Denise Donatelli Headlines JazzFest Falmouth 2015
Three-time Grammy nominee Denise Donatelli will headline JazzFest Falmouth. The Los Angeles-based singer will perform at Highfield Theatre in Falmouth on Saturday, October 3, at 7:30 PM, as part of her East Coast tour to promote her new album, “Find a Heart,” which was released on September 18.
One of today’s premier vocalists, Ms. Donatelli sings both jazz and adult contemporary music. She has been voted Female Vocalist Rising Star for the past three years by the Downbeat Critics Poll and was named Female Jazz Vocalist of the Year by the Los Angeles Jazz Society. Her last two albums, “When Lights are Low” and “Soul Shadows,” both received Grammy nominations for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Her new album, “Find a Heart,” shows the full range of her talents. Her song choices have been described as daring and impeccable.
Ms. Donatelli’s innate musicianship and pure tone have won her spots singing for episodes of “The Simpsons” and numerous television promos, including Turner Classic Movies. Her on-camera work consists of national and international commercials for such brands as CNN, Hyundai, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz.
“Find a Heart” features an all-star cast of musicians, including Brazilian guitarist Leonardo Amuedo, bassist Carlitos del Puerto, drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith and a special guest appearance by trumpeter Chris Botti on a rendition of Sting’s “Practical Arrangement.”
For the Falmouth performance, Ms. Donatelli will be backed by Geoffrey Keezer on piano, Matthew Pavolka on bass, Jorge Perez Albela on percussion/drums, and Freddie Bryant on guitar. Mr. Keezer was the producer and arranger on all four of Ms. Donatelli’s albums.
The evening prior to Ms. Donatelli’s concert, the annual Jazz Stroll, sponsored by the Falmouth Village Association, will take place. The stroll is a four-hour gambol beginning at Queens Buyway at 6 PM and ending at Peg Noonan Park on Main Street. Thirteen groups, mostly trios, play a full range of jazz from classic to contemporary to blues. The stroll is free and takes place rain or shine.
A special event kicks off the stroll this year: music producer and drummer Bart Weisman will discuss “Keeping Jazz Alive on Cape Cod” at the Museums on the Green at 5:15 PM. The music continues after the stroll with the Stage Door Canteen at Liam Maguire’s Irish Pub & Restaurant and a general jam session at Jack’s on Gifford Street. All are invited to play and listen.
Two new venues and two new ensembles are welcomed this year. The Byway Barber will feature the popular local Brazilian sound of Los Tres Amigos and the Captain’s Manor Inn will swing with the music of the John Salerno Trio.
Many groups will return to the venues where they have appeared before. The Bliss Trio, led by Michael Bliss, will again open the evening at Inn on the Square. The Travis Bliss Trio, all top students at the New England Conservatory and the Berklee College of Music, will be hosted by Vagabond Treasures & View Photography.
CJazz, the Cape Conservatory student jazz group will revisit Museums on the Green (6:45 PM), and The Classic Jazz Trio will feature selections of golden-age songwriters like Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, and Rodgers and Hart at The Pickle Jar.
The blues-pop-jazz sound of The Flip Side will again be heard at Puritan Cape Cod (7:30 PM); Chris Lyman is featured at The Black Dog; guitarists Goodis and Glenn will be at Headlines (8 PM); the bebop/cool jazz of Russ Wilcox will be at Treasure Chest; and guitarist Jeremy Bernstein will play at Cape Gallery Framers.
Check the JazzFest website for exact times for these performances.
The Hashem Assadullahi Trio will begin the evening “uptown” in Peg Noonan Park at 6:30 PM. Now based in New York, Mr. Assadullahi has received rave reviews for his concerts and albums in jazz journals from Oregon to Chicago as well as on the East Coast. The trio’s sound covers a variety of styles, tempos and moods but always keeps melody at its core. They display a spacious, probing compositional approach that invites listeners in, rather than overwhelming them with virtuoso moves.
The Charlie Jamieson Trio with vocalist Cerise will perform in Peg Noonan Park.
A native Cape Codder, Cerise has sung here with Bob Hayes and Mark Borgmann and now enhances the Charlie Jamieson Trio.
JazzFest Falmouth 2015 will end on a mellow note on October 4 with the guitar sounds of Goodis and Glenn. This event has moved from Persy’s Place in 2014 to Peg Noonan Park this year. It’s a “Bring Your Own Brunch” from 11 AM to 2 PM, to be enjoyed it in the tent.
Both Goodis and Glenn have won Emmy Awards for their television work. Tom Glenn has performed with such notables as Chuck Berry, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Nancy Wilson, Alice Cooper, Captain & Tennille, the Delphonics and many others over more than 30 years.
Their relationship began as student-teacher but grew over 30 years to colleague status. Tom Glenn introduced Stu Goodis to jazz. Their mutual love for jazz inspired each of them to become students of jazz virtuoso Pat Martino, Mr. Glenn in 1971 and Mr. Goodis, 15 years later.
In 2011, they created “Jazz Dance,” a combined repertoire and collaboration of original songs. It was selected by Pandora Internet Radio Station. A year later, they released their second CD, “Dialogue,” which features 12 original songs that vary from Latin to ballad to traditional jazz to fusion and are played with nylon string, acoustic, steel string and jazz guitars.
JazzFest Falmouth is a presentation of ArtsFalmouth. Tickets and complete information on all concerts are available at www.JazzFestFalmouth.org. Tickets for the Denise Donatelli and Toni Lynn Washington concerts are also available at Eight Cousins Books, Main Street, Falmouth, the Market Street Bookshop, Mashpee Commons, and Under the Sun in Woods Hole.