Happy Birthday Les Paul
He changed music with his inventions and performances. Although widely associated with developing the solid body electric guitar that bears his name, Les Paul’s numerous recording inventions and innovations also changed modern music. Les Paul popularized the use of echo, reverb, phase shifting, close miking, delay and slap back with
Discovering Genius – Pianist 11yo Brandon Goldberg
Over two decades, Litchfield Jazz Camp has had its share of precocious students. Quite a few of them, actually. Most fall into a category I like to call to “my little old men.” They are atypically young boys (our official bottom age is 12) with high intelligence and talent and
Discovering Genius – Vocalist Michael Mayo
It’s always a challenge for me to find great male jazz vocalists. I am picky to the point of obsession, and, when Frank Sinatra of the perfect phrasing, diction, pitch and timbre is your standard, who can ever measure up? So I search and search and usually come up dry.
Discovering Genius – Pianist Joe Alterman
People ask me all the time, “Where do you find these artists?.” I usually say “The real question is what do I do with all the artists I find?” Few call me because they seem to know there is no time for chitchat here. Most send CDs. I look at
The Thrill of “Discovering Genius”
I was chatting with a festival fan recently who told me she was at the very first Litchfield Jazz Festival. She came on her own and sat right up front. That’s the beautiful thing about jazz AND life— you don’t have to be half of a matched set to enjoy
Stories From Backstage – Bon Mots from Dr. John
Dr. John has a big fan base at Litchfield and headlined here twice. The second time, a funny thing happened on the way to New Haven. So here’s the story. The festival was going swimmingly when I received a call from the gate that a gaggle– read 25 or 30
Passages
My daughter Lindsey Turner and I attended two funerals in the past two weeks. On the last day of April we attended a very musical service for George Griebel in Sharon. George was a mechanical engineer in his working life and a sports car buff who was a favorite usher at Litchfield
Stories from Backstage – Brave is As Brave Does: Eartha Kitt and the Big Surprise
Eartha Kitt was a legend. No two ways about it. I saw her live in 2004 at Mohegan Sun and rarely have I seen anyone own the stage the way she did. She was 77 years old, beautiful, and sexy with the best pair of legs I have ever seen.
Thank you for making Give Local a success
Thanks to all of our generous donors, Litchfield Performing Arts was able to raise over $7,000 to help support our programs during this year’s Give Local! In today’s climate, where funding for education and the arts is threatened, your support is more critical than ever. We would not be able
Give Local is TOMORROW
Tomorrow, Tuesday April 25, and Wednesday April 26 is the Litchfield Hills Give Local Event. The campaign officially begins tomorrow at 7:00 AM, but early giving has already started, so you may make your gift now if you prefer! Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated and will help us achieve