Tag Archives: JazzFest

PHOTOS: Steve Coleman and Five Elements at Miller Symphony Hall (AJF2016)

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Wednesday night of Allentown JazzFest was a night not to be missed.

Saxophone legend Steve Coleman brought his band to the Lehigh Valley for the first time ever, and it was a show that proved to be well worth the wait. Coleman and his band put on an unforgettable performance before a sold-out crowd in Miller Symphony Hall’s Rodale Room — one with masterful improvisation and frantic, yet structured, rhythms that kept the audience engaged for the duration of the band’s hour-and-35-minute set. At the end, Coleman and company received a standing ovation from the folks in attendance, who hung onto every lively note that they played.

Words are failing to describe this awesome night of music… so here are some photos instead!

Allentown FilmFest: A Marriage of Two Mediums

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Last night, the inaugural Allentown FilmFest concluded at Civic Theater 514 on 19th St. A component of Allentown JazzFest, the film festival featured three nights of films – the 1966 Antonioni film, Blowup (Apr. 29), International Short Films (May 1), and last night’s showcase, the aptly titled A Night with the Experimental.

The concept for a film component to JazzFest began when Bryan Tuk, Executive Director of Performing Arts Live! Inc., approached local filmmaker Stephanie Gardner with a project.

“First, Bryan asked me to make a web teaser for JazzFest, and it branched out from there,” Gardner said. “He said he wanted to add film as an element and asked if I wanted to show something. I started giving him some ideas for programming he could show here, and he asked me to curate it.”

Gardner was intrigued by the idea, seeing an immediate connection between music and film that could be delivered to local audiences.

“I see music in general, and jazz especially, interrelated to film,” Gardner said. “I think cinema and music are a universal language, both a contrast between silences and sounds. I think film is an actual companion to JazzFest, and it’s something different that you’re not used to seeing.

Last night’s “experimental” films included several of Gardner’s, including a humorous take on William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 151, in which a man is portrayed pining over a meal from the original Nathan’s Hot Dog stand in Coney Island, NY; as well as “Allentown Grooves,” a music video showcasing the people and places of Allentown with live musical support from The Bryan Tuk Complex.

Each evening’s screening was capped by a discussion led by Gardner meant to engage the audience on a deeper, multi-cultural level.

“I like to start dialogues about how cinema is an art form of shared expressions,” Gardner said. “We can all relate to each other through it.”

Gardner hopes FilmFest leads to an ongoing discussion; one in which more local filmmakers have a voice and a platform for their work.

“I want to encourage more artists in the area to come out and say, “I have work that I can show,” Gardner said. “I know that there are arts happening here, but they’re not easy to find. I think a lot of people want to engage more in visual arts and music. I know there are filmmakers out there, but I don’t know what they’re doing or where to see them.”

Enjoy selections from Tuesday night’s “A Night of the Experimental” screening below.

Stephanie Gardner – Sonnet 151 (from The Sonnet Project)

Ishaan Kumar – Triumph of the Spill

Dave Meyers – Particles: Part II

Can’t-Miss Shows of the Week: May 2-8

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JazzFest continues, while local favorites make their presence felt.

Allentown JazzFest is just getting warmed up! Expect plenty more coverage here on Lehigh Valley Underground throughout the week as we take you to different venues with an array of different artists.

Naturally, a few of those shows are listed below. We also have others for folks of different tastes. To us, they’re all, without a doubt, the…

Can’t-Miss Shows of the Week!

Mon., May 2 | 7:30 p.m.
Adam Niewood Quartet (AJF 2016)
Venue: Allentown BrewWorks, 812 W. Hamilton St., Allentown
Admission: $20
Description: Niewood and his band will play selections from his latest effort, “Homage: Niewood Plays Niewood,” in honor of his late father, Gerry.

Wed., May 4 | 7:30 p.m.
Steve Coleman and Five Elements (AJF 2016)
Venue: Miller Symphony Hall, 23 N. 6th St., Allentown
Admission: $30 general; $50 VIP
Description: World-renowned saxophonist and MacArthur Fellow Steve Coleman performs at JazzFest.

Thurs., May 5 | 8 p.m.
Lucy Woodward (AJF 2016)
Venue: The Renaissance Ballroom, 12 N. 7th St., Allentown
Admission: $30 general; $47 VIP
Description: Acclaimed London-born singer-songwriter Lucy Woodward makes her Lehigh Valley debut.

