Bucks County Community College is readying itself again this year for another exciting round of Jazz At Bucks. This second series looks to improve upon the first and to lay the groundwork for many more.
8 p.m. on Saturday, September 20, 2003, the Bucks County Community College Library Auditorium hosted the first of this years’ three bands – The Mike Kennedy Quartet.
JazzReview.com called Kennedy’s latest cd quoted on the Jazz at Bucks web site said, “Simply put, this is an outstanding jazz CD, one to savor and enjoy often…” Kennedy has brought traditional jazz into the 21st Century with today’s sensitivity and classic taste.”
Tony Rogers, an instructor at the college and the mastermind behind Jazz at Bucks, added, “When I heard it [the CD], I thought I just had to bring these guys in.” Needless to say, this season opener looks to kick-off a riveting year of jazz.
Next up, at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2003, Bucks County residents – both jazz enthusiasts and casual listeners – are invited to come and listen to a “Jazz Holiday” courtesy of the Eric Mintel Quartet. The only returning band from last years’ series, the Eric Mintel Quartet is looking to attract some newcomers to the jazz experience through playing, as the Jazz at Bucks site explains, “a fun family concert featuring the ‘Charlie Brown Christmas’ music of Vince Guaraldi and original compositions from Eric’s CD.”
As Rogers puts it, “everyone’s heard of the ‘Charlie Brown Christmas,'” and those themes come right from Guaraldi, a jazz pianist responsible for writing a number of popular jazz tunes. As an added bonus, would-be jazz musicians may also sign up for a pre-concert workshop with the Quartet entitled “How a Jazz Group Communicates.”
The year’s final act comes at 8 p.m. on Sat., Apr. 24, 2004 from The Philadelphia Heritage Art Ensemble. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer as quoted on the Jazz at Buck’s web site, this fine group of musicians proves that, “the Philly sound in Jazz still lives.”
The band looks to play some of the dynamic and creative music from their latest CD, “Under the Bridge,” for which they are famous, and as per the Eric Mintel Quartet, the Ensemble will be participating in a pre-concert workshop.
Jazz at Buck’s, the brainchild of Rogers, a jazz enthusiast, recalls his childhood where he often unwittingly listened to his father’s varied collection of jazz records. Though Rogers turned away from jazz in his teenage to young adult years, choosing instead to listen to rock and roll, pop and punk, he returned to the natural, complex, and subtle art of jazz in his thirties.
“The last five years or so, I started getting back into jazz…The thing about jazz is that it really is best experienced live [with] really great solos, etc…. Occasionally, I got out to see live bands, but at forty, it’s tough to get out to clubs and such with the wife.” Rogers said.
At one such outing to a popular jazz venue – a weekend-long festival held at a community college in Syracuse, New York – inspiration overtook Rogers. Though the Syracuse festival took place on a much larger scale, Rogers got to thinking, “If they [the organizers of the Syracuse jazz festival] can do it, then why can’t we at Bucks?”
Soon thereafter, Rogers contacted Bucks County Community College officials including Jonathan Lee, head of theatre programming and the director of the auditorium where Jazz at Bucks now takes place, regarding the idea and the administration took very kindly. Rogers then began contacting local professional jazz musicians to play, and had little trouble finding willing participants since “there’s just so much talent out there,” as Rogers states.
Ben Schacter and his Trio of Many christened the beginning of the Jazz at Bucks program with the first concert on Friday, Nov. 15, 2002. Since that time, the Michael Hoffman Quartet and the Eric Mintel Quartet both entertained crowds of upwards of 250 people, which is pretty amazing considering the auditorium only holds 345, much to Rogers’ delight.
“I would like to keep the concert series going. Now that word has gotten out about the series, I’ve gotten musicians calling me up… That’s the sad thing about jazz: there are never enough venues.” Rogers
Further down the road, Rogers also hopes to create an atmosphere similar to that of the outdoor festival, which he experienced at Syracuse.
“If we’re successful and can really develop a big audience for this, then maybe it can really develop into a full-blown festival. I already know of some spots that would be a great setting for this!” Rogers commented.
With acoustics comparable to that of any major concert arena, an arrangement without a bad seat in the house, inexpensive ticket fees, and free parking, those very same jazz virgins may receive just the temptation they require to come out and listen to a true art form.