Brubeck Brothers, Dave Brubeck Exhibit coming to Estes Park - 04/30/2007

Estes Park Convention & Visitors Bureau
Suzy Blackhurst, Communications Officer
Voice: 970.577.9900, ext 224
Email: sblackhurst@estes.org

April 30, 2007


Brubeck Brothers, Dave Brubeck Exhibit coming to Estes Park


From Big Band era sounds to the rollicking feel-good music a la New Orleans, to hearing from the jazz scene’s greatest, Estes Park’s annual Jazz Fest May 19 and 20 is ready to provide two afternoons of free music to jazz aficionados.

Headliners Dan and Chris Brubeck, and their band, the Brubeck Brothers Band, will bring with them the Dave Brubeck traveling exhibit from the University of the Pacific Library’s Holt-Atherton Special Collections in part with the Brubeck Institute. The exhibit will be in Estes Park for two weeks following. The two brothers follow their father’s jazz roots. Dan is a dynamite drummer; Chris sings, plays bass, trombone, piano, and guitar and in recent years has begun composing and directing.

Starting at noon each day Jazz Fest performances are held in the town’s intimate Performance Park amphitheater, 417 West Elkhorn Ave. Those coming for the entertainment should bring a lawn chair or blanket.

In addition to the Brubeck Brothers’ appearance here on Saturday, May 19, other performers who will fire up the crowds are heralded wherever they play and sing, but none louder than those from the jazz-friendly Denver area. The line-up includes Wendy Fopeano and Tina Phillips (two hot singers) with the Ken Walker Trio Band, Sheryl Renee (R&B and Jazz vocalist) Band.

The Brubeck Brothers Band is a world-class quartet led by Dave Brubeck’s sons, Dan and Chris, and features top-flight jazz guitarist Mike De Micco. For the last two decades, the Brubeck Brothers Band has recorded and toured extensively, performing a variety of original music and Dave Brubeck classics. The band’s Jazz Fest concert will include a segment titled “Growing up Brubeck.”

The Dave Brubeck Traveling Exhibit will also be featured at the festival site. The exhibit explores this legendary musician’s jazz and classical music, his contributions to civil rights, and his use of jazz as a diplomatic tool. This audio-visual exhibit includes a continuous loop of some of Brubeck’s most famous tunes, and an opportunity for visitors to hear the artist explain his own music. The exhibit will be open both Saturday and Sunday during the Jazz Festival.

This is the first time that the exhibit has been featured at a live music venue; it is normally displayed in libraries and museum facilities. The Brubeck exhibit comes to Jazz Fest from the Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections of the University of the Pacific Library in Stockton, CA.

Sunday’s line up begins at noon with the O-tones, a New Orleans-style brass band. Others performing on May 20 are Mambotet (Latin jazz), Groove Society (a cappella jazz) and Cique’, Jeff Jenkins’ electric band.

Jazz Fest coincides with Art Walk Weekend, a self-guided tour of galleries, artist studios and special exhibitions throughout the Estes Park area. The Art Walk begins each day at 10 a.m. and continues until 5 p.m., although hours may vary at some locations. Art Walk maps are available at any of the participating galleries or at Performance Park For more information on Art Walk, call 970-586-9203.

For more information about Jazz Fest, call the Estes Park Convention & Visitors Bureau at 970-577-9900 or 800-443-7837.


The Jazz Fest Lineup at a glance:
Saturday, May 19
Noon Estes Park Jazz Big Band
1:10 p.m. Wendy Fopeano, Tina Phillips & the Ken Walker Trio
2:30 p.m. The Brubeck Brothers Band
4 p.m. Sheryl Renee Band

Sunday, May 20
Noon OTones
1:20 p.m. Mambotet
2:40 p.m. Groove Society
4 p.m. Ciqué


Jazz Fest Performers at a glance

Saturday, May 19, noon – Estes Park Big Band
Don’t let the group’s name, reflective of the community make-up of its membership, fool you. This group of musicians, many of whom have played professionally with headliners throughout the United States prior to their “retirement” in this resort village, is known for its powerful sound that adheres to precepts of the big band era. Now in their 13th year of performing, the band performs the swinging sounds of Duke Ellington, Les Brown, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller and Count Basie.

Saturday, May 19 1:10 pm – Wendy Fopeano, Tina Phillips & the Ken Walker Trio
Wendy Fopeano: High energy, heart-rending, sweet, sad, show-stopping, soulful - a plethora of potent adjectives describe the multi-faceted voice of Wendy Fopeano. Wendy has recorded with jazz giant Kirby Shaw and jazz/blues guitarist Mark Van Ark, with whom she paired for her debut solo recording "First Takes." Her most recent CD, "When There's Love," was called, "an uninhibited, in-your-face, impressive, and inspiring vocal triumph," and received rave reviews and national airplay. She’s considered one of Denver's strongest jazz vocalists.