Fri., May 6 | 5:30 p.m.
The Bastard Sons Ride Again
Venue: Weyerbacher Brewery, 905 Line St., Easton
Admission: FREE
Description: Come to Easton after work for songs and musings from Carter Lansing, Bryson Kay, Werner Sommer, and Mike Roi.

Fri., May 6 | 9 p.m.
The Groove Merchants
Venue: The Hamilton Kitchen, 645 W. Hamilton St., Allentown
Admission: FREE
Description: Shoot over to Allentown later on for a great night of excellent food, drinks, and Groove.

Sat., May 7 | 5 p.m.
JazzFest at Noches de Ritmo (AJF 2016)
Venue: West Park, 15th and Linden Sts., Allentown
Admission: FREE
Description: Hector Rosado’s Orq HACHE kicks things off, and the Jeff “Tain” Watts Quartet keeps it going.

Sat., May 8 | 5 p.m.
Jazz at Billy’s: The Bryan Tuk Complex (AJF 2016)
Venue: Billy’s Downtown Diner, 840 W. Hamilton St., Allentown
Admission: FREE
Description: Allentown JazzFest 2016 concludes with a show from the festival’s Executive Director and his ensemble, plus special guests.

PHOTOS: JoJo Mayer / Nerve at Halo Nightclub (AJF2016)

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And now, for something completely different…

Al Chez & the Brothers of Funk brought the rock and soul to JazzFest’s opening night on Friday. Last night, it was time for a brand-new experience with JoJo Mayer / Nerve.

It was experimental. It was electronic. And, in the true spirit of jazz, it was improvisational. It was also impressive, as the Swiss-born drummer and his band combined jazz rhythms with atmospheric sounds that filled Halo nightclub for a solid 90 minutes.

For sure, JazzFest is making good on its promise to provide something new and interesting to local audiences. Hopefully, these photos captured the essence of another amazing night!

PHOTOS: Al Chez & the Brothers of Funk Big Band at Allentown JazzFest

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What. A. Show.

The musicians of Al Chez & the Brothers of Funk are so diverse in talent that it’s hard to classify what they do within a single genre. Jazz, rock, funk, you name it — there are probably elements of it within their music.

They’re one of the tightest bands you’ll ever hear. Crisp horns, smooth saxophones, blazing guitar riffs, and driving percussion come together to complement Chez’s abundant onstage charisma; soulful, gravely vocals; and world-class trumpeting.

The band’s high-energy, hour-and-40-minute set at the Renaissance Hotel Ballroom was the perfect selection to kick off Allentown JazzFest 2016.

Personally, I was very happy to finally check out the Brothers of Funk live. I know Al and his wife Cat from years of karaoke singing back in Jersey (yes, I’m originally from that side of the Delaware). I had always heard about the band — but now, I know about the band!

I’m also quite pleased with a lot of the shots from last night’s show. Check ’em out!

Six Degrees: Allentown JazzFest 2016

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The day has arrived! Allentown JazzFest begins tonight with a big night of music (and film) in the Lehigh Valley’s largest city. Lehigh Valley Underground will be at the festival throughout its duration to cover key performances and highlights.

As a proud, official media partner of Allentown JazzFest, we want to tell you what we’re most looking forward to over the course of the next ten days. For full information, please visit allentownjazzfest.org.

A ‘Funky’ Beginning – Tonight at 8 p.m., Al Chez & the Brothers of Funk kick off the festival at the Renaissance Ballroom. Chez, a world-class trumpeter whose performance history reads like a “Who’s Who” list, brings a rock and roll feel to big band music as he and his band roll into Allentown for a second consecutive year.

More Than Music – For the film aficionado in all of us, Allentown FilmFest receives its trial run at Civic Theater 514 during three of the festival’s ten days. Tonight at 7:30 p.m., FilmFest begins with the 1966 Antonioni film, Blowup. That will be followed by International Short Films on Sun., May 1 at 4 p.m. and A Night with the Experimental on Tues., May 3 at 7 p.m. Performing Arts Live! Filmmaker in Residence Stephanie Gardner will lead a discussion each night.

We’ve Got ‘Nerve’ – Jojo Mayer and his trio Nerve will push the boundaries of jazz by intertwining it with their trademark genre-busting live electronica. This is sure to be one of the most unique performances associated not only with JazzFest, but the entire Lehigh Valley in 2016. It takes place Sat., Apr. 30 at Halo nightclub (22 N. 6th St.) beginning at 7 p.m.

