Jazz Artists Repertory Orchestra (JARO) to perform “A Valentine’s Day Salute to Big Band Romance” on Sunday February 14 at 3:00 p.m. at East Stroudsburg University
 
East Stroudsburg, PA – The imaginative and crowd-pleasing big band JARO (Jazz Artists Repertory Orchestra) will perform on Sunday afternoon February 14, 2010 at the Cecilia S. Cohen Recital Hall as the next presentation in the 2009-10 ESU Jazz Synergy Series.
 
The concert, which is being billed as “A Valentine’s Day Salute to Big Band Romance,” will present 14 multi-talented musicians from the Pocono region putting their own unique stamp on vintage compositions for jazz orchestra. In keeping with the spirit of Valentine’s Day, the concert will feature romantic tunes made popular by some of America’s most famous jazz orchestras, leaders, composers, arrangers and singers. And, as JARO’s legion of fans has come to expect, some neglected and obscure ones will be showcased as well. Among the bands slated to be remembered are those of Paul Whiteman, Fletcher Henderson, Claude Thornhill and Jerry Wald, and such acclaimed composers and arrangers as Al Cohn, Gil Evans, Bill Challis, Chick Corea and Clare Fischer. 
 
JARO is dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich heritage of big band jazz. Its musicians reflect the many respected artists who live in the Pocono region, including such favorites as trombonist Rick Chamberlain, saxophonists Nelson Hill and Richard Barz, trumpeter Danny Cahn, vocalist Judy Lincoln, and pianist and musical director Wolfgang Knittel. Three of its acclaimed members are employed at East Stroudsburg University: trumpeter Patrick Dorian and trombonist Jim Daniels are music professors, and drummer Bob D’Aversa is the director of computing services. JARO has been a fixture at the annual Delaware Water Gap Celebration of the Arts jazz festival, and its members have appeared individually and collectively at many other major jazz festivals and venues both regionally and around the world.
 
The concert will be presented in the Cecilia S. Cohen Recital Hall at the Fine and Performing Arts Center, Normal and Marguerite Streets, on the East Stroudsburg University campus. The general admission donation to the concert is $5; all students with a current ID will be admitted free. Tickets, which will be available only at the door, will go on sale at 2:30 p.m., and the doors will open at 2:45 p.m.
 
The 2009-10 ESU Jazz Synergy Series is presented by the ESU Music Department, in conjunction with the ESU Regional Jazz Coalition and the Al Cohn Memorial Jazz Collection at ESU’s Kemp Library. For more information, call Bob Bush at (570) 422-3828 or send email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . To check on other upcoming arts events at ESU, call the ESU Cultural Events Hotline at (570) 422-3483.

Jazz, song, original compositions highlight program,

By Kimberly Montalbano

WESTFALL — Music permeated Delaware Valley High School’s hallways on Dec. 14 at the annual band concert, under the direction of Lance Rauh.

The jazz band headed the concert, starting off with a very hot performance of “Muy Caliente” by Scott Stanton. Following a brief introduction, the jazz ensemble continued accompanied by featured soloist Jaime Wright singing “Blue Skies.”

Next, vocalist Cristina Estepa stepped to the mic to sing “How About You” with the jazz ensemble in tow.

The gang continued with “Winter Wonderland,” showcasing various players. Estepa traveled to the stage again to perform “That Old Black Magic,” her final song of the night. After “The Nearness of You,” arranged by Mark Taylor, Wright came to the front of the auditorium to sing “All of Me,” which concluded the night’s singing.

“Tune for T.D.” by Matt Vashlishan, was composed for the 2009 COTA Cats, a competition for music students.

Hard to say if Delaware Water Gap missed a chance at being the Branson, Mo., of the East some 60 years ago.

What is certain is that when Bob Lehr chose jazz over country-western for his new business venture, the Deer Head Inn became an epicenter of jazz and an incubator for three generations of stellar jazz musicians.

It began with piano players such as Keith Jarrett and was followed for years by the weekly treat of Johnny Coates, whose elegant arrangements and jazz sensibilities drew fans and put the place on the map.

And it was there that tavern owner Ed Joubert, trombonist Rick Chamberlain and sax player Phil Woods concocted the idea for an arts festival called the Delaware Water Gap Celebration of the Arts, or COTA. That yearly event is often known simply as "The Jazz Festival," as if it were the only one in the country. For those who play or attend the event, it is.

The 32nd annual Delaware Water Gap COTA festival will be held this weekend in Delaware Water Gap.