Chestnut, who has graced our stage in previous years, seems only to get better with age – to which all in attendance will attest. It was far from a disappointment. We thank the Cyrus Chestnut Trio for their stirring performance.

Up next: The Kim Thompson Group

Kim Thompson graduated from Manhattan School of Music in 2003 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Performance and Composition. She is a fresh, new talent whose portfolio includes projects alongside megastar Beyonce, jazz legends Kenny Barron, Roy Hargrove, Wallace Roney, Mike Stern, and more.

The concert will take place on April 22nd at the Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey Hotel
4650 Lindle Road in Harrisburg, promptly at 6pm. The Central Dauphin H.S. Jazz Band will begin the evening’s festivities at 5pm.

For those of you who don’t know why (and we can’t imagine who that might be!), Chestnut is one of the leading jazz pianists on the planet, receiving countless awards for his expertise.

His trio will perform at the Ware Center at 6pm on the Millersville University grounds in Millersville, PA. Preceding the trio will be the Hempfield H.S. Jazz Ensemble at 5pm.

Tickets can be obtained online via CPFJ’s website or by dialing 717.540.1010.

Chestnut has performed with some of the legendary and leading musicians in music, not simply jazz, such as Isaac Hayes and Kathleen Battle, to name a few. His talent is undeniable! Critics agree: Cyrus Chestnut is AMAZING – and this is one concert you won’t want to miss.

To get your tickets, log onto http://www.cpfj.org or call 717.540.1010. Tickets MIGHT be available at the door (if we’re not sold out)!

Tickets can be purchased online via CPFJ’s website or by dialing 717.540.1010.

Chestnut is one of the leading jazz pianists in the world. Born in Baltimore, MD, Chestnut earned a degree in jazz composition and arranging Berklee and was awarded the Eubie Blake Fellowship, the Oscar Peterson, Quincy Jones, and Count Basie awards for exceptional performance standards at the college.

He has performed with some of the legendary and leading musicians in the business, including Terence Blanchard, Branford Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis, Freddie Hubbard, Chick Corea, Jimmy Heath, James Moody, Joe Williams, Isaac Hayes, Kathleen Battle, Betty Carter and, Dizzy Gillespie just to name a few.

Tickets to this event can be purchased online via CPFJ’s website or by dialing 717.540.1010.

Jazz woodwind artist Lew Tabackin’s International Trio will perform on Sunday, Nov, 20th at 6 p.m. in the Sheraton Harrisburg on Lindle Road (formerly the Marriott).

Lew Tabackin is an award winning jazz artist known for his flute virtuosity. Equally gifted on tenor saxophone, Lew’s International Trio is comprised of bassist Boris Kozlov (Russia) and drummer Shinnosuke Takahashi (Japan).

The event opens at 5pm with the Youth Jazz Ensemble of the Trez Music Center led by pianist/educator Beth Trez.

General admission tickets may be purchased from the web site (www.cpfj.org) or at the door the day of the concert. ($25 – adults; $12 students – children under 12 are FREE!)

The season opens on Sunday September 25th with a CD Release Party featuring the Terell Stafford Quintet as they ‘Play the Music of Billy Strayhorn.’

Terell Stafford

Stafford has been called “one of the great players of our time” by the legendary jazz pianist McCoy Tyner.

The Sunday, October 23rd concert welcomes the Bobby Watson Quintet.

Bobby Watson

Lew Tabackin

Tickets for each concert can be purchased via the website (www.cpfj.org) or purchased at the door on the day of the concert. Doors open at 4:30pm. For more information call 717.540.1010 or send a question or comment via email to info@cpfj.org.

Host of BlogTalkRadio’s “Livin’ the Dream! with JBlair Brown,” Judith features artists in the entertainment industry, as well as authors and writers weekly. You can connect to each interview by clicking the links below.

Amy Banks

Etienne Charles

Eric Darius

George Duke

Champian Fulton

Jon Gold

Aaron Goldberg

Aaron Goldberg

Euge Groove

Cal Harris, Jr.

Christian McBride

Steve Rudolph

Leslie Summey

Lancaster native and Hempfield High School alumni Fred Hughes returns to perform in concert as part of the Fulton Theater’s Jazz Upstairs series on Friday May 6, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.

While stationed in Korea as a member of the Eighth Army Band, Fred formed the jazz group Just Friends which recorded 6 albums and performed to sold out houses as well as live radio and television broadcasts.

Fred returned to Lancaster in 1985 and formed the jazz trio Alternative with whom he performed locally as well as throughout the eastern U.S. He later went on to join the United States Army’s premier touring jazz ensemble, the Jazz Ambassadors performing at prestigious jazz festival venues such as Newport, Montreux, Nice and the North Sea Jazz Festival.

Fred has performed with the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra, the Kennedy Center Orchestra and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra as well as with jazz greats Claudio Roditi, Al Cohn, Roy Hargrove, Bill Waltrous and Toots Thielemans. As a conductor he has directed the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, the Atlanta, Dayton and Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestras and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

An extremely accomplished jazz pianist, as well as composer, Fred is an energetic performer exhibiting a strong, hard swinging style. Fred will be joined by bassist Keith Mohler and drummer Dan Monaghan performing jazz standards as well as original compositions.

Tickets are $10.00 advance $12.00 door, call 717.397.7425 or visit www.thefulton.org

For more information visit www.fredhughes.com

Interview contact: 410.703.0755 or email fhughes@comcast.net

LIVE at the Hollywood Casino!

CPFJ will present the legendary Mulgrew Miller to perform at THE HOLLYWOOD CASINO this Sunday, April 17th for a one-time performance!

Miller, who has over 400 recordings, had appeared all over the world with such greats as: Art Blakey, Betty Carter, Woody Shaw and a host of other renowned artists.

Joining Miller will be Steve Nelson (vibes), Ivan Taylor (bass) and Rodney Green (drums).

The show starts at 5:30pm. General parking is FREE.

For more information, contact CPFJ at 717.540-1010 or log onto our website at www.cpfj.org.

Steve Rudolph

Rudolph was born and raised in Evansville, IN. He fell in love with music, first as a trumpet student and, at age 22, transitioned to the piano.

A natural on the keys, Rudolph found himself, a few short years later performing with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, backing up the likes of Helen O’Connell and the Mills Brothers. After moving to Harrisburg in 1978 (my center of the universe!), Rudolph became a main staple at the renowned Holiday Inn Town. With his ever-increasing reputation as a solid jazz pianist, his name became pseudonymous with greats like Royce Campbell, Johnny Coles, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Hunt, Lonnie Lester, Joe Lovano, Buddy Tate, JJ Wiggins, and many others.

Rudolph has performed at Carnegie Hall and across the US as well as throughout Europe. During the early 80′s, he and a small group of jazz enthusiasts founded Central PA Friends of Jazz – and we’re all the better for it.

You can connect to the LIVE show by clicking here at 2pm on Wed, April 6th at 2pm. The show’s chat room will also be open, so feel free to scroll to the bottom of the page and share your questions or comments for Steve. And if you’re truly daring…DIAL IN anytime during the 30-minute segment and be heard LIVE on the radio! The number to dial is 347-539-5805. Hope you can attend!