Jazz Weekend

Performers at Jazz 2010:

Friday, September 17
Celebrating David Amram's 80th Birthday:
6 PM Reception at Shoreline Restaurant
7:30 Cruise aboard the Adirondac with music
by the David Amram Quartet

Cruise tickets can be purchased by calling (518) 899-3000

Saturday, Sept. 18, 1 to 6 PM:

Daniel Kelly Trio

David Amram Quartet ~ the first 80 years

The Randy Newman Project

Special Saturday evening performance 7:30 PM:

Christian Scott Quintet

Sunday, Sept. 19, 1 to 6 PM:

Sharel Cassity Sextet

Buster Williams Quartet with Stefon Harris

and Cindy Blackman

Samuel Torres Group ~ Yaoundé

The Lake George Jazz Weekend will celebrate its 27th year on September 17, 18, and 19. The festival is held at Shepard Park, in the heart of Lake George Village, a beautiful setting along the shores of the lake. Admission is free. Concert goers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Several food vendors will be present in the park throughout the weekend. A kick off event will be held at 6 PM on Friday, September 17th at the Shoreline Restaurant in Lake George. The evening will honor the 80th birthday celebration for noted composer, musician, and conductor, David Amram. The program, which is free and open to the public, begins at 6 pm with testimonials from Tom and David Lloyd of The Lake George Opera, Charles Peltz of the Glens Falls Symphony, and a short film by documentarian Larry Kramen. The Celebration will continue with a cruise aboard the Adirondac. Hosted by Star Radio, the cruise features music by the David Amram Quartet and light fare. Tickets for the 3 hour cruise, which departs at 7:30 PM, are $25 and may be purchased by calling 518-899-3000.

Saturday’s music opens with award-winning composer and pianist Daniel Kelly. Kelly has toured throughout the US, Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa and Central America independently and as a jazz Ambassador for the A.U.S. His work ranges from the stride masterworks of early jazz to the extemporized epics of Keith Jarrett. The day’s program continues with the David Amram Quartet. Amram began his career as a protégé of Leonard Bernstein and soon spread his wings to become a jazz innovator, playing with Dizzy’s Big Band as well as his own ensembles. He returns to Lake George after having performed here just after 9/11/01, conducting T.E. Monk’s quartet with the Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra. The afternoon schedule concludes with the Randy Newman Project featuring vocalist Roseanna Vitro. The Randy Newman Project features the brilliant compositions of Randy Newman, re-imagined through the musical arrangements of pianist Mark Soskin.

A special evening concert with Christian Scott begins at 7:30 PM. Scott is a New Orleans born trumpet player and composer who is acknowledged as one of the great innovators of the current generation of jazz players. In 2002, his album “Rewind That” won him a Grammy nomination at the age of 22.

Sunday’s program opens with the Sharel Cassity Sextet. Cassity has raised excitement in her listeners since this Oklahoma saxophone artist and multi-instrumentalist graduated Julliard and two years later came out with her first Jazz Legacy album, “Relentless” in 2009. She will be followed by the legendary bassist, Buster Williams and his quartet, which features vibraphonist Stefon Harris and drummer Cindy Blackman.

The weekend will conclude with some Latin jazz from Samuel Torres and his group, Yaoundé. The Columbian born percussionist, composer, and arranger came to New York in 1998 to play with Grammy award winner Arturo Sandoval, with whom he toured for four years. Torres went on to play with jazz artists such as the late Tito Puente, Chick Corea, Poncho Sanchez, Dave Valentin, Michael Brecker, Don Byron and Claudio Roditi among others.

The Lake George Arts Project is able to present the Lake George Jazz Weekend thanks

to the generous support from Kenneth and Susan Gruskin, the Village & Town of

Lake George, program advertisers, and with public funds from the New York

State Council on the Arts, a state agency.