For Summer 2008:Tanglewood Announces Jazz Festival for Labor Day Weekend
Lively Season Planned for Lenox, Mass.
By: Charles Giuliano - Feb 15, 2008
Here it is the dead of winter in the Berkshires and not only are we thinking of spring but actually marking the calendar with plans for the official end of summer, penciling in a newly established tradition, the Labor Day Weekend long Tanglewood Jazz Festival, August 29-31.
There has been lively discussion, and even contentions debate, including here at Berkshire Fine Arts, that the conservative programming of the summer long Tanglewood season could use a bit of, well, jazzing up. And by that we really don't mean more of the likes of James Taylor, Barbara Cook, Garrison Kelior, or Keith Lockhart and the Pops. All of whom will make appearances on the rolling lawns in Lenox, Mass.
While we aren't suggesting booking the Stones or Bruce Springsteen, which would be rather jolly come to think of it, the debate, alas, continues that the venerable Tanglewood season could use a little pop juice now and then. Particularly during those off nights and down times in what has come to be known as the "shoulder season" which falls fore and aft of the Fourth of July and Labor Day the traditional bookmarks for high season in the Berkshires.
This appears to be happening more and more with other arts organizations such as Jacob's Pillow which will be starting a bit earlier this year with a precedent setting residence of the Bill T. Jones/ Arnie Zane Dance Company, and an annual post season collaboration with Mass MoCA, which last year featured a wonderful and rare appearance by the Karole Armitage company.
This week, Barrington Stage Company, in Pittsfield, bless their little hearts, are cranking up the engines by launching the 2008 season with a one person production of "Trumbo" which was written by the son of Dalton Trumbo who was one of the black listed Hollywood screen writers during the dark era of McCarythyism.
While Tanglewood, under the capable direction of James Levine, will hold fast to tradition we also expect to enjoy much more opera in concert, a particular specialty and interest of the conductor. And a greater concentration of contemporary work for which we much applaud his courage and vision. While we greatly appreciate Tanglewood, and its venerable traditions, indeed it is unique in the nation if not the world, we are among the vulgarians and philistines who look about us during concerts and see so many fellow seniors.
Particularly with the cutbacks of arts education in the public schools there is a legitimate concern among arts organizations about building and sustaining future generations of audiences. Last summer, for example, the Clark Art Institute went to the well, perhaps one too many times, with a very marginal show, The Unknown Monet, indeed and for a very good reason, as it represented the seeds and stems of the overplayed Impressionist Master. Sure, Monet is great, indeed the Greatest, but he is so, like, your grandfather's favorite artist. As George Bush Senior would say "It's the Vision Thing." Or lack therof. Too often the response of the mainstream and established museums and arts organizations seems to be, to take a line from Bogart in Casablanca, "Play it again Sam." And again and again and again.
Which is precisely why I am so thrilled to pieces by the 2008 Tanglewood Jazz Festival. Once again the entrepreneur, Freddy Taylor, one of the giants of his field, has concocted a lively gumbo of fresh and exciting artists.
(Editorial correction and update. By e mail Taylor informed me that having founded the Tangelwood Jazz Festival and seen it through its first six seasons he was notified that his "services were no longer required." Taylor created and named the festival six years ago, and brought it national prominence with creativity, inovations in programming, and passion for the music. He will be missed.)
That soupy analogy is not all that far fetched and redolent of hyperbole, one of my faults, yeah I know. But the high light and kicker for the Jazz Festival will be the New Orleans inspired Terence Blanchard's "A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina)" with 30 piece orchestra. Wow, that promises to be absolutely sensational. Man that sure is tasty.
What follows below is the press release of the Tanglewood Jazz Festival as well as details on how to get tickets for all of the season's events starting on Sunday, February 17. Save me some seats .
When the 2008 Tanglewood season goes on sale on Sunday, February 17, music fans will be able to order tickets to all Boston Symphony Orchestra concert presentations (details available at
http://www.tanglewood.org ), including the newly- announced Tanglewood Jazz Festival August 29-31, Labor Day Weekend. Jazz greats highlighting
this year's festival include Dianne Reeves, Terence Blanchard, Donal Fox, Eliane Elias, Eddie Daniels, Mark O'Connor, Jane Monheit, Marian McPartland, Edmar Castaneda and Joe Locke. All shows will be held in Seiji Ozawa Hall. Tickets for the entire Tanglwood season, include the Jazz festival, go on sale Sunday, February 17th.
Opening the festival Friday, August 29, at 8 p.m. will be Colombian harpist, Edmar Castaneda, and his trio featuring vibraphonist, Joe Locke. Pianist Eliane Elias will follow performing material from her
highly acclaimed CD, "Something For You," a tribute to Bill Evans.
On Saturday, August 30, at 2 p.m., Marian McPartland celebrates her 90th birthday in the seventh annual live taping of "Piano Jazz" for
NPR. Ms. McPartland will have several very special guests for this performance who will be announced at a later date.
Saturday, August 30, at 8 p.m., pianist and composer, Donal Fox, will perform his Scarlatti Jazz Suite Project with special guest, trumpeter, Christian Scott. Renowned vocalist Dianne Reeves takes
the stage in the second half of the concert.
The Sunday afternoon concert on August 31 will open at 2 p.m. with clarinetist and saxophonist, Eddie Daniels, and his quartet. The concert continues with violinist, Mark O'Connor, with special guest
jazz vocalist Jane Monheit in her Tanglewood Jazz Festival debut in a show titled "Hot Swing."
Closing the festival on Sunday, August 31, at 8 p.m. will be a Tanglewood exclusive—a very special concert by trumpeter and composer, Terence Blanchard, with a 30-piece orchestra performing the
material from this year's Grammy winning CD, "A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina)."
Tickets for the 2008 Tanglewood season go on sale Sunday, February 17, and are available by calling SymphonyCharge at 888-266-1200 or online at http://www.tanglewood.org and in person at the Symphony Hall Box Office. The Tanglewood Box Office in Lenox opens June 13. For further information, please call the Boston Symphony Orchestra at 617-266-1492 or visit our website at http://www.tanglewoodjazzfestival.org. The Tanglewood Jazz Festival is sponsored by Cunard and JazzTimes Magazine.
2008 Tanglewood Jazz Festival
Ticket Prices
Friday, August 29, 8 p.m.
The Edmar Castaneda Trio with Special Guest, Joe Locke Eliane Elias "Something For You" A Tribute to Bill Evans
$41/$48/$59/lawn $17
Saturday, August 30, 2 p.m.
A Celebration of Marian McPartland's 90th Birthday
Live taping for NPR's "Piano Jazz" with special guests TBA
$31/$38/$49/lawn $18
Saturday, August 30, 8 p.m.
Donal Fox: Scarlatti Jazz Suite Project featuring Christian Scott and Dianne Reeves
$44/$57/$70/lawn $19
Sunday, August 31, 2 p.m.
The Eddie Daniels Quartet Mark O'Connor's "Hot Swing" with special guest Jane Monheit
$31/$38/$49/lawn $18
Sunday, August 31, 8 p.m.
Terence Blanchard's "A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina)" with 30 piece orchestra
$44/$48/$59/lawn $17