Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Avenue B Jazz is Alive and Well in the Summer of 2014!


Avenue B Jazz is Alive and Well in the Summer of 2014!

We have a gig this Thursday, 6-5-2014, at Romeo's Restaurant in Edmonds from 7p - 9P (10).  Come join us for good food and great Jazz!

The Avenue B Jazz Quartet is alive and well.  They all graduated from EWHS and went on to Colleges.  (See below.)  They are all back for summer of 2014 and plan to play gigs as much as they can.

The current Schedule for the Summer of 2014 is:  (check often for changes and additions)

A regular Summer 2014 evening gig at Romeo's Restaurant in Edmonds every other Thursday night, starting May 22, 2014 from 7-9 (sometimes till 10) and running through mid August as follows:

Romeo's:          Date:                Time: 
Thursday          5-22-2014         7P - 9P (sometimes till 10). -- done -- was good!
Thursday          6-5--2014          7p - 9p (sometimes till 10).
Thursday          6-19-2014         7p - 9p (sometimes till 10).
Thursday          7-3-2014           7p - 9p (sometimes till 10).
Thursday          7-17-2014         7p - 9p (sometimes till 10).
Thursday          7-31-2014         7p - 9p (sometimes till 10).
Thursday          8-14-2014         7p - 9p (sometimes till 10). (Final performance)

Edmonds Art's Festival:
Sunday             6-15-2014         3:30- 4:30         - Main Stage
Sunday             6-15-2014         11:30 - 12:30      - Student Art Area

Avenue B may be adding some other gigs this summer and will post them as they obtain them.  The group will be having guest players off an on all summer long.

Avenue B does hire out and play for special events in the summer and over the Christmas break.  If you are interested in hiring our group, please call coordinator's Jack Roben at 206-437-9345 or Peter Bennett at 425-299-1340.  Hiring the band is a great since the event gets to have some fantastic music and the pay helps the group all have a little extra money to stay in their colleges. 


Members of Avenue B -- Where were they during the 2013/2014 school year?

Miles Laven - Drummer.   For the 2013-2014 School Year he attended the famous Manhattan School of Music in Manhattan New York, studying Jazz Performance.  Over the year, Miles learned a lot about the Jazz Scene in New York City along with adding more to his jazz repertoire.  A few of his highlights would be:
            1.  Playing in a Jazz Combo all year with jazz guitar player and retired New York Yankee             Centerfielder, Bernie Williams.  Bernie can really play.  Miles was in several classes with him.
            2.  Miles spent a lot of time playing Jazz around NYC.
            3.  Miles spent a lot of time exploring the big city. 

Jack Roben -- Guitar.  For the 2013-2014 school year he attended the prestigious University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, where he is studying Jazz Performance.  Over the year Jack learned a lot about the studying and playing the jazz guitar and added new dimensions to his playing.  A few of his highlights would be:
            1.  Learning how to play his guitar while wrestling a crocodile.. 
            2.  Improving as a musician.
            3.  Learning how to deal with living in Texas.

Max Bennett - Tenor Saxophone.  For the 2013/2014 school year he attended Whitworth University in Spokane Washington, where he studied Music (Jazz) and Education.  Over the year Max learned a lot about how to improve his technique and about the educational aspects of teaching music.  A few of his highlights would be:
            1.  Making the Jazz I Band at Whitworth.
            2.  Playing with famous tenor saxophone player, Chris Potter in November of 2013 in downtown                                Spokane with the rest of the Whitworth Band.
            3.  Playing Jazz with the Whitworth Jazz Band in Jazz Bars in Rome, Italy for 2 weeks in January                        of 2014.
            4.  Learning how to do rock bouldering.
           
Cory Franklin - Bass.  Cory has decided to take a sabbatical from playing for now while he focuses in on his business studies at the University of Washington where he attended during the 2013-2014 year.  He is always part of the band and may come back at sometime in the future.  He is a very talented bass player and we all know that he could pick it back up again when and if he wants to.  He is presently very engulfed in the business school at the University of Washington.  A few of this highlights this year would be:
            1.  Being admitted to the Foster Business School at the University of Washington.
            2.  Going to UW Football Games.
            3.  Being involved in the Business school committees and events.

Guest Players.  Avenue B will have several different guest players over the summer to fill in for Cory or for others as we all coordinate our schedules.  Here are some of pour possible guest players:

            1.  Bob Bruya -- Bass Player.    Bob is from Ellensburg and is attending the University of Miami
            Music Program, studying Jazz for performance.  Bob's father Chris Bruya is the head of Jazz
            Studies at Central Washington University.

            2.  Jackson Mindt -- Bass Player.  Jackson is from Edmonds and played with the Avenue B          members at EWHS in the Jazz I band.  Jackson has played with Avenue B many times in the past.           Jackson is currently attending the University of Washington, studying Music and Business.

            3.  Brandon Cowan -- Bass Player.  Brandon is a graduating Senior from Edmonds Woodway         High School.  He will be attending Whitworth University this Fall and play the Bass in Jazz      Studies and also study Business.


Come out and see us!  We hope to see you at one of our gigs this Summer!


Avenue B Jazz --

Miles Laven -   Drummer
Jack Roben -     Guitar
Max Bennett - Tenor Saxophone.
Cory Franklin - Bass on Sabbatical


Call Peter Bennett for more information - 425-299-1340