1.800.PENOFIN

15th Annual Jazz Festival - 2009

 

» Archives: 2009 | 2007 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002

 

There are no wrong notes in jazz, and more than 130 students for four area schools learned just that on the first day of the 2009 Penofin Jazz Festival.

 

The 15th annual event kicked off in the old-growth redwood barn at Barbara and Skip Newell's property in Potter Valley, California. Reassembled piece-by-piece a number of years ago, Skip disassembled and numbered each piece, then moved and rebuilt the barn into the music haven he always knew was there. Since Skip worked to rebuild the barn paint-by-numbers style, its reputation as an acoustic hot spot has grown to include performances by Bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley and others. But if you ask Skip playing host to hundreds of students is just the way he and Barbara like it.

 

''We're both raised in musical families, and it just feels natural,'' said Skip as he led students through the lower level of the barn, which is a frame laden maze of photos from years past. ''We just enjoy doing this. Barbara cooks every night in preparation while I sit and play guitar.''

 

Jazz Fest 2009

But the Newells, who help pay the bus rental to transport the students, aren't the only people involved in making this two-day festival of improvisation and open rhythms a reality. Chris Gibson, a retired teacher, also had a hand in making sure students are exposed to the art form he values dearly. ''Young people need to have a sense of music--all kinds,'' Gibson explained as he dismissed the students for lunch. ''They benefit from experiencing professional musicians. And it's just a darn fun thing to do.''

 

And professional exposure is exactly what the students received. Folloing a lunch that included lemonade, lasagna, pasta salad and othe treats, a workshop by the Rich Halley Quartet, featuring Bobby Bradford,showed the students most of whom came with instruments in hand, exactly what jazz is.

 

A lot of public school kids might not have the opportunity to hear and experience this kind of music elsewhere,'' Gibson said. While explaining and exploring the rhythms and subtleties of jazz, the quartet brought random students up to the stage to play along and explore the concept of having a musical conversation. The students who cam from Oak Manoar, Fran Zeek, Willits Unified and River Oak Charter School, watched with wide eyes as their peers performed--with many taking an opportunity to solo.

 

The events continued into Saturday for an invitation only audience featuring another performance by the Rich Halley Quartet and Bobby Bradford as well as performances by Dottie Grossman and Michael Vlatkobich; Ben Allison and Man Size Safe with Michael Blake, Ron Horton, Steve Cardenas and Michael Sarin/ Dan Raphael with Rich Halley and Carson Halley; and the William Parker Quartet with Louis Barnes, Rob Brown and Hamid Drake.

 

Click on the photos below for a larger image.

 

 
Jazz Fest 2009Rich Halley Quartet Jazz Fest 2009Carson Halley Jazz Fest 2009Jeff Parker Trio Jazz Fest 2009Chris Lopes

Jazz Fest 2009Jeff Parker Jazz Fest 2009Jeff Parker Trio Jazz Fest 2009Paula Samonte & John Simon Jazz Fest 2009Paula Samonte & John Simon

Jazz Fest 2009Chris Lightcap Jazz Fest 2009Craig Taborn Jazz Fest 2009Craig Taborn Jazz Fest 2009Rich Halley, Craig Taborn, Chris Lightcap & J.T. Bates

Jazz Fest 2009Rich Halley Quartet Jazz Fest 2009Carson Halley Jazz Fest 2009Paula Samonte & John Simon Jazz Fest 2009Dan Raphael & Rich Halley

Jazz Fest 2009Dan Raphael & Rich Halley Jazz Fest 2009Dan Raphael, Rich Halley
& Carson Halley		 Jazz Fest 2009Chris Lightcap & J.T. Bates Jazz Fest 2009Craig Taborn Trio

Jazz Fest 2009Craig Taborn Trio Jazz Fest 2009J.T. Bates Jazz Fest 2009Craig Taborn Trio Jazz Fest 2009Rich & Bobby

Jazz Fest 2009Rich Halley Quartet Jazz Fest 2009Rich Halley Quartet Jazz Fest 2009Rich Halley Quartet

For more information contact Skip Newell at 707.462.3023
E-mail: pres@penofin.com.