I See London – After 15 years of touring, London-born singer Lucy Woodward makes her Lehigh Valley debut at Allentown JazzFest 2016. Lucy has toured with the likes of Rod Stewart and has major label credibility to her name. She’ll bring all of that and more to the Renaissance Ballroom on Thurs., May 5 at 8 p.m.

I See France – Scott Tixier, a French violinist quickly gaining international fame, is coming to 187 Rue Principale for his JazzFest debut this Sun., May 1 at 7 p.m. Scott has worked with an incredible list of artists, and both his recordings and live show prove him to be a cut above the rest.

Homegrown Talent – Of course, what would a Lehigh Valley music festival be without plenty of our own on the bill? Regional favorite Hector Rosado will make a couple of appearances, and local music fans can enjoy performances from Joe Wagner, Tiffany Ly, Eric Mintel, and the Bryan Tuk Complex – to name a few – at different points throughout the festival.

Lehigh Valley Underground Named an Official Media Partner of Allentown JazzFest

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MEDIA RELEASE
4/5/2016

Contact:
Gerard Longo
(908) 821-6065
lehighvalleyunderground@gmail.com

Lehigh Valley Underground Named an Official Media Partner of Allentown JazzFest

Festival to feature 30+ world-class performing artists and a film festival between Apr. 29-May 8.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Apr. 5, 2016 – Lehigh Valley Underground, a local blog serving the independent music scene in eastern Pennsylvania, western New Jersey and beyond, has been named an official media partner of Allentown JazzFest, a 10-day festival featuring 30+ world-class musical acts to take place from Apr. 29 to May 8, 2016.

Artists performing at this year’s JazzFest will include 5 Time GRAMMY winner Jeff “Tain” Watts, GRAMMY winner Laurence Hobgood, JoJo Mayer, Adam Niewood, Al Chez & the Brothers of Funk, Lucy Woodward, Steve Coleman, Scott Tixier and many more.  There will be educational clinics for high school and elementary students throughout the festival as well.

“We are beyond thrilled to partner with Allentown JazzFest, and to be another avenue by which the hard work, dedication, and musical talent of all involved is recognized,” said Gerard Longo, founder, Lehigh Valley Underground. “We look forward to using our platform to raise our community’s awareness of JazzFest and other great live music events occurring in the Lehigh Valley this spring and summer.”

As part of the media partnership, Lehigh Valley Underground will be on-hand to cover multiple nights of Allentown JazzFest, providing photos, interviews, and concert reviews on lehighvalleyunderground.com. In addition, Lehigh Valley Underground will host Bryan Tuk, founder of Allentown JazzFest and Executive Director and CEO of its parent organization, Performing Arts Live, Inc., on the Thurs., Apr. 21 episode of its official local podcast, QSLehighValley.

In addition to great music, this year’s JazzFest will also feature the beginnings of Allentown FilmFest at the Civic Theatre 514, with three nights each dedicated to a different theme: Blowup: Revolutionary Art Then & Now (Apr. 29); International Short Films (May 1); and A Night with the Experimental (May 3).

“Lehigh Valley Underground is doing a terrific job supporting the performing arts, which is what JazzFest is all about – whether it is jazz, blues, EDM or some of our more esoteric artists,” Tuk said. “I am extremely gratified that Lehigh Valley Underground is going to help spread the word about the world-class performances JazzFest is going to bring to Allentown.”

For full artist lineups, tickets and more information on this year’s event, please visit allentownjazzfest.org.

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About Lehigh Valley Underground
Based in the heart of Bethlehem, Pa., Lehigh Valley Underground serves independent musicians from eastern Pennsylvania, western New Jersey and beyond, featuring music news, reviews, event coverage and more. Lehigh Valley Underground hosts two official podcasts: The Quinn Spinn, which features independent music and artist interviews from everywhere on Mondays, and QSLehighValley, a local “Spinn” on the worldwide show, each Thursday. For more information, please visit lehighvalleyunderground.com.

 About Performing Arts Live! Inc.
Performing Arts Live! Inc. is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that produces the Allentown JazzFest and the Allentown FilmFest.  For more information, please visit http://allentownjazzfest.org or email bryan@palive.org.

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