Wesleyan Students Light up The Buttonwood Tree - Joe Fonda Jazz Tonight

The students of Wesleyan are incredibly talented, generous and civic-minded just to name a few of their many admirable traits. Last night two groups of students lit up the room with their infectious energy and musical talents. First, a group of twelve with three horns, keyboard, and three singers that belted out jazz standards and made one wonder how long this group had played together. They were really amazing, and were offered their own show at Buttonwood come fall.  The next group was a ten piece a capella group, the second to visit the Tree this year. Again, the talent, energy and spirit ran high.
 The night was organized by the Middletown Arts and Social Justice class who, through a nonprofit organization they created, Brighter Dawns, raised funds for the poor of Bangladesh.



Students of the class will be presenting their final reports at The Buttonwood Tree on May 4th from 1:30-40 pm. All are welcome to see what these creative students are doing!

Tonight more jazz will be heard at The Buttonwood Tree - performed by the infamous Joe Fonda and two highly acclaimed musicians, Thomas Heberer and George Schuller.  Show starts at 8 pm and reservations can be made online using the "Donate" button. Only cash and checks are accepted at the door. (Seating is limited).


Saturday,  Riverwood Poetry folks turn into Zombies! See below for details.


Sunday,  John Basinger performs his own rendition of Milton's Paradise Lost.  2 - 3pm. Books are available to follow along. Basinger has memorized this entire epic poem, and has a keen understanding of the age-old Adam and Eve story.

 FRIDAY NIGHT:

Joe Fonda

An Amsterdam, N.Y., native, Fonda started playing jazz with his father, Richard, a trumpeter. Among his important early gigs was one with Leo Smith, with whom he worked in the mid-’80s. He is internationally known as a performer and composer.
An accomplished international jazz artist, Fonda has performed with his own ensembles throughout the United States, Europe and Asia, and has collaborated and worked as a side man with Anthony Braxton, Archie Shepp, Ken Mcintyre, Lou Donaldson, Bill and Kenny Barron, Randy Weston, Han Bennink, Xu Fengia, Curtis Fuller, Slid Hampton, Ramon Lopez, Carla Bley, Bobby Naughton, Bill Dixon, Gebhard Ullmann.

"There is more to creative mastership than the surface of satisfaction and political certainty. The music of Joe Fonda is part of a living tradition of belief and dedication. Future historians will be surprised at the breadth of Mr. Fonda's offerings. This is a real virtuoso and composer of the highest order."       Anthony Braxton, 1996

George Schuller
George Schuller was born in New York City and then moved to Boston where he was raised and educated. He received a Bachelor's Degree in Jazz Performance at the New England Conservatory of Music in 1982. For the next twelve years, Schuller was a fixture on the Boston area jazz scene performing with Herb Pomeroy, Jaki Byard, Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, Mick Goodrick, John Lockwood, Ran Blake, Lisa Thorson, Billy Pierce, Bruce Gertz, Mili Bermejo, John LaPorta, Dominique Eade and Hal Crook. His First Album was the self produced Lookin’ up from Down Below, which was described as “ a stunning, visionary debut from a gifted Musician”.

Thomas Heberer
The Penguin Guide to Jazz called him "an outstandingly gifted trumpeter," colleague
Dave Douglas "a European master," and critic Steve Lake "our new trumpet genius."
He was awarded both the SWR-Jazzpreis, and the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik
with Heberer/Manderscheid, in 1990. As a member of Misha Mengelberg's and
Han Bennink's Instant Composers Pool (ICP), he won the Down Beat Critics TDWR Poll in 2002, and the Jahrespreis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik with Aki Takase's Band in 2004.
Thomas Heberer, born 1965 in Schleswig, Germany, started playing the trumpet at age 11; from 1984 to 1987, he studied under Manfred Schoof at the Cologne conservatory.
He has performed on 6 continents; was a part-time lecturer at the conservatory
Frankfurt/Main (1993-97) and a guest lecturer at the Banff Centre in 2007; served as
Germany’s representative with the European Broadcast Union Big Band in 1998;
recorded over 50 CDs as a sideman; and has a dozen CDs under his own leadership.
Before moving to New York City in 2008, Thomas served as a member of the regular band
supporting German talk show host and entertainer Harald Schmidt for 12 years.

http://joefonda.com/
http://www.georgeschuller.net/

SATURDAY NIGHT:

It’s gonna be a zombie jamboree:
Zombie poets at The Buttonwood Tree!
Every dear departed troubadour
Step up to the mike and take the floor!
Features include: Sherry “Edna” Beddingfield, Stephen “Edgar” Kelly, Terri “Grace” Klein, David “Walt” Leff, Tom “Dylan” Nicotera, Sandy “Marianne” Sergio,
and piano accompaniment by David Sergio.
Open mike follows features. Dress up as your favorite dead poet and join the fun!
Doors open at 6:30, starts at 7pm. Donations for Amazing Grace Food Panty welcome!