Tune In, Turn On
By Doug Deutsch
Jazz At The Point Fall Festival takes place this weekend: Thursday, Nov. 2 through Saturday, Nov. 4, at the Gateway Playhouse, with additional late-night sessions on Friday and Saturday night at Gregory’s, both in Somers Point. While there is an admission charge for the Gateway Playhouse events, Gregory’s events are free to the public.
“The idea for this year’s festival was to feature the saxophone, with a tip of the cap to the female performers,” explains Joe Donofrio, artistic director and vice president of the South Jersey Jazz Society. “Two of the nights (Friday and Saturday) also feature female piano players.
“All of the artists are world-class and have been recognized as some of the best in their profession, having won many awards and accolades in the jazz world. We are proud to present our festival to South Jersey, and to preserve and promote America’s unique and diversified art form. Our audiences have become known for their keen awareness of the genre and appreciation for the artists we bring in,” Donofrio adds.
Some of this weekend’s featured performers at JATP:
Saxophonist Lauren Sevian kicks off Thursday night at the Gateway as the guest performer with the Troy Roberts Trio. The Manhattan School of Music graduate launched her career touring with some talented artists including Diva and the Artie Shaw Orchestra.
Sevian fronts her own quartet, The LSQ; she also co-fronts The LSAT, a quintet with alto sax lady Alexa Tarantino, which recently won first place in the “Made In NY” jazz competition. Lauren is also co-director of the all-female collective, Lioness.
Erena Terabuko, saxophonist who performs at the Gateway on Friday night with the Chad LB Quartet, was the first Japanese-born recipient of the prestigious Presidential Scholarship at Berklee College of Music, where she received her bachelor’s degree.
Among the high-profile events Erena has performed at: International Jazz Day 2022 at the UN General Assembly Hall in New York, the Tokyo Jazz Festival, and the Playboy Jazz Festival (can testify to the latter being one of the best music-themed parties of the year, having attended many in the past when I lived in Los Angeles).
Sharel Cassity – like Terabuko and Sevian, also a saxophonist – was called a “Rising Star Alto Saxophonist” in Downbeat Magazine. Cassity, who performs as guest artist with the Dizzy Gillespie Afro-Latin Experience on Saturday night at the Gateway, has toured 24 countries and performed at leading venues like the famed Newport Jazz Festival and Monterey Jazz Festival.
An advocate for jazz education, Sharel a jazz professor in the Chicago area, established the non-profit educational program, “Jazz Up!,” bringing jazz professionals to students that cannot go to hear live jazz.
After the Gateway shows, head over to Gregory’s for these free events: Kathy Mitchell Quartet (Friday) and The Budesa Brothers with Craig McIver and Special Guest Fostina Dixon (Saturday), both starting at 9 p.m. Tickets/Info: www.GatewayByTheBay.com. Also: www.SouthJerseyJazz.org. For more info call 609-289-0326.
Doug is the owner/operator of Doug Deutsch Publicity Services, which since 1995 has been servicing nationally touring acts, and working record release campaigns for clients. Doug also hàs experience writing for the one time shore-based weekly publication, Whoot! He also was a team member with Chip Braymes Advertising. Doug loves bicycling and aspires to bring the Blues to Atlantic City. He can be reached at ShoreLocalDoug@gmail.com and www.facebook.com/dougdeutschpublicity.
