COOL JAZZ

A community partnership that began last year returns to the Edmonds Center for the Arts this weekend with another stellar line-up of performances by jazz legends and rising stars.

The Friends of Frank DeMiero Jazz Festival merged with Edmonds Community College’s long running jazz celebration in a shared vision of providing educational and musical opportunities for student musicians, as well as to honor the long-time local music educator.

Daytime performances on the EdCC campus feature more than 50 high school and junior high/middle school jazz choirs and bands. The student musicians come together in a non-competitive setting to share their music, learn from each other’s performances, participate in a music clinic and have the opportunity to see, hear and learn from professional jazz performers and educators. Student performances are free and open to the public.

Ticketed evening performances at the Edmonds Center for the Arts Friday night feature veteran musicians Ernie Andrews with the Kennelly Keys Music All Star Big Band, joined by special guest Jay Leonhart with the Seattle Jazz Singers. Saturday evening the John Pizzarelli Quartet headlines with the Kennelly Keys Music All Star Big Band, featuring special guest Sara Gazarek.

Jazz vocalist Ernie was discovered by songwriter Joe Greene in 1947, when he won an amateur show at the Lincoln Theatre on Central Avenue in Los Angeles. Greene was so impressed that he immediately took Andrews into the studio to record at age 17 and had a 300,000 seller hit, “Soothe Me.” In 1953, he had another big record with “Make Me A Present of You” with Benny Carter. By this time, Andrews was working at home and out of town playing clubs, concerts and “after-hours” rooms.

In 1959, Andrews joined Harry James’ band, touring the U.S. and South America for nine years. In 1967, he recorded the jazz classic “Big City” with Cannonball Adderley on Capital Records. In 1969, Baltimore became home base for Andrews, where he worked the East Coast and the Midwest, again scoring big with his hit record of “Bridge Over Troubled Waters.”

Andrews continues to play clubs, concerts and jazz festivals throughout the world, and often performs in Las Vegas. In 1989, he recorded with Gene Harris and the Philip Morris Superband, “Live at Town Hall NYC” for Concord, and subsequently toured with the band for three months covering five continents. Engagements followed in 1991 and 1992 with Ray Brown at the Blue Note.

Andrews’ discography includes more than 20 albums, including “This Is Ernie Andrews” and “Soul Proprietor,” “Travelin’ Light” with arrangements by Benny Carter, Gerald Wiggins and John Anderson; “From The Heart,” and his recent releases “No Regrets,” “The Great City” and “Girl Talk.” He is also featured on numerous albums, including “Ellington Is Forever,” Volumes I and II with Kenny Burrell; “Juggernaut” and “Juggernaut Strikes Again” with the Capp-Pierce Orchestra; “Paris All-Stars” with Jay McShann; and “You Can Hide Inside the Music” with the Harper Brothers.

John Pizzarelli, son of renowned guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli and nephew of two virtuoso banjo-playing uncles, closes out the festival Sunday night.

The jazz guitarist has played the instrument since the age of six. Hanging out with his father, John was exposed to all the great jazz music of the era, from Erroll Garner and Les Paul to Django Reinhardt. He began playing with his father at age 20, before going out on his own.

Pizzarelli has recorded as a bandleader for RCA, Chesky, Stash and Novus, and in 1997 appeared in the Broadway musical “Dream,” a revue of Johnny Mercer songs.

With Telarc’s recent release of “Dear Mr. Sinatra,” an homage to ‘Ol’ Blue Eyes,’ Pizzarelli’s album count now stands at 21, an odyssey that began with “My Blue Heaven” in 1990. Other recent releases include “Knowing You,” “Bossa Nova,” and “Live at Birdland.”

A veteran radio personality, Pizzarelli hosted “New York Tonight” on WNEW from 1984-1988. With his new radio program “Radio Deluxe with John Pizzarelli,” the show takes place in the “deluxe living room,” where he and his guests converse and play live and recorded music. Recent guests include Regis Philbin, Liza Minnelli, Peter Cincotti, Keely Smith, Steve Tyrell and Tony Danza.

In addition to being a bandleader, radio personality and solo performer, John has been a special guest on recordings for musicians such as James Taylor, Natalie Cole, Tom Wopat, Rickie Lee Jones and Dave Von Ronk, as well as leading jazz artists like Rosemary Clooney, Ruby Braff, Johnny Frigo, Buddy DeFranco, Harry Allen and, of course, Bucky Pizzarelli. He was recently featured opposite Donna Summer, Jon Secada and Roberta Flack on the Grammy Award winning CD, “Songs From The Neighborhood: The Music of Mr. Rogers.”

The Seattle Jazz Singers were brought together by Soundsation founder and former director, Frank DeMiero. Since their first appearance at a benefit concert, they have been in great demand, performing at jazz clubs in the greater Puget Sound region, at the American Choral Directors’ Association and as guest artist with the Everett and Vancouver Symphony Orchestras.

The Kennelly Keys Music All Star Big Band features many familiar names in the local music scene. The line up features

Doug Reid, lead alto and director; 2nd alto, Greg Metcalf, lead tenor, Mike West, 2nd tenor, Bob Bradley, baritone sax, Chris Harshman, lead trombone, Scott Brown, 2nd trombone, Gregg Schroeder, 3rd trombone, Terry Freeman, bass trombone, Bill Park, lead trumpet, Mike Mines/Dennis Haldane, 2nd trumpet, Al Keith, 3rd trumpet, Paul Harshman, 4th trumpet/manager, Patrick West,piano, Chris Morton, bass, Jay Leonhart and drums, Clarence Acox and Alec Wilmart.