank Scott Jazz Award, Erwin Chandler.  Erwin will be receiving this award on Saturday, March 28, prior to the Doc Mulligan & Friends concert at the Miller Center in Reading.  Coincidently, Erwin will be April’s featured artist at the Jazz Jam.  Congratulations to Erwin for his accomplishment, and we look forward to jamming with him on April 8th!

Hello, and welcome to the first “official” Berks Jazz Jam blog!  This is my first time doing a blog – I’m not even sure what a blog is just yet, so be patient with me!

We’ve been running the jam sessions at Zeswitz Music for over two years now, and got 2009 off to a great start with guest artist Pete Souders and his terrific band featuring Sid Simmons on piano, Mike Boone on bass, and Leon Jordan, Sr. on the drums.  It was very cool starting the new year with some of Philly’s finest!

Guitarist Pete Rogosky joined us for our February jam (on 2/11), with Keith Mohler on bass and John Fundyga on drums.  Pete is well know in jazz and rock circles around the Reading area, and has played with just about everybody!  He is currently playing guitar for the popular R&B group The Dance Hall Docs, who were recently featured at Gerald Veasley’s Jazz Base in Reading.

Look for music educator Carl Zeplin and company for our jam on March 11, Music In Our Schools month.  Carl and his band of educators will help us get ready for the Berks Jazz Fest coming up at the end of the month!

We encourage all musicians, young and old, to join us on the second Wednesday of every month at Zeswitz Music, for our jazz jam sessions.  Come out and learn the “old school” way to play jazz – listening to and performing with the pros themselves!

I hope this is just the first of many blogs to come.  Keep playing, keep practicing, and keep listening to America’s music – JAZZ !
See you!
Mike

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