High School's Musical, Poetry, and Tuesday Jazz

"Middletown High Goes to the Symphony", the fine concert adventure started in 1998 that links our local school with the professional musicians at the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, returns on Tuesday April 7 at 7 p.m. in Bushnell Auditorium. If you have never made the short trip to Hartford, you are missing an impressive evening. The MHS Band, Choir and soloists are very well prepared by Marco Gaylord and Mike Gosselin and deserve all kudos. If you want to go, tickets are available at the High School, in the Town Clerk's Office inside Town Hall, and at any Liberty Bank branch in Middletown.

Susan Allison joins fellow poet Colin Haskins for a reading at 7 p.m. in Broad Street Books, 45 Broad Street. It's the second of three reading this month in support of Susan's new collection "Down By The Riverside Ways" (Antrim House Books) with the next one scheduled for April 26 at Millrace Books in Farmington.

Over the past decade, Colin Haskins has been quite active in the area hosting readings (he's the executive director of the Riverwood Poetry Series) and performing. He's possesses a sly sense of humor, sometimes caustic, but always entertaining. For more information about the reading, call 685-7323.

Tuesday Jazz at Public presents Kitty Kathryn with the Norman Gage Quartet from 6 - 9:30 p.m. Ms. Kathryn is certainly one of this area's fine assets, a jazz singer with a big repertoire and a style that's all her own. Joining her alongside baritone saxophonist Gage will be guitarist Rich Goldstein, bassist Paul Brown and drummer Ben Belillo.

Tuesday Jazz at Public

The John Smayda Jazz Quartet
with John Smayda on tenor sax, flute and clarinet, Bernie Soroko on drums, Mike Nunno on bass, and Mike Roth on guitar.

Public
337 Main Street
Middletown

Tuesday Night Jazz at Public

From Trevor Davis:

We won't let 1" of snow stop our fun!!

We've got a great line up for February Tuesdays at Public Bar & Grill in Downtown Middletown, CT.

This week's players will be led by our favorite woman drummer, Jocelyn Pleasant, with Ryan Larson on keys and bass, Tom Nieman on guitar, and Jovan Alexandre on tenor sax. We often have additional players sit in, so come see the surprises!

See you tonight from 5:30 to 9 PM, and thanks for supporting jazz in Middletown!

Tuesday Jazz at Public returns

Trevor Davis reconvenes the "Tuesday Jazz at Public" series this week (1/06/09) with these fine folks pictured above. The Heartbeat Jazz Band, led by drummer Bill Logozzo, is one of the more popular purveyors of Dixieland, Traditional, swing and blues flavored jazz in the state. Besides the amiable drummer, the Heartbeats feature Fred Vigorito (trumpet), Sherman Kahn (clarinet), Art Hovey (string bass), Bill Sinclair (piano) and vocalist Cynthia Fabian.

They are not just "jazzers." Hovey has worked extensively with young musicians as has Vigorito and Logozzo created "Musical Dreams for Human Harmony", a charity that helps children through "the benefit of musical programs." The band's music is lively and entertaining and should perk up the first Tuesday of the new year.

For more information about the band and its charitable work, go to www.heartbeatjazzband.net.

Next week (1/13/09), vocalist Jennifer Somo (recently returned from Beijing, China) performs with a quartet featuring Davis (drums), Warren Byrd (piano), Matthew McCauley (bass) and Middletown resident David Davis (saxophone.) Somo sings all styles of music so expect a fun evening.

The music starts at 5 p.m. and usually lasts until 9. Public is located at 337 Main Street.

There are plans afoot for Inauguration Day so keep an eye out.