Live Jazz . . . in and around Northwest Arkansas

The North Arkansas Jazz Society

Jazz Events is brought to you by the North Arkansas Jazz Society.

If you know of events that would be of interest to jazz lovers please forward them to:   Robert@digjazz.com

Visit our website to learn more about the NAJS: www.digjazz.com

---

Poncho Sanchez and his Latin Jazz Band
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 8PM
Walton Arts Center's Baum Walker Hall

Mexican-American percussionist Poncho Sanchez's music would best be described as a kaleidoscopic of some of the hottest colors and brightest lights to emerge from either side of the border. At any given show or on any given record, fragments of Latin jazz, swing, bebop, salsa and other infectious grooves collide and churn in a fiery swirl, with results that are no less than dazzling.
Phone: (479) 443.5600     Email: tickets@waltonartscenter.org

---

The North Arkansas Jazz Society
in cooperation with
Legacy Blues and Jazz Lounge present jazz super-star
Joey DeFrancesco Trio

Friday, February 3, 2012  
Doors at 5:30PM 
Show from  7:00 – 9:00 PM

 Limited Reserved seating in the dining room: $30 ($25 for Jazz Society Members) 

full menu available                                    

    Call the North Arkansas Jazz Society for reservations at  479-225-2306 or email najsjazz@aol.com     

An important force in the revival of the Hammond B-3 organ as a jazz instrument, DeFrancesco’s music runs the gamut from soul-jazz and bluesy grooves to hard bop to the more advanced modal style of John Coltrane.
Joey is the son of another Philly-area jazz organist, Papa John DeFrancesco, and the grandson of Joe DeFrancesco, who worked with the Dorsey Brothers. Joey began playing piano at age four but quickly switched to the Hammond B-3 organ when he began sitting in at his father's club gigs around age six. By age ten, he was jamming with established artists like Jack McDuff and Groove Holmes. At 17 Joey signed an exclusive recording contract with Columbia Records, releasing his first record "All Of Me". This record was single handedly responsible for the great resurgence of the Hammond sound in popular music. Also in his 17th year he was called on by the great Miles Davis to join his band, and toured all over Europe.  Defrancesco’s arrival on the jazz scene helped kick-start a renewal of interest in organ jazz of all stripes, and echoes the tremendous contribution that the Hammond organ has made in jazz.
DeFrancesco will be performing with his trio, Steve Cotter on guitar and Ramon Banda on drums.
Steve Cotter is a West Coast guitarist who studied and taught at the prestigious University of North Texas. At UNT he played alongside distinguished jazz performers including Buster Williams, Gerry Mulligan, and Randy Brecker. Steve’s professional career has included recordings on several CDs including Bette Midler's Tribute to Peggy Lee, and Josh Nelson's Anticipation. He has performed with such notables as Jimmy Smith, Dave Pike, John Pisano, Bill Perkins, Dale Fielder, Jane Getz, Ernie Watts and Lew Soloff.                                                                                                                                            
Ramon Banda is best known to audiences the world over for the 24 years of uncompromising work spent as the drummer for the Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band. Born in 1954 and raised in a suburb of Los Angeles, by 1961 Ramon was performing on a regular basis all across Southern California. It was during these formative years that his love for a wide variety of music styles developed, especially Jazz / Latin / Rhythm & Blues. Banda has participated in countless world tours, music festivals and recording sessions with a long list of world renowned artists including; Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Cal Tjader, Celia Cruz, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Herman, Carmen McRae, Joe Pesci, Mongo Santamaria, Chick Correa, Arturo Sandoval and Stanley Turrentine.

Tickets are available through the North Arkansas Jazz Society. Call 479-225-2306 or email najsjazz@aol.com.
Proceeds from ticket sales support the North Arkansas Jazz Society scholarship program and the Summer Jazz Concert Series.
Legacy Blues is located in the Legacy Bldg.  at 401 West Watson Street, Suite 203, Fayetteville, AR 72701 Phone 479-587-8981 www.legacyblues.com/
Dining and refreshments will be available during the concert. Doors open at 5:30 PM. Concert begins at 7:00 PM.         

---

      

Saturday,  January 28th at  8pm
UARK Ballroom
The Fayetteville Jazz Collective

With over two centuries of combined jazz experience, the Fayetteville Jazz Collective has been thrilling audiences all around the 4-state region of Northwest Arkansas. A professional jazz orchestra comprised entirely of musicians active in and around the North West Arkansas area, The FJC seeks to preserve and enhance the big band tradition. For more info call: (479) 283-4311
Wear your dancing shoes and come out SWINGIN’!
UARK Ballroom is located at 644 W Dickson St # 110 Fayetteville (479) 301-2030

 

---

Valentine’s Day Dance presented by the Bella Vista Big Band
Ballroom, Swing, Latin music for dancing
Saturday, February 11 AT 7:30 p.m.
Riordan Hall
7 Kingsdale Ln, Bella Vista
Call 479-855-8170 for information
Arrive early for a free dance lesson by Danceandswing.biz at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $10 per person at the door for the dance.
Property ownership not required.

---

The Claudia Burson Trio

Jazz Brunch at Copeland’s Restaurant
Every Sunday from  11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Ben Harris appears on guitar the 3rd Sunday of each month
Copeland’s - 436 N. Rogers Street,
Rogers AR 479-246-9455

---

Legacy Blues Lounge
hosts Jazz and Blues Bands every Weds, Thurs, Fri. & Sat.
Jazz from 5:30-8:30 PM   Blues starts at 9:00 PM

 

Jazz - Ben Harris          Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Jazz - Adams Collins     Thursday, January 19, 2012
Blues - Open Mic - Blues JAM Thursday, January 19, 2012
Jazz - Roby Pantall and Ron Pennington Friday, January 20, 2012
Jazz - Tim Paul Trio      Saturday, January 21, 2012
Blues - West Street Blues Band Saturday, January 21, 2012
Jazz - Ben Harris          Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Jazz - Matt and Gus Smith     Thursday, January 26, 2012
Blues - Open Mic - Blues JAM Thursday, January 26, 2012
R&B - Lagniappe Friday, January 27, 2012
Jazz - Walter Savage    Saturday, January 28, 2012
Blues - Brick Fields Band Saturday, January 28, 2012
401 West Watson Street, Suite 203, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701 - (479) 587-8981

---

 

 

---

 

 

---

 

 

 

                                              

Check out

Fayetteville photographer and jazz enthusiast Norman Snyder 

Norman works almost exclusively in black and white, utilizing both film and digital capture. He has worked diligently for the past three years to capture the local and touring jazz artists in N. W. Arkansas. Norman ’s technique and incredible eye for imagery are on display at www.normsnyderphoto.com 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

 

 

Updated 1/17/2012, C. Hilker