NEWS Fall 2024

Litchfield Jazz Festival 2024 Recap

Litchfield Jazz Festival 2024 July 26 – 28, our 29th outing is now in the record books. The weekend weather was glorious and the music dazzling. We opened on Friday night with our Gala whose highlight was the music by our very best jazz camp players. The party was a treat for the ears, eyes and taste buds thanks to our talented young performers, to White Flower Farm for gorgeous flower arrangements, to Litchfield Distillery for top-shelf cocktails and Ciesco’s Chef Charlene for tasty treats. Thanks also to all the friends and camper families who attended and helped us raise support for scholarship campers!

Our festival performers - each and every band - received standing ovations! Ours is a discerning audience and, clearly, they loved what they heard. On Friday night alto saxophonist Alexa Tarantino graced the stage with her Quartet. A Litchfield Camper in her teens, the ever-generous Alexa thanked LJC for playing an important part in her musical journey. Saturday opened with a knock-your-socks-off performance of Suite for Africa composed and performed by pianist Amina Figarova and her all-star Sextet and the impressive 24-voice Matsiko Orphan Choir. These 12 to 18-year-old Liberian children raised the roof with their talent and enthusiasm. They were thrilled to perform and delighted for the opportunity the Fest provided to raise funds earmarked for educating other disadvantaged children back home.

We collectively caught our breath and mellowed out with the next offering by Ben Allison, Steve Cardenas and Ted Nash. The trio, on bass, guitar and saxophone, played a tribute to the music of Herbie Nichols, an obscure but gifted pianist/composer who died in 1963. Hats off to Allison for rediscovering his work and the trio for releasing “Tell the Birds I Said Hello: The Music of Herbie Nichols.”  

Saturday closed with the music of the incomparable Bill Charlap. A two-time GRAMMY Winner, Bill’s piano trio is nothing short of iconic. Joined by long-time drummer Kenny Washington and bassist David Wong, the performance was a classic with tunes like "I'll Remember April" and "I Can't Get Started".

We closed the festival with our now-traditional Sunday Jazz Brunch. It starred GRAMMY Winning vocalist Nicole Zuraitis and saxophonist Albert Rivera – two wonderful musicians who met at Litchfield Jazz Camp when they were both teenagers.

Nicole delighted us with jazz standards like "But Not For Me", "Honeysuckle Rose" and with her own “Standard,” a tribute to her hubby who supported his ‘drum habit’ early on as a part-time barista. Aptly themed for an occasion like this, she titled the tune, “I Love You a Latte.” As always, the brunch sold out quickly. Because it makes us sad to turn anyone away, next year we’ll ask Best Friend ticketholders who cannot be with us on Sunday to let us know so there will be fewer disappointed music lovers!

Litchfield Jazz Presents @ The Poli Club

We joined forces in 2023 with Mike Gow of New England Arts and Entertainment for a Litchfield Jazz Presents series of Friday evening shows and Sunday Jazz Brunches at the Poli Club at the Palace Theater in Waterbury. The Poli reads like a smart New York jazz club but has better sound than most and less expensive drinks!

Litchfield Jazz Presents - Fall Schedule

Jazz Brunch September 22: EDDIE ALLEN QUINTET - Eddie Allen, trumpet, w/ Oscar Perez, piano, Elias Bailey,  bass, Tim Horner, drums, sax, TBA

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Friday Night October 11: MATT &  ATLA DECHAMPLAIN - Matt DeChamplain, piano & Atla DeChamplain, voice

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Friday Night November 15: KRIS ALLEN QUARTET - Kris Allen, alto sax, Zaccai Curtis, piano, Matt Dwonszyk, bass, Jonathan Barber, drums

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Jazz Brunch December 8: DAVID PENN & CREATIVE TONE - David Penn, bass w/ Raquel Lozano, vocals, Fareed Williams, sax,

Joel Stewart, piano, Tracy Williams, drums

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NEW: Friday Student Tickets: The Friday night Poli Club shows are presented at 7 and 9 PM. As there is frequently room for more guests at 9, we are offering student tickets for the 9 PM shows – all of them—throughout the year. These shows will be offered at $10. Please bring a student ID.

Friday Night Livestream

If you cannot get to the Friday Litchfield Jazz Presents shows in person you will find a link to livestream them on our Instagram and Facebook pages shortly before each show. Our live streams are always free.

Other Shows Around And About

To keep track of goings on in the region think about joining the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council and receiving their comprehensive monthly newsletter.

Next up at the Palace Theater Poli Club - Presented by New England Arts & Entertainment.

Friday, September 27: Jazz: Jim Royle's Caribbean Connection

Friday, October 25: Rico Jones Quartet

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Thanks To All The Organizations Who Made The Camp And Festival Possible

About the Vermont Community Foundation

The Vermont Community Foundation was established in 1986 as a permanent source of support for the state. They are a family of hundreds of funds and foundations created by Vermonters and others to serve their charitable goals. The foundation provides advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise to make giving easy and inspiring. Together, their funds and programs provide more than $60 M a year in grants in Vermont and beyond.

For the past three years, Litchfield Performing Arts, Inc. has received a leadership grant from an anonymous donor advised fund at the Foundation. This gift provides general support for Litchfield Jazz Presents, Litchfield Jazz Camp Faculty Series (Jazz After Work), and Litchfield Jazz Festival. The gift stipulates any unused funds be allocated to administrative expenses or scholarships.

To learn more about the Vermont Community Foundation, visit: vermontcf.org.

Quick Links:

Visit our Camp website

Visit our Festival website