by Jay Kerner

 

I love start ups. I love the brainstorming, filling legal pads with notes, the conception of the idea when it’s still all pure and beautiful and reality hasn’t wiped its muddy feet all over it yet. The truth, as anybody who has stuck their neck out and tried things knows, is that starting anything that lasts is hard. Our hats are way off to the Coleman Hawkins Jazz Society as they hit their 10 year anniversary and unveil the new statue of St. Joe’s own Jazz Pioneer. This year’s festival will be held Friday and Saturday June 20th & 21st.

 

Do we like festivals around here or what? The cool thing about this annual event is that it’s a mellow vibe that’s just perfect to mingle around in. See old friends. Have a beer outside in the park on a sunny summer afternoon or evening. Bring some lawn chairs and sit down front. Bring a blanket and pick a shady spot on the bank.

 

While you’re Downtown, why not have a bite at the Kirkpatrick Café? The eight members of the Felix Street Experience will, I’m sure, have a variety of other entertainment and libation specials to tempt you. Be sure to stop in An Artful Life and see what’s new. Speaking of art, the new Gallery 7 across from the park should be open by then. Go see all the exciting things going on Downtown and enjoy a weekend of cool jazz in the great outdoors.

 

Anyway, courtesy of the society’s website, www.colemanhawkins.org, here is the lineup for this year’s festival. And some pictures from previous year’s events.

 

 

Friday, June 20
Mid-America All Star Jazz Ensemble – Each summer Missouri Western State University gathers 15 to 20 top high school music students from around the Midwest for a five day jazz band camp. And each year, they take to the Coleman Hawkins stage to delight the crowd with their knowledge of and feeling for great jazz band music.
— Unveiling the new Coleman Hawkins Statue.
Detour JazFunk – These hot Chicago jazz masters, who create a sound all their own by mixing today’s cutting edge “smooth jazz” with genuine old school funk and soul, are coming back to town. With two vocals, keyboard, lead and base guitars, and drums, they’ll rock the house as they did here in 2006.
Saturday, June 21
Mid-America All Star Jazz Ensemble – The Missouri Western State University band camp students return to the Coleman Hawkins gazebo for an encore of great big band sounds. Every year these high-schoolers amaze and delight the crowd with their fantastic musical ability.
The D.J. Sweeney Group – Jazz vocalist D.J. Sweeney pulled together some solid K.C. musicians to create her group; Clint Ashlock, trumpet, Danny Embrey, guitar, James Albright, base and Zack Albetta drums. They’ll swing the standards in a style that recalls the days of cabaret jazz and steamy nightclubs.
Coleman Hawkins Jazz Society All Stars – To prove that

St. Joseph can turn out young musicians with an ear for good melody, harmony and rhythm, we comb the local schools for students willing to put the time and energy into preparing to take our stage. For the second year, they will be under the direction of

Central

High School’s Chad Lippencott.
Horace Washington – Taking the stage during the very first Coleman Hawkins Jazz Festival, this

Kansas City jazz veteran returns this year. Horace Washington is a band leader and multi-instrumentalist equally accomplished on the soprano, alto, baritone and tenor saxophones; flute, alto flute & fife.
Everette DeVan – A perennial favorite on the Coleman Hawkins stage, Everette DeVan and his Hammond B-3 organ return again this year. Performing world-wide with stops as diverse as

Japan and

Italy, DeVan has settled in K.C. as a jazz leader and teacher. Again this year, he will be accompanied by some of the area’s top performers.
Etta (Green) Cox – A graduate of St. Joe’s Bishop LeBlond High School and now queen of the Pittsburgh, Pa., jazz music scene, Etta Cox returns to St. Joseph after drawing record crowds here in 2004. She’ll be backed by a trio led by renowned

Midwest jazz musician Joe Cartwright.

Posted by: admin on Saturday, June 14th, 2008
Filed under: Jay Kerner, Sounds Like St. Joe, General |