Jazz at Chautauqua is held periodically and has served as host to numerous jazz legends, including Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center, among many others. Jazz lovers have flocked to the western-most county of New York State to watch jazz performances on the shores of Chautauqua Lake
At the Chautauqua Institution, a blend of arts programming, educational and religious opportunities and recreational activities are available to those who visit the grounds during the year.
The Institution, originally the Chautauqua Lake Sunday School Assembly, was founded in 1874 as an educational experiment in out-of-school, vacation learning. It was successful and broadened almost immediately beyond courses for Sunday school teachers to include academic subjects, music, art and physical education.
Thanks to Jazz Lives, we feature a selection of performances from 2007, 2008 and 2009 at Chautauqua.
From the informal Thursday-night sessions at Jazz at Chautauqua on September 14, 2007, featuring Duke Heitger (trumpet), Randy Reinhart (cornet), John Sheridan (piano), Pete Siers (drums) and Frank Tate (string bass), and featuring “the Emperor of Chautauqua,” Joe Boughton, who was involved and yet deplored the aimlessness sometimes prevalent at “jam sessions,” which would lead to his strongest aversion — musicians playing over-familiar repertoire. Featuring “Jazz me Blues,” “I’ve Got the World on a String,” “I Found a New Baby,” “A Brief Etude,” and “Just You Just Me.”
On September 21, 2008, festival director Joe Boughton had the idea to recreate the Bechet-Spanier Big Four of Blessed Memory (1940, Hot Record Society: Sidney Bechet, Muggsy Spanier, Carmen Mastren, Wellman Braud) with living Masters Bob Wilber (clarinet and soprano), Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Marty Grosz (guitar) and Vince Giordano (string bass).
Enjoy Fats Waller’s “The Boy in the Boat” and “Squeeze Me” as performed by Bob Wilber (soprano saxophone), Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Marty Grosz (guitar), and Vince Giordano (string bass).
From September 19, 2009, this performance was sparked by Jon-Erik Kellso’s idea of changing the key for every chorus (Jazz Lives believes between C and Eb). Trumpeter Jon is joined by Tom Pletcher (cornet), Bob Havens (trombone), Bob Reitmeier (clarinet), Dan Block (tenor saxophone), Ehud Asherie (piano), Howard Alden (guitar), Vince Giordano (string bass) and Pete Siers (drums).
From the third weekend of Jazz at Chautauqua 2009, here is a segment featured ballad medleys. Performing “Memories of You,” “Stardust,” “Prelude to a Kiss,” “Old Folks,” and “If I Had You” are Duke Heitger (trumpet), Andy Schumm (cornet), Dan Barrett (trombone), Scott Robinson (tenor saxophone), Bob Reitmeier (clarinet), Ehud Asherie (piano), Marty Grosz (guitar), Frank Tate (string bass) and Pete Siers (drums).
From September 17, 2009, a Thursday-night informal session at Jazz at Chautauqua, watch Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet) Scott Robinson (tenor saxophone), Ehud Asherie (piano), Andy Brown (guitar) and Arnie Kinsella (drums) perform “Runnin’ Wild.”
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