Jazz Institute events feature master, rising stars

The Skidmore Jazz Institute, celebrating its 24 ^th year this summer, will mark the occasion with its always popular concert series and a special event honoring the memory of renowned trumpeter Louis Armstrong. 

In addition to a roster of top artists (including National Endowment for the Arts jazz master Jimmy Heath), and the concert series featuring guest artists, Jazz Institute faculty and students, the Skidmore Jazz Institute this year will help celebrate the life and music of Louis Armstrong. Jazz historian Hal Miller, an institute faculty member, will lead a visual appreciation of Armstrong on Wednesday, July 6, the 40 ^th anniversary of the famed musician's death. The area-wide celebration of Armstrong is part ofStoptime, featuring musicians, artists and performers celebrating Armstrong's musical genius with new works created for this festival. Stoptime is the brainchild of artist Margo Mensing, a former Skidmore faculty member. 

From the start, Skidmore's Jazz Institute developed a strong following among jazz fans in the region for the free concerts by guest artists that accompany the classroom program.  All performances are free and open to the public and will take place in the Arthur Zankel Music Center's Helen Filene Ladd Concert Hall, except where noted. The schedule includes the following: 
 
-Tuesday, June 28, 8 p.m. - Heath Brothers Quartet. Acclaimed tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath and his brother, drummer Tootie Heath, lead this quartet, which also includes Jeb Patton on piano and David Wong on bass. Jimmy Heath received a "Lifetime Achievement in Jazz" award from the Jazz Journalists Association (JJA) at its June 11 awards gala in New York. He was one of several artists associated with the Skidmore Jazz Institute to be so honored and in fact, received two citations at the event. His book, I Walked with Giants: The Autobiography of Jimmy Heath, written with Joseph McLaren (Temple University Press) was named "Best Book About Jazz" by the JJA.

-Thursday, June 30, 8 p.m. - Skidmore Faculty Sextet, featuring Bill Cunliffe, Todd Coolman, Dennis Mackrel, Pat LaBarbera, Bobby Shew, and Curtis Fuller.

-Saturday, July 2, 8 p.m. - Linda Oh Quartet, featuring rising jazz bassist Linda Oh, David Virelles on piano, Eric McPherson on drums and Joel Frahm, tenor saxophone. 

-Tuesday, July 5, 8 p.m. - Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet. Blue Note recording artist and trumpet player Ambrose Akinmusire leads this quintet, which also includes Walter Smith (tenor saxophone), Sam Harris (piano), Harish Achaean (bass), and Justin Brown (drums). Akinmusire earned two citations: "Up and Coming Artist of the Year" and "Trumpeter of the Year," and Blue Note was proclaimed "Record Label of the Year" by the JJA on June 11.

 -Wednesday, July 6, 4 p.m. - Jazz historian Hal Miller will present "Louis Armstrong?Music and Image,"a visual presentation drawn from his prodigious collection of jazz concert and program videos. With a collection now encompassing some 15,000 items, Miller possesses one of the largest private jazz video collections in the world. A music historian, jazz drummer, Latin percussionist, writer, and lifelong jazz fan, Miller continues to spread the jazz gospel by sharing his knowledge and collection.

-Thursday, July 7, 8 p.m. - Skidmore Faculty Sextet, featuring Bill Cunliffe, Todd Coolman, Dennis Mackrel, Pat LaBarbera, Bobby Shew, and Curtis Fuller. 

-Fridays, July 1 and 8, 1 p.m. - Student concerts by participants in the Skidmore Jazz Institute are scheduled.

Skidmore's 2011 Jazz Institute runs from June 25 to July 9 on campus.  Grammy Award-winning bassist Todd Coolman is artistic director and Don McCormack, who launched the Jazz Institute in 1987 when he was dean of special programs at Skidmore, returns as program consultant.

Faculty this year are Coolman, who teaches bass and is a combo leader; Mark Beaubriand, saxophonist who also serves as academic advisor; Bill Cunliffe, 2010 Grammy Award-winning pianist ("Best Instrumental Arrangement" of West Side Story by the Resonance Big Band) and combo leader; Curtis Fuller, trombone and combo leader; Bob Halek and Dennis Mackrel, drums; John LaBarbera, trumpet, composition, and combo leader; Pat LaBarbera, saxophone and combo leader; Miller, jazz history; George Muscatello, guitar; Bobby Shew, trumpet and combo leader; and Gerald Zaffuts, combo leader.

Sponsors of the Skidmore Jazz Institute include the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, the Howard Bayne Foundation, the Arthur Zimtbaum Foundation, and the EMI-Capitol Records/Blue Note Label group.