Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Weekend of Jazz 2009 Program Presents the Woody Herman Orchestra and Sylvan Street

Beavercreek, OH – Beavercreek Music Parents Association’s 9th annual Weekend of Jazz (WOJ) “Where the Future of Jazz Meets the Legends of Jazz!” will be held at Beavercreek HS Alumni Auditorium March 5-7, 2009. WOJ is pleased to announce this year’s festival headliners.

Sylvan Street, a select and accomplished group of professional jazz musicians from around the country, debuts their self-titled CD in person Friday, March 6, at 8:00 pm. The music of Sylvan Street is dynamic, funky, and very aggressive - an emotional and eclectic blend influenced by everything from Weather Report to Horace Silver to Talking Heads. “It’s a fusion of my diverse background in jazz, popular music, standards, and rock and roll,” says Jay Rees, composer, bassist and band leader. The music of Sylvan Street is unique in that it brings the energy and excitement of a rock concert to the intimacy of a jazz venue. Sylvan Street includes soaring high-note trumpeter Chad Shoopman, improvisational saxophonist Kelland Thomas, virtuosic Los Angeles guitarist Frank Browne, Chicago’s multi-talented drummer/singer Andrew Hix, and 15 year-old keyboard prodigy Evan Rees. Beavercreek High School’s very own Director of Bands, Doug McCullough sits in as guest percussionist

Taking the stage Saturday evening, March 7, at 8:00 pm is the Woody Herman “Thundering Herd” Orchestra led by saxophonist Frank Tiberi. “Swingin’ Then and Cookin’ Now!”, the Woody Herman Orchestra of today maintains the youthful vitality and versatility that characterized it in years past, mixing classics from the Herman bands of old with new charts arranged to suit the band’s exuberant, hard swinging style. It is pure entertainment from the first dance to the last. The arrangements are an exciting mixture of old and new, pleasing the audience with the sound of surprise. The band brings back the Big Band sound and plays a versatile repertoire. As the New York Jazz Review said, “Consider yourself lucky if you hear… the Herman Thundering Herd”. Visit http://www.woodyherman.biz/main.html for more information.

As always, the WOJ program features performances by high school jazz bands from Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. On Thursday March 5, the Beavercreek schools’ jazz bands kick off the festival, performing in an open clinic at 7:00 pm. This performance is free and open to the public. All day Saturday, March 7, Beavercreek High School will be humming with continuous big band jazz performances by very talented young musicians from the tri-state area high schools. Admission is free to the daytime events.

Tickets for the Friday and Saturday evening performances are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, and $15 for students and may be purchased on-line at the WOJ web site, www.WeekendOfJazz.org/tickets, or by calling the WOJ Ticket Hotline at (937) 412-1636. For more information about the WOJ, check the festival’s website at www.WeekendOfJazz.org.

The Weekend of Jazz is supported in part by grants and assistance from Target, the Greene County Community Foundation, and WDSJ Smooth Jazz 106.5, as well as generous donations from members of the Beavercreek community.

Contact:

Susie Pottner
WOJ Publicity Coordinator
1700 Edith Marie Drive
Beavercreek, Ohio 45431
Phone: 937-426-1955 (h); 937-751-6993 (c)
E-mail: spottner@sbcglobal.net

Dan Archibald
WOJ 2009 Event Director
2532 Kewanna Lane
Beavercreek, Ohio 45434
Phone: 937-320-1421 (h); 937-219-5537 (c)
Email: Director@WeekendOfJazz.org

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