Litchfield Jazz Festival is celebrating two decades of the best in jazz. Last year it introduced its own Litchfield Jazz Orchestra, a group of top jazz players who have bonded over the years as faculty members at the 19 year old Litchfield Jazz Camp.
A few years back the Festival’s Founder/Artistic Director Vita Muir, looking to create a more organic relationship between festival and camp, put a challenge before the award winning teaching staff. She asked them to bring her projects the public would respond to and incorporate their fellow instructors. This resulted in Gospel shows, baritone sax summits, musical tributes to historic figures and more. There was early talk about a festival orchestra but beyond a few concerts a camp, that idea sat simmering on the back burner.
Photo by Nathan Turner
In 2014 the LJO at last made its debut with the Django Reinhart Project developed and arranged for the fledgling orchestra by guitarist Doug Munro. This year we are celebrating the life and music of a Connecticut native who appeared on our very first festival, a man who was loved and revered by many and who left us way too soon.
Thomas Chapin was a pioneer in the evolution of jazz in the 80s and 90s. He was remarkable for his brilliance and exuberance as a multi-instrumentalist, band leader and composer. He joined Lionel Hampton as musical director at just 24 years of age and played that role for more than five years. He was one of the few artists whose music thrived in both the world of the New York City’s downtown, experimentalist scene and the uptown scene of mainstream jazz. The impact of his work is still felt among young people and the jazz community 17 years after his passing from leukemia three weeks before his 41st birthday.
Key people in the Litchfield Jazz Family had close personal and musical relationships with Thomas and it is those outstanding performers who have helped keep his music alive by continuing to record and perform it and now by presenting it to you.
On Friday evening August 7, the Litchfield Jazz Orchestra will make its second appearance in LJO Salutes Thomas Chapin to open our 20th Anniversary season. The LJO will use Chapin’s orginal arrangements. This concept was proposed bassist Mario Pavone, trombonist Peter McEachern and trumpeter Dave Ballou who is adapting Thomas’ scores and conducting. On Saturday the festival will air the premiere of Night Bird Song – The Thomas Chapin Story by Stephanie J. Castillo, Emmy Award winning documentary film make and Thomas’ sister in law. The complete version (this is a 50 minute version) will be released in 2016.
We welcome you to share this important and exciting musical experience with us and with Thomas friends and family. We love you Thomas!
The Litchfield Jazz Orchestra included Dave Ballou, Nick Roseboro, Russ Johnson, Peter McEachern, Ray Anderson, Randy Andos, Don Braden, Kris Allen, Mike DiRubbo, Albert Rivera, Andrew Hadro, Robin Baytas and Mario Pavone.