Tina Phillips: Tina Phillips is a respected Jazz artist and songwriter based in the Denver region. Influenced most by Betty Carter, Sarah Vaughn, Charlie Parker and Art Lande, her style is versatile - including straight ahead, bebop, blues, and Latin Jazz. Her charismatic on-stage performance is the finishing touch. Tina, a Denver native, attended the University of Colorado as a vocal performance major. She is a highly respected vocal coach, clinician, and award winning billboard songwriter. She’s performed as the vocalist in the Young Audience Jazz Band, performing with internationally known jazz musicians such as Art Lande, Paul Warburton and Bruno Carr.

Ken Walker: Hailing from Denver, Ken Walker is the trio’s leader and bassist. He's performed with James Moody, Eric Alexander, Mose Allison, Della Reese and others. The rest of the sextet is also from Denver. Walker has performed as the regular bassist at El-Chapultepec, and with groups including the Art Porter Trio and the popular Artistry. As house bassist for jazz clubs, Walker has accompanied entertainers and international jazz recording artists such as Mose Allison, Eddie Harris, Jon Abercrombie, Clifford Jordan, Eddie Daniels.

Saturday, May 19: 2:30 p.m. – Brubeck Brothers Band
Chris Brubeck: Chris Brubeck first distinguished himself as a jazz musician, performing and recording with his father, the legendary Dave Brubeck. He plays bass, trombone, piano, guitar and sings and, in the past few decades, has earned international acclaim as composer, performer and leader of his own groups. On stage, Chris’ irrepressible enthusiasm is matched by his fluid command of jazz, blues, folk, funk, pop and classical musical styles. As an award-winning composer, he is clearly tuned into the pulse of contemporary music.

Dan Brubeck: Drummer and percussionist Dan Brubeck has toured the international music circuit for over two decades as the leader of his own group, The Dolphins, and as a featured soloist with many of the world’s top jazz artists. His original drumming style, distinctive solos, and use of odd time signatures have earned him the respect of many critics worldwide.He has toured with The Band, Gerry Mulligan, Jon Hendricks, Paul Butterfield, and Warren Bernhardt. Dan has also soloed with many of the world’s leading orchestras as a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Dan and Chris have made many TV appearances including BBC specials, multiple appearances on The Today Show, Johnny Carson’s The Tonight Show, and the nationally syndicated PBS Jazz in America series.

Saturday, May 19: 3:50 p.m. – Sheryl Renee
There is little doubt that Sheryl Renee’s command of the stage and audience as well as her sheer delight in performing truly comes across. She has graced the concert stages of numerous Jazz & music festivals, which includes the Atlanta Jazz Festival, Cherry Creek Jazz Festival and the Spoleto Jazz festival in Charleston S.C. She’s also opened in concert for such notables as, Jeffrey Osborne, Bob Hope, Jennifer Holiday, Diane Schur, Donna Summer, Candi Staton, Marvin Hamlisch and more.

Sunday, May 20: 12:30 p.m. – O-Tones
Original funk, Latin, and soul, mixed with a serious helping of New Orleans groove, is found in the eight-piece group. The O-Tones have marched in parades, festivals and mardi gras celebrations, taking the grooves out into the crowds, out to the people. They also have played concert venues and bars, fronting for the Preservation Hall Jazz Orchestra, among others.

Sunday, May 20: 1:20 p.m. – Mambotet
Denver’s own Mambotet performs a fine blend of Caribbean and Afro-Cuban music. Led by Eric Trujillo on sax and Kenny Walker on bass, Ray Pacheco on conga, Justin Adams on piano, Dean Oldencutt on drums, and Derek Banach on trumpet, this group is guaranteed to get you up out of your seat and onto the dance floor.

Sunday, May 20: 2:40 pm – Groove Society
Groove Society is an award winning vocal sextet with a growing reputation for their excellence in jazz and a cappella singing. Thoughtfully crafted arrangements, masterful use of extended harmonies, intricate rhythms and exhilarating improvisations characterize this ensemble’s unique sound. Other than their voices and bodies, Groove Society uses no musical instruments of any kind. Enthusiastic audiences are amazed that such a powerful and rhythmically complex sound can come from just six people with microphones.

Sunday, May 20: 4 p.m. – Cique’
Jeff Jenkins’s latest project, Cique, a trio whose name is pronounced “sick” performs late 60’s Miles Davis inspired funk and modal music – a little out, a little funk, a very good time. The group includes the always amazing Jeff Jenkins, the equally moking ‘Bijoux Barbosa and drummer Kevin Smith.