DETAILS BELOW!

 

Ten bands, ten venues in downtown Erie, beginning at 7:00 p.m. with a reception (hors d’oeuvres and beer plus music) at the Erie Art Museum, East 5^th St. between State St. and French.

 

All for the price of a $10 button you can buy at the door.

 

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO THE RIGHT FOR A FULL-SIZE POSTER TO PRINT FOR YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS!

 

 

Here's The Schedule:

 

7:00 p.m.	Erie Art Museum - Reception	5th between State & French	Allen Zurcher Quartet
8:00 – 10:00 p.m.	Docksider	1015 State St.	Cats A Bear
8:00 – 11:00 p.m.	Pufferbelly	414 French St.	Dave Callaghan’s Hard Bop
	Scotty’s	301 German St.	The Four Grads
	Under the Clock	716 State St.	The Charles Ventrello Quintet
9:00 p.m. – Midnight	BrewErie	123 W. 14th St.	Ken Gamble Quintet
	BayBreeze	25 10th St.	Eric Brewer & Friends
	Erie Ale House	1033 State St.	The Heliotropes
	Plymouth Tavern	1109 State St.	Duke Sherman Blues Band
10:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.	Kitchen 1201	1201 State St.	Lydia Marks

 

 

And Here Are the Details!

 

This is your chance to be part of Erie’s creative musical experience at the JazzErie’s 2012 Jazz & Blues Walk!  A night on the street, club-hopping among ten downtown Erie venues, featuring some of the region’s finest musicians.

 

Start at the still new Erie Art Museum’s ground level entrance on 5^th Street

Here you can purchase your Jazz & Blues Walk Button for only $10 – good for admission to all ten venues, free refreshment and beer right there at the Art Museum, and free rides on the shuttle bus between venues.  The Art Museum entrance is a light, airy space for hanging out, with an acoustically comfortable performance space,  where you’ll hear the music of…

 

Allen Zurcher Quartet

 

The Allen Zurcher Quartet, featuring pianist Jim Madden, drummer Matt Ferguson and bassist Ed Hallahan.  You want a round-up of the best musicians in the area?  This is a pretty good start.  Saxophonist Zurcher, along with Madden and Ferguson, have been playing together for some years now, and share an easy, supportive communication covering a repertoire of standards and jazz classics.  Hallahan is new to the group, but brings outstanding credentials from his work in the Youngstown, OH area.

 

From there on, lots of choices!

 

8:00 – 10:00 p.m.

 

Cat's A Bear

At the Docksider, just around the corner, hear Erie’s classical, multi-layered, ever-developing jazz assembly Cats A Bear, featuring arranger Frank Singer – guitar, Joe Dorris - drums, Phil Popotnik – sax, Joe Frisina – bass guitar, and Tito Ronzitti – percussion.  With an array of unique takes on originals and jazz standards, these guys have also been together more or less forever = great shared sense of purpose and design.  The total package.

 

 

8:00 – 11:00 p.m.

Dave Callaghan's Hard Bop

 

The Pufferbelly, just a block down French from the Art Museum, offers Dave Callaghan’s Hard Bop.  Dave, a committed hard bopper, has assembled this band to give legs to the music he loves – with challenging arrangements of tunes by the masters: Benny Golson, Freddie Hubbard, Hank Mobley, Bobby Timmons, Joe Henderson and newcomer Eric Alexander.  Filling out the front line will be trumpeter Jeff Gibbens, backed by a rhythm section of Franklin, PA pianist Mark DeWalt, Tim Driscoll – drums and Dick Thompson – bass.

 

 

 

The Four Grads

 

Scotty’s (you can walk if you want to stretch your legs, or you can take a Jazz& Blues Walk shuttle bus) features the new group “The Four Grads,” echoing the musical approach of The Four Freshmen.  Singing and providing their own instrumental accompaniment, this talented quartet or Erie area musicians includes Carl Hultman – guitar & vocals, Stan Bialomizy – saxophones & vocals, Barb Schwartz – guitar, banjo & vocals, and Bob Seaman – acoustic bass & vocals.

 

Charles Ventrello Quartet

 

Under the Clock, in the old Boston Store brings the Charles Ventrello Quintet to round out the 8:00 – 11:00 p.m. offerings.  Featuring Johnstown, NY singer Barbara Jean along with Ventrello on reeds, the quintet’s powerful rhythm section includes Carl Alanakian – drums, Dan Hallett – piano and Dave Blaetz – bass.   Contemporary pop standards along with an array of jazz, Latin and American Songbook standards give the point of departure for this excellent band’s creativity.

 

And that was only 8:00 – 11:00 p.m.!  Remember, this is all for $10. 

 

The 9:00 – Midnight choices are:

 

Ken Gamble Quintet

 

At the BrewErie at Union Station (again, shuttle bus service is available) come hear the re-emergence of saxophonist Ken Gamble, who grew up as part of the jazz scene in Erie.  Back at it, Ken brings a stellar crew to the BrewErie, which has helped Erie maintain a tradition of live jazz in recent years.  Gamble brings pianist Dom Fosco, a former Erieite who now lives is Memphis, TN and who has recorded with
Sarah Vaughn and Carmen McRae, along with Brad Amadon – drums, Steve Trohoske – bass, and Vinny Stefanelli – guitar.

 

Eric Brewer & Friends

 

Onstage at the Bay Breeze,  the Eric Brewer & Friends jazz fusion band will hold forth.  Long recognized as one of the area’s major league bands,  guitarist and singer Brewer brings his regular cohorts: Charlie Meyer – keyboards, Steve Barone – drums, Ralph Reitinger III – bass and Joe Cieslak – sax.  Want to get heated up with some serious fusion?  Ready, set, go!

 

Duke Sherman

 

At the Plymouth Tavern will be Erie’s perennial award-winner, the Duke Sherman Blues Band.  Blues lovers, fill your ears and souls.  These hours are for you!  Guitarist and singer Sherman features band members Otis James – harmonica, Rik Cass – drums and Mark Murphy – bass.

 

The Heliotropes

 

And last but not least, in the 10:00 slot, at the Erie Ale House, one of Erie’s most original musical experiences, The Heliotropes.  Initiated by singer/guitarist Katie Chriest and guitarist Sheldon Peterson, this year’s iteration will be filled out by violinist Abby Badach.  The trio will feature some originals from the Heliotrope book, plus some new originals written by Sheldon and Katie, along with jazz standards, and experiments with three-part vocal harmony.  Always something new; always interesting sounds.

 

 

 

Tired Yet? No? Good! Because from 10:00 – 1:00 a.m. We have One More intriguing Choice

 

Lydia Marks

 

At 1201 Kitchen (1201 State St.  Remember the shuttle buses?) you can hear singer Lydia Marks with pianist Howard Hamme and bassist Harry Jacobson.  This is a sympathetic trio of the highest order, bringing a rich mix of personal and musical appeal to jazz classics, show tunes, pop hits and standards.  A great way to top off the evening.

 

 

 

 

A lifetime’s worth of music, all in one night!  See you there.